Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-18
Economic Administration of
Functions Bears Fruit.
LOWER maintenance COST
District Estimates for Next Year to
Approximate $4,000, 900. !.
JUDs0N SHOWS HOW IT IS DONE
Curtailment of $4,000 Effected in
Street Repairing, Cleaning =,
and Lighting.

z
The application of economic principles
in the administering of three branches
of the District government has borne
fruit. as result of which Congress, next
year. will be asked to appropriate CON
siderably less for their maintenance, ac-
cording to statement today by Engineer
Commissioner Judson.
In an interview. the first to be given
out officially regarding the estimates for
the fiscal year of 1912. which shortly are
to be submitted to President Taft, Com
missioner Judson declared that about
$4,000 less for the making of repairs to
asphalt streets, $1,000 less for street
lighting and $500 less for street clean
ing than the amounts appropriated for
this work this year will he called for in
the next estimates.
Street repairing. lighting and cleaning
are the local governmental functions in
the administration of which principles of
economy have been applied with success,
according to the District official.
The water department. Commissioned
Judson declared is the next branch of the
government in which economies are to be
practiced. He referred to the proposed
increase In water rates in terms which
leave but little doubt that the increase
virtually has been decided upon.
The acquisition of land for park pur-
poses Is matter that the Commission
ers will give close attention to every year
Maj. Judson states, and in this they are
desirous of the cooperation of. every
citizen.
Lack of cooperation in the matter OF
obtaining park improvements will be q
serious menace to the growth and beau
tihcation of the city. he declares.
One Function at a Time.
Commissioner Judson makes it evident
that the District heads in installing a
system of economy will take up only one
function at a time and endeavor to i'm
prove it as much possible. 1t is i'm
provement' and not reform that the
Commissioners are after, he says.
In referring to the saving that has
been brought about in street repairing.
lighting and cleaning Maj. Judson as
serts that the efficiency of the work has
increased, with a reduction In cost.
The amount appropriated this year for
the making of repairs to asphalt streets
was S42o.000. while the estimates for
next year will call for only x390O00.
Likewise. street lighting next year will
cost only $3S5.0Oo, as compared with
1885,, 900 this year. while the amount OF
1921 40 obtained this year for the street
another twelve months.
The total estimates for the District for
the next fiscal year will be approximately
$12. 100000. it is stated.
Commissioner Judson. in his interview,
explains how economies already have
been brought about and how the District
officials hope to extend them. He said:
Cutting Street Paving Cost.
1.-The way to improve in municipal work
is to take up one function at time. go
into it in detail make such advance as
you can in that function. count up what
it has been, stick a pin in 1t and hold
to that point. Then try to improve
some other function.
AT this time. when the next fiscal
estimates are being prepared. an oppor-
tunity is afforded to take stock of the
improvements, if any, in the administra-
ton Of functions which have been re-
ceiving special attention during the last
year or two.
First let us consider the repairs to as
phalt streets.
This is a very important matter in
Washington. where the proportion of the
area of asphalt streets to population Is
greater than in any other city in the
world Studies upon which improve
ments in this function have been based
began two years ago. As result OF
them it was soon ascertained that the
average age of our asphalt streets was
fourteen years, and that the maintenance
of our older streets through repairs OF
holes and ruts that We're rapidly forming
was uneconomical and the results unsat-
isfactory.
when a new asphalt street is con-
structed. the perpetual cost TO the COM
munity thereafter of maintaining it may
be stated in round figures at II cents per
square yard per annum. or this ID cents,
cents is a perpetual interest charge
..~:~~ "a sat Ia Rh
year. notwithstanding deductions which
must be made for repairs of holes dur
ing the latter part of the life or the
payment, will finally produce fund
which will be sufficient to resurface the
pavement.
1t is readily apparent that II We pro-
long the life of pavement with expendi-
lures of more than 10 cents per annum
per square yard. our fund being accumu-
lated for maintenance, will begin TO grow
less. And the time will pass when the
resurfacing should have occurred Repre-
sentations along this line to Congress two
wears ago led to provision being made for
the more rapid resurfacing of the excess
sively old pavements throughout the city,
SO that the pavements which were be-
ing uneconomically repaired, costing
more than 10 cents per square yard per
annum by reason of hole filling, might
be speedily renewed.
From what has been stated, ii is ap-
parent that a scientific maintenance OF
tenance and a higher standard at the
same time.
Save on Light Bills, Too.
1--WE have now reached the point where
the average life of our pavements has
been reduced from fourteen to twelve and
one-quarter years. The standard having
been raised toward proper standard for
economical maintenance, We now need
to put less money into this work annu-
ally.
I'm consequence the estimates for the
repair Of asphalt streets next year will be
$35 600 less than was appropriated for the
present fiscal year.
1T is a very happy circumstance that
of economy and of a prop
erly high standard run parallel in this
matter. That is to say, 1t actually costs
less to maintaiIH our present pavements
on high standard within proper limits
than on an objectionably low standard.
Another function In which improve
ment has been made il that of street
lighting. This year we will install twelve
miles Of improved lighting and almost
as much again next year. Nevertheless.
for this year we asked for and received
less than for the year previous. while
for next year we shall ask for nearly
$40 600 less than we received this year.
1--WE may well congratulate ourselves