Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-05


Hes within the limits OF the present appro-
priation.. In place OF seven sets of inspec-
tors, each In charge Of q different class OF
work. 1t would provide for the subdivision
OF the District into small sections, each In
responsible control OF a foreman. with the
necessary carts, machines, and laborers to
perform all OF the varied street cleaning
duties in the fixed area assigned to him.
to one of four overseers, who in turn would
be held responsible by the superintendent
for the continued cleanliness OF all parts OF
the city. 1t Is believed that this proposed
complication and with overlapping OF re-
sponsibility, win extend supervision to areas
now neglected. and will be productive of
effective results.
The winter Of 1eo4-5 was exceptional in
severity and amount of snowfall. Nearly
as much was spent on gutter and cross
walk clearing as during the entire FIVE pre-
ceding winters.
after inauguration week were especially
such as to call for emergency treatment.
No cleaning had been performed for nearly
six weeks because Of snow and Ice cover
ing the roadways. With the spring thaw
streets and alleys were left with full
months accumulation of slime mixed with
dirty masses of ice. For the first time in
it's history the department organized spe-
cial gangs of hired carts and laborers, and
a cleaning that ordinarily would have
dragged on through much of April was
completed by the end of March.
The average cost of hand ming was
1876 cents per thousand square yards
against ia cents in 1904 and ITO cents in
1903, due not only to the unprecedented
emergency of the spring. but to marked
Improvement in the character of this work
The standard of cleanliness is notably
higher. and the work has been extended
with no account taken of the increased
area involved) to care for the sidewalks,
alley mouths and the abutting cutters Of
"a q n inp ont CT
Is believed that hand cleaning is al present
more economically performed than in any
other American city of the first class where
the same standard obtains. Each mile of
street averaging 80 feet in width requires
two and one-third sweepers, at cost of
81 ,250 annually.
In machine sweeping gratifying increase
in quality and quantity for money expend-
specifications governing the contract Per-
haps the most important present need in
the prosecution of this class of work Is for
the employment of auxiliary. gutter and
roughfng-up gangs In winter, when for days
at a time the streets on the machine sched-
ules are left unswept because of freezing,
rendering impossible the laying of the dust
This desirable end will be attained under
the contemplated reorganization scheme
when 1t Is also planned to perform this
sweeping directly at lower cost and more
efficiently than through contract.
For alley cleaning larger appropriation
is urgently necessary. 1t is most important
that many Of these narrower thorough
fares, especially those used in connection
with the congested rear tenements, be
swept more frequently than only once
weekly, as is the case under the existing
contract. The alley schedules have been
found to be in chaotic condition and are
now being revised as to the areas used, the
question OF public or private ownership, and
the elimination of portions which exist only
on the surveyors plat or are shut off from
traffic. If this work Is to be continued un-
der contract, complete field survey will
be necessary, at an estimated cost of 81 600.
Special attention is invited to the neeus
of the department as regards street sprn-
king Not only should all of the unpayed
residential streets be cared for, but COM
prehensive system of sprinkling flushing
of the paved thoroughfares is urgently re-
quired. Washington is, SO far as known.
the only city of the first class that has no
adequate sprnkling of it's paved streets.
Rochester, with a population of 1872 600,
spends $4,000 annually; enis year we ex-
pended only $500 and sprjnkled only
portion of the city's thoroughfares.
total of 36,41I tons of garbage and
81 ,176 cubic yards of ashes were collected
and disposed of, an increase over 1904 of
1913 and 31.2 per cent, respectively. Under
the fixed contract prices per annum the
costs were $1.G9 per ton of garbage and b.
cents per cubic yard Of ashes, as against
1.39 and 43.2 cents, respectively, in 1914.
The collection service has been somewhat
improved, but is still by no means satisfac-
tory. 1t is believed. however. that the new
contracts, awarded in the spring of 1905,
and which will go into effect before the
close Of the calendar year, will afford ct
fective pra ctical resource in compelling con-
tract service without the undesirable al
tentative of canceling the agreements.
Among the general improvements in the
work of the department may be mentioned
the increased attention given to the c!ean-
ing of unimproved streets, at a lower cost
per cubic yard of debris removed; the fight
against dirt spilltng from overloaded or I'M
properly protected wagons; the better con-
troll of street litterfng; more vigor in re-
porting Instances of dumping refuse into
public alleys and in tracing the offenders;
the building up of the department plant by
purchase and repair, and the introduction OF
new devices: the keeping of detailed shop
costs: the Introduction generally of card in
dexes for recording complaints, correspond
ence, the personnel, etc; the creation of an
eligible list from which applicants for la
borers' positions are selected in their order;
transfers of inspectors to break up routn-
ism; and the starting of new appointees in
the lowest positions and promoting where
possible
The Snow and Ice Law.
Congress having failed to appropriate for
the removal of snow and ice from sidewalks
by municipal effort tie Commissioners con-
tinued their endeavors to compel property
owners to do this work. After consultation
with the corporation counsel, they adopted
police regulation, on February 8, 1905, for
the removal of snow and Ice from the paved
sidewalks of the District within the fire
limits. The enforcement of this regulation
resulted in the institution Of q test case,
the court of appeals finally deciding that
the regulation was void being an Illegal
exercise of authority and unwarranted by
any power conferred by Congress upon the
Commissioners; that as the law now stands
the duty Is upon the municipality itself to
cause the removal of snow and ice from the
sidewalks, and that 1t is not competent for
the Commissioners by any regulation what
ever they may adopt to remove that burden
from themselves as the responsible agents
of the municipality and impose it upon indi-
vidual citizens.
In a case of a similar character, which
was also decided adversely to the District,
an attempt was made in behalf of the Dis
trict to have the Supreme Court of the
United States. by proceedings in certiorari
review the Judgment, but that court refused
to grant the writ.
The Commissioners have instructed the
corporation counsel to prepare a draft of
law which will, IL possible, overcome the
an appropriation will again be brought to
the attention of Congress.
Electrical Communication and Light
ing Service.
The electrical department has done well
IT,