Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-20
CHANGES PROPOSED
PROGRAM OF sUPERINTENnENT
OF STREET CLEANING.
Regards Machines e 4oitight for
Good Service Hal DID ners'
= : Apparatus Ineffective.

e =
number Of changes IN Connection with
the work of the street cleaning department
of the city have been-propesea and will
soon be inaugurated by Mr.. Harrison Std
ham, the new superintendent of that de-
partment, Mr. Stidham has entered upon
his duties with much energy, and he hopes
within reasonable length of time to make
a number of improvements in the present
condition of the city streets. Mr. Stidham,
since taking charge Of the department, has
made several trips throughout the city,
carefully observing the conditions, and is
not satisfied that the best results have yet
been reached. 81
One OF the conditions which Mr. stidham
thinks ought not TO continue is the spreva-
lence of layer, of dust: upon the asphalt
pavemerts. which.ls very noticeable on the
streets marked by street car lines. Mr..
Stidhann thinks that this dust is due 20 the
fact that the little machines, used by the
hand cleaners are not effective in removing
all the dust and dirt upon the streetss He
is more inclined TO the use--of the hand
broom with stiff bristleS, which, he says
sweeps the asphalt clean.
The new superintendent has also been de-
voting considerable tiHeEto observing the
work of the large machines Or horse-Sweep-
ers His opinion is that these machines are
entirely too light for effective work espec-
tally as the revolving broom is not forced
heavily down upon the asphalt. but the
bristles are allowed to Teyolve while merely
touching the surface Of the pavement. He
has taken steps to remedy this by directing
the drivers of the machines to lower the
broom so that it sweeps thoroughly. He has
also observed many instances of defective
and careless sweeping, while the manner of
removing the refuse, which is swept to the
curb is also, in his opinion, open to criti-
cism inasmuch as the laborers who shovel
the dirt into the carts do their work in a
hy,rr o1 a
noticeable proportion of the sweepings still
in the curb after they have passed by. This
dirt as soon as it dries, is blown about by
the wind and becomes a nuisance. He has
already given instructions to the contrac-
tors that the sweepings along the curb
must be thoroughly removed.
The Funds Inadequate.
Regarding the amount expended for street
sweeping, Mr.. Stidham thinks that 1t is
inadequate to the needs of the city, but he
has under contemplation the experiment of
taking a certain section of the city and
cleaning it as he thinks it ought to be
cleaned in order to present an object les
sons to the citizens and to Congress. He
hopes that if he is able to demonstrate that
he can keep the streets actually clean Con-
gress will provide the money necessary TO
make the work thorough throughout the en-
tire District.
Another matter to which Mr.. Stidham has
given careful attention Is the number OF
complaints regarding the noncollection of
garbage and ashes. The garbage conditions
are not, of course, as troublesome during
the winter as in the summer, but the atti-
tude of Mr.. Stidham as already taken IN
regard to ash complaints, indicates that
next summer the garbage service Will be
satisfactory or the contractors will have
some difficulty in receiving their money
The complaints of noncollection of garb-
age and ashes, about twenty per day, is,
NJ OniniQp eutirp1V of
proportion to the populate being in much
larger ratio than in New York. Quite a
number of complaints are repetitlons from
the same householders. an investigation
having shown in some of. these cases that
the fault is with the contractor.
System Of Fines.
Mr.. Stidham, after conference with Com
missioner West, has devised plan OF I'M
posing a fine of 81 for the first complaint
substantiated; So for the second offense
and IS for the third. In New York the
ashes are collected by the city, and Mr..
Stidham regards this a much more sat
isfactory arrangement than the one now
in vogue in Washington, inasmuch as II
gives the municipal authorities control over
the drivers of the carts. 3 Under the con-
tract system as practiced here, 1t Is SAID,
negligence or impertinence on the part or
the drivers cannot be satisfactorily pun
ished while the city is dependent upon
the contractor for the remedy IN the HAT
ter of complaints. In New YORK Where
the city prosecutes the work, driver who
is negligent is punished by being laid on
for day. and if the complaints continue
to be made against him he Is discharged.
Besides which In cases which demand I'M
mediate attention, the CITY sends an ASH
cart direct to the residence and removes
the accumulated ashes without delay.
Mr.. Stdham also has under contempia-
ton the uniforming of the inspectors VINO
arHyfSa n
and city refuse. as well as the inspectors
who have charge of the 200 laborers who
clean the streets by hand. Mr.. Stidham
thinks that if the inspectors are uniformed
and prominently display their badge they
can be identified by the householders IN
sections to which these are assigned, ana
thus will be promptly informed Of bad
conditions. In New York these inspectors
wear uniforms, and large proportion OF
the complaints are made to them person.
ally by householders who meet them upon
the street These complaints are remedled
without the official routine of letter writing.