Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-20
CLEANING THE STREETS
QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY TO
BE DETERMINED.

The question as to which department.
the police or the street cleaning depart
ment-is responsible for the cleaning of The
streets in the vicinity of the coal dumps in
Northeast Washington, constitutes a bone
of contention between Major Richard Syl-
vester of the police department and Supt.
Harrison Stdham of the street cleaning de.
partment. On one point the two officials
agree. They both declare that the streets
need cleaning.
The condition of the streets was brought
to the attention of the officials in a COM
plant from Dr. C. w. Gallagher, OF i1J0
North Capitol street. The matter was re-
ferred to the police department, and Acting
Lieutenant Sprinkle, of the second pre-
cinct, reported back acknowledging the
conditions complained of and recommend
ed that the street cleaning department give
special attention to the territory.
Superintendent Stidham after reading this
report admitted that the streets are I'M
clean. But l would respectfully suggest,
said Superintendent Stidham, that this de-
partment should not be required to clean
up preventable litter in any part of the
city; and that this scattering of coal grit
is preyentable there can be no doubt to
any one watching the parade o. coal carts,
as l have done. These carts come out
from the yards with coal dust and grit
resting along their sides or back of their
tailboardS.
IF the acting lieutenant of police would
only station an officer for one week d. the
entrance to these yards and turn back ev-
cry driver who had not before coming out
on the street, carefully brushed off the loose
coal grit from his vehicle and seen to It
that the body of said vehicle was tight, tho
small amount Of coal carried out by the
horses hoofs and the wheels of the cart
would be of no consequence. But as it is
the officers on these posts are daily Per
hitting violations Of an important police
regulation"
Lieutenant Byrnes, Of the second pre-
cinct, answered this by stating that over
700 vehicles pass over this square daily.
and that conditions could not De muci; i'm
proved under the present heavy trati,
At this point Major Sylvester same to
the aid of his department and the type
writer at the majors dictation placed that
officials views of the matter on the papers,
in the following language:
Il regret that the superintendent of the
STRENGTHENING department should charge
in the vicinity named with neglecting the
same, and despite the fact that more i'm
portant matters demanded attention r
looked into this one and found M street
at this location the entrance to and gate
way from the general railway coal dumps,
to and from which hundreds of coal wag-
ons and carts make their way daily. All
vehicles enter the paved street from an
unimproved road, crossing the railway
tracks to do So At the railway tracks,
over and from the dirt road, the nuisance
begins. Vehicles are well jolted at the
tracks and must drop mud and dust.
which is carried on to the paved street
just beyond, the accumulation at this
point indisputably settling the question.
Beyond on M street is the caked and crust
ed dirt of winter mot all coal dusD
which only scraping and washing will re-
move. The wind was scattering much of
1t this morning. and it would be but just
to the residents, who occupy about one
third of this square and who complain, IL
the same was sprinkled twice day
AS to vehicles dropping dust, the law
provides for reasonable regulations, and
the courts enforce the regulations under
hauling soft coal sifted small lots of dust
In crossing the tracks. other wagons sift-
ed none The amount of dust was ridicu-
lousy small, and could not be avoided ex-
cept by the adoption of metal wagon beds
The court would not hold in such cases, as
be to compel the providing OF metal wag-
on beds on the part of merchants
TT Is not what Is going along M street
but what did go on which has been al
lowed to accumulate evidently for weeks,
ii not months. and which is sadly In need |
OF sprinkling.
ct think the hauling of coal better con-
Quoted than heretofore anywhere. Coal |
must be had and a road must be had to
haul it over. but IL the police would do |
more than they have been doing for the |
past month or two 1t would border on un-
in the Police Court.
sI have had an officer detailed here for |
weeks, and the only neglect can charge |
Is that he did not suggest to me that the |
street be cleaned and sprinkled long be-
fore I had occasion to visit the place II
person"
Commissioners West has referred the
paper back 30 MAJ 6y1veSter tor report