Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-24

the streets of Washington after snow
storm, when the snow becomes chiefly
slush and filth, Mr.. Vests idea Is that
the appropriations for cleaning the streets
Of dirt and for cleaning crosswalks and
cutters Of snow, now granted separately,
be granted in one lump sum.
This was one Of the requests made by
the Commissioners yesterday when they
appeared before the Senate committee and
asked for the return to the appropriation
bill OF all items asked IN the Distrlct
budget.
Commissioner West pointed to the con-
dition Of the city streets during the past
few days and recounted the difficultles
under which the Commissioners have
labored. These are due, he said. to the
fact that Congress has limited the use
OF the snow fund to cleaning crosswalks
to the width of ten feet and cutters to the
width Of one foot, and that the treasury
Department has ruled that the street
cleaning funds cannot be used to touch
fake of snow on the streets
Solution Proposed by West.
'It occurs to me- said Commissioner
West in his statement to the subcommlt-
tee, that an amendment In the law
might be made which would ooVlate such
trouble in the future
"It is true that the law thus amended
would give to the Commissioners wide
discretion" he continued. The evident
intention of Congress has been, and. IN
fact, the statement has been positiveiI
made to the Commissioners, that there
ia no desire in Congress TO spend any
money under conditions such as we find
In New York, where the snow Is bodily
removed from the street after every
snowfall The conditions in New York.
where narrow streets and heavy trafhc
necessitate the immediate removal or
snow. do not obtain here.
II think it can be safely said, now
ever. that the Commissioners never
would undertake to use the street
cleaning appropriation for the sake
merely Of removing snow. But they
does not seem to be now vested in
them, Of determining when the snow
needs to be taken away with it's CRIME
and mud. That discretion would be
vested in the Commissioners if the law
should be amended as l have sus
gested.
Should Be Vested With Authority.
Il think it could safely be said that
no Commissioners. now or in the flu
ture. would undertake to unwisely or
extravagantly spend money for clean
ing streets by attempting to remove the
snow bodily. But they ought to have
authority and discretion. at the time
when the conditions of the streets war
rant 1T. to take the appropriation for
cleaning streets and use it for the pur
pose which under the law the appro-
priation seems to have been made"
Senator Gallinger interrupted the
Commissioner to ask:
Can you state to the committe def
nitely-if not definitely, approximately.
how much money has been expended
annually-say, in the last four or five
years-for removal Of snow and ice?
We have made various appropriations
bV Joint resolution and nthorUiSa
that purpose, as remember.
Il can easily furnish you with that in.
formation" replied the Commissioner.
But no dollar has ever been expended
for cleaning snow from streets-that is,
from streets proper. Every appropria-
ton ever made by Congress was limited
to the removal of snow from cross walks
and CUTTERS
No Need to Nag Congress.
Are we to understand that If a change
In the law. as you suggest, should be
made 1t would relieve US from the neces-
sity Of passing these little appropriations
every few weeks or months during the
year, as we have been doing heretofore?'
asked Senator Gallinger
1T would, provided you added to the
lump sum-" began Commissioner West
Certainly. sufficient amount" re-
Then the Commissioners would so ar
range the work that the duty imposed
upon them by law would be executed.
said the Commissioner. Congress would
be amply protected by the fact that the
clause now exists in the law that the
Commissioners shall so apportion this ap-
preparation as to prevent deficiency
therein. That safeguard would remain,
and it ought to remain
Senator Foster then asked:
s'nn VO1l v}ah the limit fion rennyod
from tho use Of the fund or do you wish
An increase In the appropriations"
Increase Also Wanted.
"Both.' replied Mr.. West. We wish
to take out entirely that clause which
preparation and embody 1t all in a lump
sum appropriation. Then that would al
low US to use the whole sum for cleaning
the snow from the cross walks and also
for taking snow and filth Off the Streets
Your fund for the purpose is entirely
exhausted" asked Senator Galinger
THE snow and ice fund is entirely ex-
hausted." stated Commissioner West.
with this restriction removed 1t would
not necessarily increase the appropria-
ton. but you would use the fund for
other purposes asked Senator Foster.
"Of course, we would have to have the
two appropriations made together" re-
be an increase. When l come to take
up the question of the streets ! am going
to emphasize the necessity of an in
crease.
II wish to add that there would not be
the slightest trouble In handling the
problem which now confronts the Com
missioners in regard to cleaning the streets
If It were not for the law. We have in
our engineer department a road scraper
which we are putting to work today,
which would go over the streets
THE only trouble is that this specific
appropriation prevents you from doing
that" commented Senator Hemenway.
That is 1t exactly said Mr. West.
with the restriction removed you could
put your scrapers on the streets and
remove the snow?" said Senator Hemen-
way.
Certainly was the Commissioners
reply.
Street Flushing Not Practicable.
Il noticed the other day an observa-
ton by somebody do not know whether
a senator. a representative or a private
citizen-that in Berlin they open the man.
holes and turn loose the hosepipes and
xLo