The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-07-29
New Light On Street Cleaning.

street cleaning proposition this morn
ing by Street Commissioner Carter.
Mr.. Carter said that he felt that the
Pioneer had not done entire justice
to the situation.
Mr.. Carter said that it cost the
city $40 per week to clean up the
streets after the sweeper had put the
dirt in the cutters. To do this work
every day would cost the city $35
per week. He pointed out that the
street gang had been working on per-
manent instead of general improve
ments because the city funds are so
overdrawn that no money is avail
able
Instead of working on the down
town streets, the gang has been kept
in the outskirts opening up road and
giving settlers in these parts of the
city opportunity to get in and out
of their homes. They have also
graded other roads leading into the
country So that city automobiles
could get out and farm wagons in
A week ago the gang saved the city
$1,000 by filing in the foot of Min
nesota avenue with gravel furnished
by the Great Northern. Today the
gang is putting gravel from the Nor
thern Grocery company plant to the
river bridge, the gravel being fur
nished by the M. & I.
Mr.. Carter states that when the
streets are cleaned on Saturday night
the gang cleans up the dirt between
midnight and Sunday morning but
that it cannot do So during the week.
On Thursday, he says the dirt is re-
moved before noon and that if the
streets are kept wet down, the dirt
will not blow about. To put more
men on would be to break up the day
for the gang and so increase the cost
to the city.
The key to the situation seems to
lie in the fact that the council made
two mistakes: first, it should not
have purchased a sweeper and sprink-
Ter but should have bought flusher;
secondly, it should not have let a
contract for sprinkling and sweeping
but should have had the work done
by the city under the supervision of
the street commissioner. The work
naturally comes in his department
and to give a part of the work to an
individual over which the street COM
missioner has no control is to place
him in position where he is blamed
for many things which he cannot
help. Incidentally, the city pays
profit where it could be saved.
The city pays over 500 month
for cleaning and sweeping the streets.
Of this amount $24.49 is paid for
sweeping. In addition, the city pays
$40 week to the street gang for
cleaning up after the sweeper. The
city paid $500 for the sweeper and
sprinkler. The bid for a fusher
with a gasoline air compressor was
little over $1100., Had the city
bought the flusher instead of the
sweeper and sprinkler, it would
have spent something over $500
more on first cost, but it would have
saved the $40 week needed to
clean up after the sweeper and the
$24.49 month for the cleaning
a total of about $65 per month. In
addition to this saving, the streets
would now be clean and damp all
the time. As it is now, the city is
continuing to lose money each week
and it has not the money to lose.
Until the city does get the f1usher,
those who live or have places of
business on the paved streets will
have to put up with the dust incon-
venience. The streets can be kept
clean with the present outfit but it
will cost money which the city does
not have.