Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-25

| HE said: 1t Is desirable that we MAKE
| our present dumps last as long as possible
and II Mr. Ready were allowed to use them
| IT would result in filling them up much
! more quickly Not word about MT.
| Rusk. although he knew that. as contractor
| for machine cleaning Of paved streets 10.
| cleaning all alleys and unpaved streets, and
| for the removal of ashes. Mr.. Rusk was
| using the District dumps for the deposit OF
thousands OF loads of sweepings: scrapngs
| and ashes. In this connection beg to cali
attention to a clause in Mr.. Rusk's con-
| tracts, which says:
1.-The contractor must provide place OF
= The said Commissioners will not
! at any time. undertake to provide dumps
for the contractor
yet Mr.. Suffers report for 1903 shows
teen dumps at an expense to the District
| of $S.6S7.50. although not more than one
| third Of that number was necessary to the
hand-cleaning force. All of them were
| the District except Ready. His trash Is
| too bulky-f1lled up the dumps too rapidly
you know Or was his exclusion inspired
by the hope that 1t would give Mr.. Rusk
! than Ready's bid?
'7 Mr.. Suffers report for 1903 shows
that the Washington Fertilizer Company.
contractor for collection and disposal OF
| of the cases Of complaint by householders
! of poor service. while Mr.. Rusk. contractor
| for collection and disposal Of ashes and
miscellaneous waste, was fined in but 10
| per cent Of such cases.
Hours Of Labor.
's. The act Of August 1. 1892. which linn
its the hours of daily service Of mechanics
and laborers employed upon the public
| works Of the United States and the District
Of Columbia to eight hours In nine consecu-
| tive hours is quoted and made part Of the
contract with Mr.. Rusk for the machine
cleaning. 1t is notorious that beginning
last July and continuing to this date his
drivers have worked twelve hours per day
and his gutter and cart men from thirteen
to fifteen hours.
when the inspectors called Mr.. Suffers
attention to this fact and said the men
were complaining. he replied that it was
none of their business how long Mr.. Rusk
worked his men, Mr.. Stutler observes and
enforces the eight-hour law in all other
branches Of the service
%. Prior to Mr. Rusks getting the con-
| tract for machine work the inspectors had
authority to use their Judgment as to
whether or not the conditions were suitable
for work. In case of rain before the hour
for going out they could say: No work to-
night: streets too wet. and that settled it.
Or If it rained while work was in progress
and the sweepngs became too sloppy to
pile or cart away. they could order the ma
chimes to the barn. That authority was
| taken from them last July and they were
Instructed by Mr.. Stutler to take no action
until they had called him by phone and
gotten orders.
lone Of the inspectors on unpaved streets
received similar instructions. In this ca Sc
Mr.. Stutler said You call me. and 1 will
go up and see Commissioner West; he in
sists there shall be no suspension of work
An inspector found some Of Mr.. Rusk's
wagons sprinklng muddy streets the day
following rain and sent them home. Mr..
Stutler reprimanded him and said: In the
future If you find those wagons working
after a rain and you think sprinking Is
unnecessary. you may know they had Or
ders from this Office to go out
10. Mr.. Stutler is on record an advo-
cate of cleaning streets by hand labor and
Of the District doing all street cleaning
without contract. He seems to have expe-
renced a change of mind recently, as evil
denced by a material decrease in the area
cleaned by hand without contracD and an
increase in the area swept by machine Or.
V. Rusk. contractoD. During the past win
ter there was large saving in all branches
of the service due TO the unusual number
OF days when all work was necessarily sus-
pended. All that and a further saving eff
fected by the discharge of forty white
wings and several drivers is expended for
machine work.
II. The machines were ordered out Feb
ruary D. 1904, to sweep slush from certain
north and south streets where the sun was
melting the snow. AS no gutter men or
carts followed the machines Mr.. Rusk
should have been paid for only one-third of
the area swept Mr. Stutler ordered that
he be paid practically in full. only a small
deduction being made. although he was
fully informed as to the facts
"12. Mr.. Rusk allowed continuous
use of one of the District sprnkling wagons
for about two months.
Vouchers for Work Not Done.
"13. For several days in the early part of
March. 1904. the force which Mr. Rusk fur
nished for cleaning unlmproved streets, at
s64 per day, was, by order Of Mr. Stutler,
engaged in helping Mr.. Rusk to clean
paved streets, and performed no service for
the District except to clean up the market
places. MIR. Stutler caused vouchers to is
sue for the 1914 per day. less the wages of
was entitled to only such proportion of the
S64 as was earned by the men who cleaned
the markets. The District was defrauded
of about $50 per day. During the same time
Rusk's service.
IA In several instances. other than those
mentioned in paragraph b. Mr.. Stutler has
caused vouchers to issue in favor of Mr..
Rusk for work which he knew had not been
done.
10 He has converted to his own use ma
terlal and labor belonging to the District.
''16 He has purposely and with intent tn
deceive the Commissioners published false
reports as to the cost of the hand cleaning
which has been in excess of the limit named
by congress IN the acts authorizing
Commissioners to do such work without
contract
Length of the Inquiry.
In the event Mr.. Robinson is given per-
mission to search the records for proof of
his charges it Is possible that the investf-
cation may be slightly delayed. It is be-
lieved, however, that not more than one
day will be lost by reason OF this circum-
stance.
No witnesses were summoned for the
hearing this afternoon. 1t is thought that
not more than a dozen witnesses on both
sides will be examined. The list of wit
nesses submitted by Mr.. Robinson to the
Commissioners includes several inspectors
and employees of the street cleaning de-
partment. Mr.. StutIer states that his evil
dence will be chiefly documentary,
1t was the intention this afternoon to
continue the investigation tomorrow after
noon. after which 1t is likely that a morn
ing session will also be held. the morning
session beginning at IL o'clock and closing
at 1920 or l pm. the afternoon session
being resumed at 2:30 pm. This program
will probably be followed until the close of
the inquiry.
number OF interested spectators were
present at the hearing this afternoon in
Guiding several persons prominent in local
affairs.