Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-31
Alleged Vagueness Regarding
Street Cleaning.
Improvement is SOUGHT
Commissioners Ask Supt. Wood for
Suggestions.
FLUSHING WITH FIRE HOSE
Asserted That Washing Machines
Can Accomplish a Much Greater
Amount of Work.

remark by James NJ. Wood, the Dis
trict's superintendent of street cleaning,
to a Star reporter recently may result in
a change in the wording of the District
appropriation bill in the sections devoted
to money to be used for cleaning the local
streets.
In an interview published in The Star
Thursday Mr.. Wood said that it took any
one three or four hours to figure out
what the law meant every time an emer-
gency arose, and that quick action on
street cleaning emergencies was some
what hampered and hindered by that
fact. This interview, which was read by
Commissioner Rudolph and Commissioner
Judson, resulted in Mr.. Woods appear
ance before the board of Commissioners
late yesterday afternoon. The Commits
sioners told the superintendent Of street
cleaning that if the law is actually SO diff
ficult of construction it should be changed
so that there would be an open and shut
paragraph. to be read only with one
meaning, and that if he had any sugges-
tons to offer as to how the streets could
be cleaned more easily with a more
easily understood appropriation act, to
please make a report on the subject
Awaiting Suggestions.
No report was received by the Commits
sioners today. Commissioner Rudolph
said this morning that he would be very
willing to help out the street cleaning de-
partment in any way. Therefore. if the
suggestion to change the appropriation
act and specific accommodation is made
by Mr.. Wood the Commissioners may
follow up the matter to Congress within
a few days.
Owing to a misunderstanding at the
District building today. no figures are
available as to just what the water de-
partment's flushing accomplished yester-
day and the day before. The order re-
ceived by Supt. Wood, according to him.
was that Chief Wagner of the fire de-
partment should make a report on the
entire street flushing business. Chief
Wagner understood the matter differently
and has been waiting for report from
the street cleaning department.
Recent Flushing Criticised.
Meantime. the inspectors of the street
cleaning department and other officials
are ungrateful enough to laugh at the
help the firemen and water department
men gave them in the last two days.
They say that the flushing Of the streets
by hose cleaned off only a mere fraction
the city had enough flushing machines
and scrubbing machines of it's own
Notwithstanding that ridicule. the flush
ing process. in which the water depart
ment and fire department aided, cleaned
some of the muddiest and muckiest
streets in the white wing section, and
cleaned broad belt of streets running
from the White House straight north
four blocks wide to Dupont Circle.
Work Done by Washing Machines.
The street cleaning mems ridicule is
based on the assertion that with hose and
fire plug it took thirty-one men one-half
a day to clean 43. 76S suare yards Of
streets. Three washing machines Thurs
day cleaned 245.OO0 square yards in twelve
hours. \ white wing is said to be able
to scrape off 5000 yards or more a day.
When asked what the cure for the con-
ditions of the last few muddy days would
be. Supt Wood said that if the city had
eighteen washing machines nearly the
whole town could be washed every day.