Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-24
STREET CLEANING WORK
REPORT SUBMITTED By sUPERIN-
TENDENT sTUTLER.
Ideas Regarding Recommendations Of
the Examining Committee
The Details.

Warner Stutler, superintendent of the
street cleaning department Of the District
government, has submitted to Commission
er West a report In connection with the
recommendations of the examining commit
tee relative to his department Among
other things he says that II the Commits
sioners SO desire his Office will insert in al
future contract specifications a clause to
the effect that semi-monthly payments will
he made to contractors, the payment in the
middle of the month to be In the nature
of an advance. He also suggests, in view
Of the fact that the health officer is
charged under the law with the duty of en-
forcing the requirements as to the cOnstruc-
ton and regulation of outbuildings that
this branch of the street cleaning depart
ment be transferred to him. This matter
was mentioned to the examining committee.
says Mr.. Stutler, but for some reasons was
overlooked by them.
The remaining portions of the report are
for the most part technical In nature. DEAL
Ing with the preparations of machine
sweeping schedules and the ike.
Complaints Relative to Garbage.
The report refers to complaints relative
to garbage and miscellaneous refuse as
follows:
"The superintendent passes on all COM
plants on the morning the reports of the
inspectors are received. and knows what
districts or sections, if any, are being ne
elected"
Mr.. stutler does not think that the press mt
method of handling complaints should be
changed.
'"The contractor for the collection and
disposal of ashes, miscellaneous refuse
and night soil, respectively, says Mr.
Stutler has been directed to furnish this
office with daily reports, as provided In
- he onf q nr1S
for the collection and disposal of the va
rious classes of city refuse. 1t is submit
ted, however, that the quantity OF ashes
and non combustible refuse be given In
cubic yards, as the contractor has no ia
cilities for weighing the material, and
our statistics are made up according to
measurement. and not by weight; also for
the same reason that the number OF bags
of combustible refuse and the number OF
barrels of fecal matter be reported, rather
than the weight Of same. This Office has
taken the liberty Of SO instructing the
contractor
STIPULATED Rate Not Practicable.
The report concludes with the following
statement:
'Tt would be impracticable to enter into a
contract for cleaning unimproved streets
at stipulated rate by surface measure
ment. AS a general rule, only the cutters
and a small part of the street proper re-
quire cleaning, and 1t would be a d1hcult
matter to measure the surface actually COW
cred by the laborers. Again. when dirt Is
washed from the abutting embankments on
to the unpaved streets it is carted away by
the unimproved gang, and the only basis
upon which such work could be paid for
would be by the cubic yard or by the load.
1.-The suggestion that this class of work
be done by day labor under the immediate
direction of the Commissioners Is In line
with what this Office has advocated for
some time past. In this connection how
ever, 1t is well to bear in mind that the
contractor is paid only for the actual
force employed and the actual number of
days worked During the fiscal year 1904
work was performed on this class of work
on but 242as days, and the balance of the
time the contractor was at the expense Of
maintaining the ten horses required by his
contract, notwithstanding the fact that they
were not earning anything. If the District
took over the work, of course the expense
of maintaining the requisite number Of
horses Throughout the year, regardless Of
the number of days actually worked, would
have to be assumed.