The Washington times., 1902-04-06
Superintendent Stutler De-
fendS His Depart
ment.
CLEAN AS IN OTHER CITIES
Says Relative Cost Is Much Higher Than
in Washington - Gives Statistics to
Bear Out Statements Made-Answers
Representative McDermott

Mr.. Warner Stutler, Superintendent of
Street Cleaning, yesterday submitted
statement 10 Commissioner Ross for the
information of the Board of Commission
ers setting forth the facts relating to the
sweeping. sprinkling. and cleaning of
streets, which provoked discussion on Fri
day in the House of Representatives while
the deficiency bill was under considera-
tion. Mr.. Suffers statement is aimed at
the criticism of methods and results
raised by Representative McDermott of
New Jersey.
Mr-~Stutler shows that the assertions
made by ire me=n5er of the House were
greatly exaggerated, both as 10 the condi-
tion of the streets mere and the compara-
: tive cost of street cleaning in Washing
ton;
He gives list OF twelve cities in which
the cost of cleaning streets ranges frcm
56ito 4S5 per cent higher than il is in
Washington. DTc- c: he cities happens
TO be Jersey City, where the relative cost
of cleaning is i03 per cent higher than in
, Washington.
Gain Wong Impression.
While it is true says AR. Stutler,
that those familiar with exis ing condi
tions here will not gain wrong impress
sion, yet ether cities will doubtless draw
erroneous conclusions, and therefore
deem IL necessary to call attention to the
actual facts.
First.-For the current year we have
1920 less than we had fer the previous
year.
'Second-One hundred thousand square
yards of newly rayed streets and 0,0o(
square yards of newly paved alleys have
been added 10 the schedule to be cared for.
which adds about $4,000 to the annual
cost of street cleaning.
"Third-New streets have been graded
and the cutters CT these require cleaning
throughout the year, and sprinkling has to
be done during the summer months.
Fourth-The past summer was very
hot and dry, and more sprinkling and
day work was done than during any pre-
yious year.
More Work Required.
From the foregoing it will be seen
that much more work was required and
done during the current year than was
performed last year, yet our appropria-
tion was less by s6,240.
LAS the city grows new streets are
added TO the area to be cleaned, neces-
sarily requiring a corresponding increase
in the appropriation. This is the situa-
tion We had to meet this year, hence the
deficiency of $40 24s. ''-' i'--
"The Street Cleaning Department is
not aware that any OF the streets are
in chronic bad condition in SO far as
cleanliness is concerned. nor that there
is much filth in front of the hotels
"On the contrary we claim that they
are at least as clean as those of any
other city, and in support OF this we
are constantly receiving communications
from business men and others congratu-
iatiRg US the manner in which the
work OF street cleaning is done.
Short of Funds.
.It is true that during the month OF
February the streets were covered with
snow and ice, but the appropriation Of
sI55.oCO was not available for removing
same. We had but 5000 for the purpose
of dealing with snow and ice.
Relative TO the statement that the APP
propriation of 1900 is higher than any
other city in the eorG;Ty submit the fol-
lowing table of statistics, compiled from
Department OF Labor bulletin No. &c:
Other Cities Compared.
Comparison of the cost of street clean
ing in accordance. with area cleaned in
the following cities with that of the
ccst in Washington: