The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-21


Warner stutler, Superintendent of th'
Street Cleaning Department, yesterda!
submitted his third annual report Of tbs
operations of his department foT the hsca
year ended June 80. 1860. In addition, ne
submitted an estimate of The amount nee
assary for the proper conduct Of the de-
partment for the fiscal year ending June
30 1892 together with such recommended
tions as in his opinion viii improve tbs
service.
According to the report, the amount ap'
prcpriated for all work, including salaries
Of employees, was s172,97O.l9, of which
SI45, cCO was for sprinking, sweeping, ant
cleaning, S24,2t0 was for salaries, S2'0OI
was for snow and ice work, with an uneX-
pended balance Of $1,7Ic19 of the latter
appropriation. Mr.. Stutler states that the
total amount appropriated has been ex-
pended. the distribution having been made
at the beginning of the year among the
different branches according to the amount
Of work to be done. Addressing himself
to the subject Of the hand-clcaning OF
streets aad avenues, Mr.. Stutler says:
The hand system Of cleaning streets
was adopted in this city July /, 1897, and
has been continued with unqualified sue
cess up to the present time. Its tentative
period, If, indeed, it was ever deemed an
experiment, has passed; If it was ever on
trial the verdict is in its favor.
1.-The daily area cleaned during the first
year was 394, l2S square yards at CONTRACT
rate of So cents per 1000 square yards.
Tl4.- fh. frs nj
life CT which contract was two years.
gathered data from which / was enabled
TO show that the work could be better done
and at less cost TO the city by day labor
without contract than if done by contract
THE second year the daily hand clean
ing schedule was increased from 394,l
TO 7G2, $40 square yards of which 3oS,5lz
square yards was cleaned directly by the
District al an average cost of is cents per
LOCO square yards, as against 80 cents per
LOCO square yards paid the contractor
"A provision in the appropriation bill
for the third year, or the fiscal year ended
June 80. 1860, limited the rate to be paid
under contract to 90 cents per LOCO square
yards, by which We were enabled TO get a
contract at Il Ia cents per 1000 square
yards. This reduction in the rate enabled
US TO extend the service and the daily
schedule was increased to 1.230,7 rs square
yards. which was cleaned daily turing the
past fiscal year.
"a provision in the appropriation bill for
The fiscal year ending June 80, 1901, further
reduced the limit to be paid under contract
10 20 cents per 1000 square yards. giving
the Commissioners authority to do the work
themselves in the event of failure to get
a contract at 20 scents or less per LOCO
square yards.
NO BIDS were received for hand clta ling,
and the work is being done by day labor.
without contract, al a cost of is cents per
1000 square yards. This reduction in the
cost enabled us TO further enlarge the
daily schedule, and We are cleaning at the
present time daily area OF 15s5.S,9 SO a e
yards.
The number of men employed TO clean
this area is 201. or an average area per
man of 7,740 square yards. Each man is
assigned certain section or block which
he Is required to keep clean from 1880 a. N.
TO 4;S0 p. m.
The outfit provided each man is a bag
cG-rier and half dozen bags, push broom,
with scraper attachment, hand sprinkler,
short handle shovel, and broom.
After sweeping the entire surface ia
the morning. the area is constantly pa
troled during the day and the droppings
gathered and placed in bags for removal
TO the dumps.
Eight inspeetoIe are employed on this
class OF work. each being assigned 10 a
certain division. Their duties are TO pa
troll their divisions and see that the work
is done properly and make daily report
to the Office.
Plea for Municipal Control.
The vital point of difference between
contract work and that done by munich
pality is that the former is performed with
an eye to accruing profits, while the latter
is prosecuted with no other object than
the accomplishment OF the best result pos
sible for the money available.
"A principal advantage OF municipal work
over Contract work is that the employees
will be under direct control OF the munici-
pality, SO that when any section of the
city shall require special attention a sufii-
cient force may be at once transferred TO
such section, with no contractor to consult,
no danger of complaint of infringing upon
his rights. and no troublesome contentious
as to compensation for extra work An
other point in favor of municipal control
is that but one set OF employees viii be I'M
Ger supervision, with no clauses OF con-
tract TO be interpreted in cases where the
work may be sighted; the work of super
vision may be brought within smaller com
pass, and inferior work may be reduced to
a minimum, because largely of the absence
of motive 10 do inferior work or to wholly
neglect any part of 1t. Under municipal
control there will be no conflicting inter-
ests. The principal efforts should then be
10 ensure the best work possible at the
least expense consistent .ith justice TO the
labor employed. II an employe then neg
lects the duties assigned to him the remedy
may be applied direct and at once
TO my mind IL is a ridiculous absurdity
he ~ III
ing can be done as well and at less cost
by contract than by day labor without con-
tract II one person can perform q spe-
cific work for a certain sum, what is 10
prevent a city OF corporation from doing
the same thing?
The point is frequently raised that po-
liticaI patronage would so handicap the
department and increase the cost Of NUM-
cipal street cleaning as 10 make IL i'm
practicable; but in the years expert
mental work under my direction / ex-
perienced no embarrassments whatever in
that regard, nor do l fear any, should the
entire control of the work be put under
my direction. Even in the conscientious
performance by the contractor OF the wCrk
required by his contract. there are GER
tam elements which carry the cost IF 81 a
work above the amount for which Ii cou. 4
be done by the municipality, and which
also interfere with the intelligent organi-
cation OF the street cleaning service In
the first instance a party proposing to
enter into contract for street cleaning
must, in determining the amount for
which the work can be done take into
consideration the fact that it will be nee
essary for him 10 purt base a sufficient
equipment for the work a large part Of
which VIII become almost a dead loss in
case OF failure 10 secure another contract
for the same work at the expiration OF
the first. The price. therefore, must he
such as TO protect him against such loss