The Washington times., 1902-01-06
ASH SERVICE
INADEQUATE.
Friction Between Collectors
and HOQSehOlderS.
METAL RECEPTACLE RlDiCULED.
Innumernble Complaints of the Rig
i'd ReguIntions and ExactiOEs of
the COntractOr-Under Municipal
ContrOI-The Results of the Service
Unsatisfactory.

The ash collection service is just now
the subject of a good deal of complaint
on the part of housekeepers throughout
the city. This is in part due to the ac-
cumulation of ashes on account of the
winter fires. and in part it seems to be
due to a certain amount of demoraliza-
tion in the force growing out of Christ
mas and New Year drinking.
Residents in all parts of town in writ
| ing to the District Commissioners, and to
the press. state that the service is no
| tably inefficient and exasperating to the
people. The regulations requiring recep-
tacles of metal of a specified capacity are
| designated ridiculous. and the reia-
| tions between the collectors and house
| holders are marked by friction and con-
slant trouble.
The daily papers are filed with COM
| plants, and the mails of the Commits
! sioners are weighted down with missives
| containing very uncomplimentary refer
| ences to the Department of Street Clean
| ing for allowing such an inadequate and
vexatious service.
Organization of the Service.
The present ash service was estab-
| lished by the District Commissioners
under the appropriation act approved
| June .. 1900 BY that act there was ap-
! propriated S115, 900 for the collection and
( disposal OF garbage, miscellaneous ref
| use, and ashes in the city of Washing
ton and the more densely populated sec
| items of the suburbs. Under the same
act the Commissioners we're authorized
to enter into contracts and to organize
service or services to accomplish the
| objects sought.
Accordingly q division was made in the
| appropriation, setting aside S29, ,190 for
the ash collection service, $4,000 for mis-
cellaneous refuse, $4,000 for the disposal
of night soil, s51, 600 for collecting and
disposing of garbage, and the balance for
salaries and contingent expenses.
The collection and disposal of ashes
| was let out by contract for the amount
named above 1t was found that this
was all the money that could be spared
out of the appropriation for the purpose.
The result was that it became necessary
| to inaugurate limited ash service. The
| contract specified that the collections
| should be from private residences only.
Removal Of ashes and other refuse from
apartment houses, factories, restaurants,
and business places was not provided for.
and this has been done as formerly by
private enterprise.
Limited by Lack of Money.
So small was the appropriation that it
| became necessary to limit the service in
other ways 1t was stipulated that the
collections should be weekly. and that the
ashes must be placed in metal receptscles,
which should not exceed twenty gallons
in capacity, so that the driver could read
lily handle them when filled.
The first series of complaints related
to the cans They we're costly. and for
each housekeeper within the area trav-
ersed by the new ashman TO fit out with a
sufficient number of cans to hold the ac-
cumulations of week involved the out
lay of several dollars. This requirement.
| which many think burdensome, has kept
out of the advantages of the public col
| lection of ashes about one-third OF the
people of the District. The item of ex-
pense added to the annoyance of placing
! the ashes where the collector can get
them without trouble have induced many
to retain the services of the old ash
man, who was not particular about the
receptacle and who would remove a bar
rel as quickly as one OF the newfangled
| cans.
The Results Unsatisfactory.
But many housekeepers sought to abide
by the regulations of the department. The
tin or galvanized iron cans were pur-
chased and an effort was made to get into
| line with modern ideas to the col'ec-
tiou of aSnes.
The results have been to many unsat-
isfactory. as the stream Of complaints
well shows. The people are plainly dis
satisfied and disgusted with the service
and with the exactions of the collectors
| in regard to the character OF the recep-
| tacles ard 10 the manner OF placing them
for collection. II seems TO some OF those
who write TO the Commissioners that the
contractor multiples the difficulties of the
service in order to tighten his labors, and
to take as little ashes as possible. while
lie is being paid the full amount under
his contract.
Supervision of the Work.
On the part of the Department of Street
Cleaning inspections are made, complaints
are investigated, and adjustment of diff
culties arranged as far as possible, but
The fact seems to remain that the service
| is Inadequate and to some degree in
efficient.
Through the action of the principal
merchants Of the city an item was placed
in the estimates sent 10 Congress this
year for all additional appropriation to
cover the ccs5 of the collection of ashes
ficm apartment houses aud business
places II is also the opinion of the
} Superintendent of Street Cleaning that
a larger appropriation ought to be made
for the collections from private houses
10 enable the contractor TO collect Oftener
than once a week, during the winter
months especially.
The Metal Receptacle.
| The reason which actuated the De
partmcnt in requiring the use OF metal
receptacles for ashes was the danger from
fire when ashes are put in wooden boxes
! There were also the other ideas OF
cleanliness and uniformity OF the re-
. ceptacles to be handled by Inc collectors
This requirement has aroused grea
/! opposition on the part of the people and
| has given rise TO endless ridicule in let
tors written 10 the Commissioners. Tho
| average man does not readily see the diff
ference tn the collector between Il woodeI
bCx filled with ashes weighing forty
I Tho a;..r,,