Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-02
Congress Asked to Provide for
Inauguration Day.
GOOD GOING ON AVENUE
Law Will Not Permit Street to Be
Swept Up.
SPECIAL ALLOWANCE WANTED
Commissioners Request That $10,-
600 Be Appropriated to Make
Things Pleasant Under Foot.

For the inaugural parade March
Pennsylvania avenue will be as clean as q
ballroom floor IL the recommendation OF
the Commissioners sent to Congress to-
day is carried out
Fearing that bad weather might make
conditions along the route of the parade
as bad DIS it has been during the past
few days, the result of the recent snow
storm. Commissioner West suggested to
the Commissioners that a special ap-
preparation should be asked from Con-
gress to provide for the special cleaning
OF those streets to be utilized for inaugural
ceremonies.
What May Happen.
Unless Congress makes an appropria-
ton with a specific provision changing
the present law Pennsylvania avenue may
be In the same condition on the 4th of
March next as 1t presented last week.
said Commissioner West today.
There Is no law at present 1t Is ex-
planned. which will allow the expenditure
Of any money for the removal of snow
from the city streets, inasmuch as the
expenditure of the appropriation Is linz
tied to the terms OF the act passed in
of snow from cross-walks and cutters.
Contrary to the general belief money
appropriated for street cleaning Is held by
the Treasury Department, in view of the
provisions of law, not to be applicable to
the removal of snow. 1t Is with the purpose
avoiding the conditions which prevailed
last week that Commissioner West today
submitted to his colleagues draft or a
letter to be forwarded to Chairman Gard
ner OF the subcommittee on appropria-
lions which would obviate the difficulty.
West Talked to Committee.
when the Commissioners were before
the District subcommittee some ten days
ago. said Commissioner West, Il called
the attention of the committee to the
necessity of having clean streets in Wash
ington on the Fourth of March, especially
as there might be fall Of snow day or
two preceding the inauguration. 1t is evil
dent, however, that the mere increase Of
the appropriation for cleaning snow and
ice will not meet the situation entirely.
II have no doubt that when the matter
is presented to the committee the amount
asked for will be appropriated especially
as there will be no expenditure of money
unless the weather conditions compel it.
We want to have money available to put
as many laborers on Pennsylvania avenue
as will be necessary to remove all such
vestiges Of snow and slush. not only for.
the appearance of the city but also for
who will participate in the parade
Letter to Mr.. Gardner.
The letter to Chairman Gardner. which
has been approved by Commissioner
Vests colleagues, is as follows:
During the recent hearings before the
subcommittee of the committee on ap-
preparations having in charge the Dis
trict of Columbia appropriation bill one
of the reasons advanced for an increased
appropriation in the snow and Ice fund
was the fact that weather conditions on
the 4th of March next might be such
as to necessitate the expenditure of
larger sum than has hitherto been pro-
vided.
1.-The Commissioners however, now
have the honor to invite attention to the
fact that the paragraph In the various
acts appropriating money for the expenses
of the District of Columbia reads as fol-
lows: For cleaning snow and ice from
crosswalks and cutters under the act ap-
proved March Q, 1895. $4,000"
Examination of the act thus referred
to shows that it authorizes the Commits
sioners upon the occasion of snowfall to
clean the crosswalks at street intersec-
tons to a width of ten feet and to clean
the cutters to a breadth Of one foot from
the curb.
Ruling Of Treasury.
''Under this restriction of law the audit
ing officials of the Treasury Department
have decided that money appropriated
for cleaning snow and ice from cross
walks and cutters under this act cannot
be used for the purpose of removing snow
from the streets. nor can the appropria-
ton for street cleaning be used for the
purpose of such removal. .inasmuch
there is no appropriation for handling
the snow except under the restrictions Of
the law.
Under these circumstances the Com
missioners feel il their duty to request
that a clause be inserted in the District
of Columbia appropriation bill now UNI
der consideration by your subcommittee
which shall read as follows:
For the purpose of removing snow,
ice and Slush from Pennsylvania avenue
and such streets adjacent to the United
States Capitol may be used in the
formation of the inaugural procession.
$1,000 as much thereof may be
necessary. to be Immediately available.
"It will be observed that IL weather
conditions are favorable on or before the
4th of March this money will not be eX-
pended, but 1t should be provided in order
that the thoroughfares over which the in
auguraI procession will pass may be in
a cleanly condition at the time of the
approaching inauguration
man ceases to be girls ideal the