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

tracts for the purpose OF cleaning streets,
but solely for the purpose of making
money.
For the foregoing reasons l am of the
opinion that so far as street cleaning is
concerned. 1t would be greatly to the in
terest of any municipality to perform such
service itself by day labor without COT
tract.
,Inchinc Sweeping of streets.
The six schedules for machine sweep
ing for the fiscal year ended June 80.
1900. averaged about 10000 square yards,
having been prepared at the beginning OF
the year in accordance with the amount of
money available Tor that class of work.
Machine sweeping is done at night be-
tween the hours Of S p. m. and a. m,
the six schedules being swept in regular
order, commencing with No. 1 on Monday
night. The force employed by the con-
tractor to clean the daily area, iScOOO
square yards, is rs follows: Ten sweep
ing machines with drivers. three sprink-
lers with drivers sixteen carts with driV-
ers, and eighteen broom and hoe men.
Two inspectors are employed on this
class Of work. their duties being to follow
the machines while at work and see that
the streets scheduled are swept, note any
inferior work dcne bv the contractor, and
repor; the same to the Office. Also, one
of the important duties of the superin-
tsndent is TO drive over the route in the
early morning after il has been swept to
see if the work has been done properly.
Upon his observaticns and the report of
the inspectors allowance is made for the
area cleaned at the contract rate, which
is 10 cents for the past fiscal year.
The lowest bid for machine sweeping
for the current year was Is cents per
LOCO square yards, provided the contract
was entered into for three years. THIS
being a very low rate and by the same
firm that did the work last year which
was well done. the contract was let for
three years, subject to annual appropria-
lions by Congress By letting the con-
tract fer three years instead of one year
a saving was made of "a cents per LOCO
square yards. which amounts to quite an
item at the end of year. For the cur
rent year we have for this class of work
S3J, 600. This amount should be so in
creased as to enable US TO sweep some
Of the streets oftener than twice week,
and l submit herewith an estimate OF
$4,000 for machine sweeping.
The work of cleaning the improved
alleys for the fiscal year ended June 80,
1900. was done under contract al SO cents
per 1000 square yards. The daily sched'
ules average about 600 square yards.
the alleys scheduled being cleaned by hand
once per week, according to schedule num-
Der. commencing with No. ! on Monday.
The force employed to do this work was
eighteen laborers. six horses and carts
with drivers, and three one-horse sprink-
lers with drivers. The service for the past
year was very good, as shown by the in
frequency OF complaints. The rate for
cleaning alleys has gradually decreased
from 49, cents per LOCO square yards in
1895 to , IS cents for the current year.
The daily schedules for the current year
viii ave &c about 10000, or an increase
of 80 COO over last year. the increase being
due to added territory and newly paved
alleys.
The contract rate for cleaning unim-
proved streets and alleys for the fiscal
year ended June so, 1900. was $3.50 pen
day for furnishing thirty-six laborers,
twelve horses and carts with drivers. and
all tools necessary to do the work, with
provision 10 furnish extra laborers and
horses and carts with drivers at s1.35 and
s1.75, respectively. when ordered by the
Commissioners. An equal division of said
force into four gangs gives nine laborers
and three horses and carts with drivers 10
each gang three of which are employed
on unimproyed streets at a cost of si9SS
per day, and one on unimproyed alley work
at s16.62 per day.
THE three gangs are assigned to differ
ent sections OF the city, each in charge of
an inspector, whose duty It is TO see that
the roadway is kept clean, the drainage of
the cutters clear and free from weeds and
grass and also to attend 10 complaints
caused by the failure Of the property hold
ers to comply with the Law requiring them
TO remove dirt washed from their property
upon the sidewalks streets. and alleys.
ITO keep unimproyed alleys clean is q
difficult task. and one that requires spt-
81 al .
many OF them are so narrow that a horse
and cart cannot be gotten into them, the
laborers having TO scrape the filth TO the
entrance or carry it out in small recep-
tacles. 1t is into this class of alleys that
most all OF the filth and rubbish from
adjacent premises finds its way, besides
being made a dumping ground by the
scayenger or ash man. in defiance Of police
and sanitary regulations. This work is
done under contract, in connection with
that of unimproved street work, at a cost
of si6e2 per day. for nine laborers, three
horses and carts, in charge of one inspec-
tor.
This class OF alleys is cleaned once in |
six days. the city having been laid out in /
six different routes. and schedules printed |
showing the number of alleys, location, !
and area to be cleaned each day.
During the current year the unim |
proved alleys will be cleaned by the same |
force that cleans the improved alleys. and |
under the same contract. BY this system I
much time will be saved and the cost of 1
cleaning the unimproved alleys will be re- /
duced. for the reason that the majority of |
squares in the city have unimproved as
well as improved alleys. Under the old |
system two different gangs of men visited |
each square, while under the present ar
one gang of men does the work,
thereby saving time and expense.
The Public Dumps.
This branch of the service has been of /;
great benefit to the department, as well
as TO the general public. The benefit to
the department is derived from the fact
that the dumps. located as they are in ,
different sections of the city afford the |
District dumping places for the sweepings /
from the streets, etc. within short hauling |
distances. and save thereby n great deal |
of time and expense in the hauling. The |
public was benefited for the reason that |
they were allowed the use of these Dumps |
for the deposit OF the ashes and other I'M |
Objectionable material collected from the |
houses and back yards OF residents. there
by avoiding to a large extent the great |
public nuisance of depositing such refuse |
upon the vacant lots in the thickly settled |
parts Of the city.
1.-THE duty of the man in charge of each |
Of the dumps is 10 see that the dumps are |
kept on proper grade and in a sanitary |
condition, and to prevent Objectionable |
material from being dumped thereon The |
sixteen dump men employed by the de-
partmsnt are under the supervision of |
a foreman, whose duty il is TO visit daily |
each dump and see that they are properly |
kept, and TO make a report to the office |
OF the condition OF the dump. the time
of the dump man, and the number of loads |
of refuse deposited daily