The Washington times., 1905-02-23
USE WRONG FUND
To CLEAN AVENUE
OF SNOW AND ICE
Congress Failed to APP
propriate for Pur-
pose.
COMMISSIONERS AMAZED
Discover, After Work Is Un-
der Way, That Law I'm
derWent Change.
COMMISSIONERS AMAZED

The District has been cleaning snow
and lee from Pennsylvania avenue road
way for two days under 5000 appro-
priation which does not provide for road
way cleaning, but for cleaning cross
walks and cutters.
The realization OF this fact came to
the District Commissioners today with
appalling force. A thunderbolt in their
midst could scarcely have caused more
CONSERVATION Where all was peace and
pride and contentment once, few BRIEF
minutes brought vague dread and uncer-
tainty of the consequences of some
bodY's oversight.
The original bin prepared by the Com
Tnissfoners went to Congress providing
for an appropriation of s, 500 for the
roadway CT Pennsylvania avenue and
$3.50 for crosswaiks and cutters. As
passed by Congress and approved Mon
day by the President. Pennsylvania
avenue was not mentioned in the meas
urs The change was deliberately made
by the House committee
All bills before being approved by the
President are sent TO the Commissioners
for their examina ton. but no one at the
District building apparently discovered
the ehange In the present instance.
Places $50 Men at Work.
N0s'8sSSSttS1S DSlitfiIS tlldt the Dill al
lowed him To prepare Pennsylvania ave-
na1e for the inaugural parade, super.,l-
tendent Stidham. of the Street Cleaning
Department, proceeded with his plans.
Under Commissioner Vests instriic-
uons he placed $50 men at work on the
Avenue yesterday. and they are still at
work today. II was expected 10 clean
the AYente from one end TO the other
o. the line Of march by Saturday night
ST
II cutting out the frozen snow and dirt
from the cutters and clearing the ac-
eunuiat1on OF several snowfalls from
lae cfosswaiks We're transferred to the
Avenue.
Everybody. was happy. One days
work had done wonders. Then came
the Snock. Somebody unearthed copy
Of The resolution as passed and ap-
proved BY no trick of the Imagination
could the commissioners make cross
walks ana cutters read '.roadways.'' -
Would Not Recognize Vouchers.
Once long ago the question of using
gutter money for cleaning snow from
roadways was up. The Comptroller OF
the Treasury at that time made an EN-
pfatic ruling that he would not recog.
nize any vouchers drawn on an appro-
priatIon for cutters and crosswaIk.
when Congress had refused to appro-
pirate money for roadways and the worb
70 be paid for had been done on road.
ways
District Auditor Garrison today. wheI
his attention was called to the matter
said he would have to observe tn,
Treasury ruling. and he would refer IN.
question TO the Comptroller of tn,
Treasury before indorsing the voucher,
for the Pennsylvania avenue work H,
might pass the account, he said wer.
1t considered ordinary cleaning of dir
from public streets. but not under III,
sa.opD appropriation. Whether the block
OF frozen snow and ice on the avenu
can be considered simply dirt remain
to be seen.
West Suggests Emergency Fund.
Commissioner West was at first dumb
founded at the unexpected development
Then he suggested that the Distric
could draw on the emergency fund. a
the inauguration created an e1nergency
In mis- opinion. This also remains TO b
seen.
II looks as If Congress were trying t
puf every possible obstacle In the wa