Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-24
EXTENSION OF SERVICE
Specifications of Contract for
Garbage Collection
UNDER CONSIDERATION
sTIPULATIoNs GOVERNING THE
PAY OF employees.
Increase in Cost of Service Predicted
Contractors Claim They Are
Losing Money.


that the cost of the District garbage serv-
ice under the contract to be drawn for
new period of five years. beginning next
fall, will be considerably increased. The
specifications to be issued are under consid-
Grafton, and plans are being perfected for
an extension of the garbage collections
and for remedying the defects in the sys-
tenn which experience has developed
A number of important changes are be-
ing made by Commissioner West who has
SUPERVISION over the STRENGTHENING de-
partment, and Mr.. Harrison Stidham, SUI
perintendent of that department. in the
specifications which will govern the collec-
ton and disposal of garbage, ashes and
other waste and refuse materials IN Inc
District during the five-year period begin
ming November 80 next. Both commits
sioner West and Superintendent Sudham
expressed the opinion that the cost OF the
garbage service under the new contract
to be entered into in the fall will be con-
siderably higher than 1t has been during the
past five years.
The present contracts for the collection
and disposal of garbage, ashes etc, do NOT
expire until the last day in November, bu,
Mr.. West and Superintendent Stidham nave
been engaged at intervals during the past
month in preparing new specified tons, upon
which bids for the service will be asked
Both these officials have spent great dea!
of time and have devoted large amount OF
their attention to the garbage service for
the future. enGeavoring 10 remedy the de-
fects which experience has shown to exist
Specifications Rigid.
The authorities state that they intend to
make the specifications rigid and to compel
the contractors to strictly comply with the
terms of the contracts. 1t is hoped by this
means to afford citizens a much better SER
vice than they have been getting in the
past and to reduce to minimum the num-
Der of complaints as to the service which
have flooded the department at times in the
past.
One of the changes made in the specifica-
tons under which the present contracts are
being executed will be with respect to the
wages to be paid the employees of the gar
bage contractors. The new specifications
will stipulate that the collectors shall be
paid not less than $1.25 a day AT present,
it is stated, old men and boys are employed
as collectors at the rate of rs cents a day
1t is thought that by requiring the con-
tractors to pay higher wages a more COM
petent force of collectors will be secured
The specifications will also provide for an
extension of the ash collection service to
those sections which have been built up
since the present contract was begun In
some of the rapidlygrowing sections that
now receive ash collections but once
week or twice week the service will be in
SiSoSCu ~ tWO anu three COllectlOnS a week
Contractors will also be asked to submit al
ternate bids with reference to extending
the ash service to business houses so that
the of1c1als may ascertain whether or not
IL Will be possible to extend the service to
those establishments in addition to private
residences. $500
Accessibility of Garbage Cans.
The question of accessibility of garbage |
to the collectors, which has occasioned so |
much controversy in
clearly defined in the Specifications in or |
der that there will be no occasion for doubt |
On this point. 1t is also proposed to pro- |
vide each householder with large red cards |
to be displayed on the backyard gates, SO |
mat In the event the residence has been
missed by the collector his attention will |
be called to the fact. The specifications will |
also state that the bond to be furnished |
shall be equal to the amount of the con- !
tract. Heretofore the regulations have re- |
CURED bond Sin a sufficient sum- no
specific amount being stipulated |
Although the present garbage and ash
collection contracts do not expire for eight |
months, the officials desire to issue the spec.
If any outside contractors desire to bid |
they may have time in which to erect q |
plant should they secure the contract. The |
specifications will call for bids for the sery- |
Ice Tor periods of one year, three years and |
five years.
At Higher Rate.
One reason why it is thought the future |
will be higher than those at pres /
emit is that the present contractors are
that they are losing money owing |
to the rapid growth of the city and the |
greater distances the collectors are obliged |
to travel in order to reach the houses in the |
outlying districts. When the contractors
bid on the contracts they estimate that a |
certain number of teams and wagons would |
be required, but owing to the growth of |
the residence sections additional teams have
been required in order to make the coIlec- |
tons. The stipulation requiring the con-
tractors to pay increased wages to their |
collectors, it is thought, will also be a fac |
tor in increasing the cost of the service. |
The officials, however. believe that the citi- /
zens of the District will not object to the |
increase In cost, since it is in the interest |
of better and more satisfactory service.
In previous years the sum of $115,00 has |
been appropriated for garbage and ash COL |
lection in the District. The salaries of |
District employees. inspectors, clerks. etc., |
have been paid out of that sum. The pres |
ent contracts for garbage, ash and other |
waste material collection aggregate less |
than 100000. Under the last appropriation |
act the District will have 100000 for the |