The Washington times., 1902-01-09
DEFENCE OF THE
ASH SERVICE.
Rules Less Stringent Than
in Other Cities.
THE LIMITED METAL RECEPTACLE.
The Superintendent cf street Clean
ing Answers Several Complaints
Against The Department - About
Thirty-nvc Thousand Houses Wis
tied Each Week.

Warner Stutler. Superintendent of Street
Cleaning. las submitted to the District
Commissioners a report upon the letter Oh
Mr. p W SheciIes, OF 1910 New Jersey
Avenue, complaining OF the inefiiciency OF
the ash service. Mr.. Stutler explains that
the regulations governing the service and
made a part of the police regulations
contain q penalty clause for failure TO com
ply herewith. He says these regulations
have been published in the daily papers
and have Ieen distributed from house TO
louse.
Mr. Stutler states that the complainant
does not make any real point against The
regulations, but that he INDUCES in Ger
tain statements, sarcastic and otherwise,
which do not pertain TO the question.
Regulations Not Stringent.
Mr.. Stutler declares that the regulations
are not more stringent than those in ether
well-regulated cities, and that they were
promulgated after full consideration Of The
situation and the needs of the District in
the way of an ash service.
With reference 10 tine clause requiring
metal receDtacles Mr.. Stutler says it VAS
adopted as a result of representations ty
the Fire Department that a majority of
fires in the city were due to placing hot
ashes in wooden vessels.
Cnpacity of RcceptacIes.
The clause limiting the capacity of re
ceptacles was embodied in the contractors
bid Mr.. Stutler says, and his reason for the
same was TO limit the number of trips 10
and from TIE ash wagons. Without such
limitation Mr.. Stutlor thinks the bid TO 10
the work would have been much higher,
as it was the only bid received by the Com
n.issioners which was within the appro-
priation available. 1t was accepted. and
the District cannot now disregard the
terms of the contract
Mr.. Stutler states that during the
month of December, 1901, he received a
total of ninety-two complaints, and upon
investigation by inspectors of the depart
ment il was shown that in fourteen cases
the contractor was at fault, and fines were
accordingly imposed. In the remaining
seventytwo cases the householders had
failed TO furnish the proper receptacles,
some of them having placed ashes in as
many as thirteen vessels. such as wooden
boxes, coffee pots, small cookers, dish
pans, etc. Mr.. Stutler further states that
!
themselves with regulation receptacles
and are receiving prompt and satisfactory
weekly service.
Complaints Not Numerous.
In consideration of the fact that the
contractor visits $4,000 houses once each
| week, or four times each month, making
| total of 100000 visits each month, Mr.
Stutler is of the opinion that fourteen
complaints in which the contractor was
found to be at fault and fined was not an
excessive number.
Mr.. Stutler states further that a very
small per cent of the householders have
not as yet complied with the regulations
and il is from this small minority that the
complaints come. He hopes that in the
near future they will see the wisdom of
the regulations and observe them. and not
compel the department to ask for an en-
forcement of the penalty clause.