Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-13
Mr.. STIDHAM REPLIES
QUESTION OF CLEANING UP 7TH
STREET.
Meant No Reflection on Particular
Store-Sends Full Report
Today.


cleaning department today forwarded to
Commissioner West a report relative to the
letter of Messrs. VIM. Hahn & Company of
9TH and X streets northwest, which was
received by the Commissioners Saturday In
which the writers took exceptions to what
they termed intimation on the part of Mr..
Stidham that they permitted the sidewalks
surrounding their store on 7th street to be
Uttered with paper and other waste mate
rial. Mr.. Stidham declares that he made
charge against Messrs Hahn & Com
pany and that he did not intend to single
out the writer's. but desired to request all
business men along 7th street to assist the
street cleaning department in keeping the
streets clean.
Commissioner West said today that he is
heartily In support of the crusade of Supt.
Stidham against the littering of the streets
and that Mr.. Sudhams efforts in this d.
rection are in line with his plans for keep
ing the streets i'll clearly condition. If
necessary, Mr.. West says. a much larger
force of men will be placed on the streets
IN order to prevent the accumulation of
waste paper and other rubbish.
In his report on the letter of Messrs.
Hahn x Company. Supt. Stidham says:
Hahn e Company are evidently under
misrepresentation. In my recent report
10 the commissioners no charge whatever
was made: there was a request for the
firms cooperation with this department
In the attempt to remedy q regrettable
condition which, as was explicitly stated,
applied to all of the buster portion of 18th
street AS was also stated, it is my in
tention. as time permits to take up this
condition with each of the merchants on
the above street, and, as far as is possible.
with those on our other busy thorough
fares. l have already done this, to a
limited extent, on my tours about the city,
by personal interview with employers at
whose places of business special circum-
Sfa Tod and hoI-a ytors.
met with appreciation of the effort of the
department to cut down preventable litter
ing and with assurances of future help.
1T was in way intimated that Hahn
& Company were sweeping paper and rub
bish out of their store into the streets, l
am sure that there is not reputable mer-
chant in town who would countenance such
offense against the city's sghtliness.
But where We want these and all other
business men to help is in the control of
delivery drivers and porters in the opera
lions of packing and unpacking on the side
walks, in taking goods in and out, in re-
moving waste paper from Easements to
their own or hired vehicles, in distributing
hand bills, and. above ALL In the manner
and time of sweeping the pavements.
Decision of Court.
Il am informed that the courts of the
District have held that II is legal TO sweep
paper. found on the sidewalk or lawn, off
into the public roadway. OF course can
not quarrel with this decision, although in
other cities an exact opposite ruling is the
case. But if 1t is legal it is not just either
TO the municipality or to ones neighbors.
When also 1t is once understood what a.
department of street cleaning can and cam
not do it will be readily seen that this
practice is one of the most perpleXing diff
culties with which we have to contend
For example, our SweeperS patrol
in pairs, an average route for two men be-
ing 100 lineal feet (nearly seven-eighths
of mfie) of roadway. On a business street
this amount is somewhat decreased, but 1t
serves to indicate how impossible it is for
these two men (who can go over their route
at best only twice in eight hours to keep
down the flying pieces of paper as these
are swept, at more less irregular in
tervals. from the walks in front of 800
stores or houses. Especially does this hold
In streets swept by machines not oftener
than two or three times per week. 1t should
matter little to the public-spirited citizen,
who wants to see all Of his block clean as
well as the limited porrion of sidewalk in
front of his own property, whether the pa
per on his walk Is from the operation of his
own business or not. If it is swept off on
to cleaned roadway a few pieces can
spoil the appearance of the entire block;
even If deposited on unclean street 1t
may blow back on his own or his neigh
boris recently swept sidewalk, or it is sent
scurrying about the street to brighten
horses and to add to the general desola-
ton of dirt.
No additional effort or expense is asked
from the citizen in our attempt to abate
iittering. 1t is easy to sweep or pick up
the larger rubbish and paper and to have
this taken into the house to be removed
through the contractor who collects such
material. For business places which do not
receive this service, the small amount of
paper could be tied in a tight bundle and
deposited In one of the nearby department
waste boxes, or, at the worst. left In the
gutter until our sweepers can return for
1t. Perhaps, eventually, an arrangement
may be made whereby such bundles may
be called for regularly by department carts.
Also. l would not be understood as asking
citizens to continue long in removing from
their walks evidences of this or any other
departments neglect in enforcing the pres
ent entirely adequate police regulations
against Httering. AS stated on a previous
occasion. it is my firm determination that
every employe of this department shall
prosecute persistently and increasingly the
crusade against preventable litter, and l
am assured by Major Sylvester of the eff
fective cooperation of his officers to the
same end
Where a citizen continues to observe, in
his neighborhood push cart dirt haulers,
private ash and paper collectors. building
contractors, hand-bill distributors careless
children or ignorant adults allowed to go
unhindered day after day In the unconscious
or conscious task of strewing the streets
with material that no department ought to
be expected to remove some one is not Civ
Ing a return to the municipality for the
salary ne is drawing. and If the some one is
In this department l shall that he is
punished.
Il am glad to know that Messrs Hahn
& Co. disposed to cooperate with us,
/ felt assured they would when l asked
for their help, and l am convinced that the
great majority of our householders and
business men will also cheerfully aid in this
work when they realize the carelessness on
the part of their employees means to the