Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-04-14

I 66tf1t " " LODiIhAtIIt AiAnA eli HAAi62
ment can be entered into with the Public
service Corporation under which a large
saving can be effected both In the cleaning
of ouf. streets and In the work of rem0v-
ing ashes. asirecommended by a committee
of thiSSAoapd in a report submitted in 1900,
and Immediate advantage should be taken
Of this law.
The Board of Works should. by resolu-
ton. provide that a tabulated statement be
prepared pertaining to the Street Cleaning
Department giving, under separate head
ings, a correct detailed account in figures
showing all the features of the work Incl
dent to the department. such statement to
cover a period of years from 1900 to date,
and should also provide for a yearly tabu-
lation, SO that accurate comparison can be
made from year to year to determine re-
garding the work OF this department.
Such a tabulation, made for each section.
would enable the Board of Commissioners.
or any citizen, at a glance to ascertain as
to the efficiency of the work being done
In each district. This would bring about
a competition which would in a very short
time determine how much real work can
be performed by a given number of men
with a given number OF carts.
TIA secure 100 per cent. of efficiency is
not possible under our present political
system. but We are satisfied that the eff
cheney of the department can be brought
up materially, and we are unanimous in
believing that the cure OF the whole trou-
bic viii depend upon the entire removal
OF the Street Cleaning Department from
the control Of the Board of Works and
| plbttu uIutr LnG aulnDTlly OF a Single
departmental head. who should be held
responsible to the public, and we sincerely
urge that this Board of Trade recommend
and advocate such a department being pro-
vfded for in the new city charter that is
now under adyisement.
In conclusion. your committee would say
that the foregoing Is not offered in the
spirit of criticism of Our present Board OF
Works, because we understand that this
board Is handicapped with the legacy left
by previous boards; further. that we ac-
cept their assurance to bring about what
ever changes they possibly can, to make
the working force more efficient and to
eliminate methods that are known to be
expensive to the taxpayer.
We would again submit the recommen-
dations made by Il former committee of
this board and urge that they be put into
effect by the Board of Works:
l. The city to be divided into ten sections.
2. Each section to have a supervisor, who
Is. responsible to the Superintendent,
who. in turn. should be accountable to
the director of public works.
3. Supervisors to be allowed certain dfscre-
tionary powers as to Methods, but gen.
eral regulations to be enforced.
4. Each section to have Its allotted number
of men. every man being ablebodied
and able to perform the work expected
of him..
5. Every man in t1e service of the depart
ment to be sure of his position and to
expect promotion according to his
capabilities. his pay to be as good as
such labor receives elsewhere, the
requisite being that the work be well
done.
6. General sweeping to be done by machine.
followed up by hand labor, work to be
completed before midday. When com-
pleted, a detail of men to be assigned
to help load the carts, another detail
to be employed sprinkling the main
streets of the city, others to take up
appointed tasks assigned them.
7. Positive regulations forbidding any street
dirt being emptied into sewers; work
to be commenced at 1 o'clock a. M. in
summer and 5 a. ~. In winter and con-
tinued until 4 o'clock in the afternoon;
all main streets to be cleaned before
Z a. M. collections by carts to COM
mence about two hours later.
S. Daily reports to be filed by the foremen
with the superintendent, the superin-
tendent to max weekly reports to the
Board OF Works.
8. To separate the moneys appropriated for
street purposes into W. divisions. one
for street repairs and the other for
street cleaning.
The practise that permits the sweeping
of the streets in the central section of the
city between the hours of Z a.. m. and 6
p. M. cannot be defended. 1t is wrong
from every point of view and has caused
general, and merchants and business men
in particular. and should not be further
tolerated.
The neglect to provide for the s~prinkling
of the main venues of the city immedi-
ately after the breaking up of winter and
the disappearance of snow from our thor
oughfares cannot be excused. as the dust
on days where there is any
wind is a cause of constant irritation and.
our best physicians tell US. is dangerous to
human life. The remedy is simple and can
readily be applied.