The evening times., 1900-03-17

Through the prompt action Of Congress
yesterday in passing the joint resolution
appropriating $1,000 for the removal OF
snow from the streets. Superintendent
Warner StutleT was able this morning 10
put a large force Of men az work.
The Street Cleaning Department en-
ploys 300 men and sixty horses and carts
in the regular service Of sweeping TIE
pavements and removing the dirt. This
force was set at work at the snow today,
and TO it we're added l75 extra men and
| about twenty-five extra carts. The addi-
tional men were procured through the
charity, and twice as many could have
been employed if the authorities had been
in possession of a larger appropr alton.
Under Mr.. Suffers orders the street
cleaning brigade attacked the business sec
tiOn Of the city first, opening the crossings
and cleaning out the cutters. The bright
sun was an efficient ali. to the work soft
ening the ice which formed last night and
causing much of the snow to melt and rIn
away
The days work has told heavily upon the
masses OF slush in the streets. and tonight
the crossings in the business section OF the
city and about the public buildings will lie
clear. making travel comparatively COM
Portable. II is estimated tlat the street
cleaners carted away 500 tons Of snow and
ice Today.
In the regular appropriations for street
cleaning, which were S201,O 900 in 1899 ana
$l4J, 600 for the current fiscal year. 81 GOO is
set apart for emergency work In removing
snow from its thoroughfares.
This is sometimes suucIeut. But iu
March last year al the time Of the great
blizzard il proved 10 be but a drop In the
bucket in comparison with what was
needed. Congress came 10 the rescue then
rs it has done now. first by appropriating
$1,000. thea $1,000. and finally SO Geo
which with the S1.0C0 carried in the regu-
lar appropriation bill made "a total Of S3.-
coo made available for removing the snow
which fell al that time.
From the above sum 81 7o0 was left Uu-
expended. until the storm OF a few weeks
ago, which with the Sl.te0 appropriated for
the current year made s. 200 available. Su-
peTintendent StutIer then PUT on q large
force Of extra men FOR two days stopping
the work only when the fund VAS exhaust
ed. This left the department without a
dollar TO undertake the emergency work
caused by the storm Of last Thursday.
upon the question and Will not permit the
money appropriated fer the regular street
cleaning TO be diverted 10 the removal Of
ice AMI snow. Hence the street cleaning
department Is helpless only as Congress
places extra sums at It's disposal as IN ,he
present instance.
In talking about The matter to "a Times
reporter this morning Superintendent Stu.-
Ter said he thought the appropriation would
De sufficient 20 clear the crossings ana the
cutters and 20 make travel cOmparativcIy
easy. At this season OF the year he said
snow cannot lie long anywhere. and it was
iutmatCd that The sum placed az his dis
posaI would be used as Tar as iJ would 60
in performing he work most needed
With reference To The emergency work
performed by the Street Cleaning Depart
meut in the mocths Of January. February.
and March. 1899. the Superintendent said
that the largest force employed for auy
one day was 2.0J5 lauOrCrs and iG2 horses
carts. and wagons with drivers. the heavi-
est daily cost reaching Sa255.11. The TO-
tai cost during the winter was $50. .22g ST.
leaving an UueNpeaded balance Cf ST.
170Is.
part or he work Uas done under "a
provision Of the contract for machine
sweeping con -inuCd Mr.. Stutler. which
provision required the contractors 20 Do
prepared to do work Of this character
whenever called upon. and for which tasv
were TO be paid the market rate for tho
torce employed aud 10 per cent additional
for furnishing tools.
The allowance Of the 10 per cent pruyii-
cd for i'm the two years contract ended
June 80. 1899. amounted on this work 20
$2O5g.45. The balance Of the work was
done directly by the street Cleaning De-
partment. and the aforesaid TO per cent ad-
ditional expense therefore. was saved 10
the District upon this work. The rate or
wages paid for the force employed was the
same both by the contractors and by the
District and was as follows Foreman. So
per day; sub-foremen s. per day: la
bCrers. 1925 per day: horses and carts
with drivers $l.75 per day; two-horse wag-
ons with drivers, So TO $3.50 per day. ac-
cording TO the size and kind OF wagon
I'm order 20 De prepared for such emer-
gencies as occurred last winter and 90
avoid the numerous annoy ing calls We were
compelled to make upon Congress for ad-
ditional appropriations. we should have
an annual appropriation OF az least $50 900
to be used solely for this purpose and The
unused balance covered back into the
Treasury"