Evening journal., 1922-06-20

usually treated 20 high-class oratory
but, take it, when was asked &c
talk to you about the department
with which I am connected. you de-
sired information and facts, rather
than entertainment, therefore, j ap-
preciate this opportunity of saying a
few things of the activities of the
Street and Sewer Department, what
it is accomplishing. what II is trying
TO accomplish, and what II would
appreciate your help to accomplish.
Il have often thought that our
department and possibly all the de-
partments OF the city, should have a
publicity agent, or at least see 10
il that. either by word Of mouth or
through the courtesy of the press
the tax payers, whose interest we
are trying to serve. would more fully
understand what is being done with
the money which we receive. We,
of course. give out Information,
from time TO time, about extensive
improvements; there Is always sum
cient notice about the sale OF bonds,
but from contact with many Of our
people, ] am under the impression a
large majority do not realize the
routine and extensive work which is
carried on by the Street and Sewer
Department.
zone OF the routlue services af-
forded by this department is that OF
removing ashes, papers and other
material discarded by our homes and
business places. We are well or
sanized 10 do this work and unless
there are complaints about the serv-
Zee no one seems 20 realize 1t is be-
fng done. A few figures which l
compiled some months ago show as
follows:
THE work OF removing ashes IN
wolves a weekly collection of ashes
and housekeeping refuse from ap-
proximately 22,5OO properties. Dur
ing 1921-16,661 truck loads. OF
1OS.296 cubic yards OF material
were removed and the ashes spread
upon uDimproved streets and used
for fills. and the paper and rubbish
burned and disposed Of az cost of
7,259.O1, or a cost OF 62c per cubic |
yard and an average cost, per weekly |
collection, OF less than six cents |
C05D per property. Every weeks
collection. during the year. was COM
pleted, that is, the entire city re-
ceived a weekly collection of ashes |
and rubbish. and with few excep-
tions (due 10 weather conditions) the
collections were made on scheduled /
days. and we had but forty-three
registered complaints OF noD-col-
lections during the year
zone of the most noticeable things
upon entering a city. outside OF the
street paving, is the condition Of
the streets as TO cleanliness. Many
of our citizens do not agree with us,
know, but we consider that our
streets are clean, especially when
compared with those of many other
cities, and we are continually being
told they are by visitors and travel
ling men. They would be more so
II the citizens would use a little
care and thought on their part. The
manner in which the ashes and rub
bish are placed upon the sidewalk
for collection is a cause for a great
amount of the littering of the
streets. Receptacles are not tight, |
or are so placed as to be easily up |
set, scattering the ashes over the |
sidewalks and into the cutters. Tho |
papers and rubbish are insecurely |
fastened in bundles. or perhaps not |
even bundled az all. and blow about |
over the streets. often for blocks. |
Again there is the pedestrian who
thoughtlessly throws whatever he
may wish to discard, such as paper.
fruit peelings. etc. directly upon the
street, when within a few feet of
him, especially upon the prominent
streets he will find a waste recep-
tacle for this purpose. Then there
is the man who sweeps out his
store and leaves the sweepings in the
gutter and on the street. This hap
pens repeatedly on our main busi-
ness streets. All this imposes an
and unnecessary cost upon
the department for cleaning, which
means an additional and unneces-
sary expenditure out of the tax pay
er's pocket. II is not the natural
accumulation OF waste and dirt 2
from public traffic that causes the
unsightliness of the streets. that. l {
feel sure, is very generally kept !
cleaned of; it is rather the unnec- !
sssary littering with rubbish and
paper which could be avoided so '
EASILY If each person would do his (
part. r
The street cleaning Is done by s
land and by machine brooms and 7
water fiushers and cost for last year =
61,5S9.9S. representing an expendi- :
ure for this item OF approximately :
i55s.90 per mile. or $34.99 per city ]
block.
Mans ingenuity. up to this time.
las failed 10 produce perfect
treet paving, one that will withstand
he vehicular traffic, Increasing con
and not wear out This
means that after a street is laid. no
natter how well the work is orig !.
nally done. it is only a question OF :
-me when it must be repaired or
This latter particularly ap-
lilies to the street paving which was y
aid some years ago and IS not equal
o the then unforeseen heavy truck
raffic Of today. Engineers and road
builders are now overcoming this to
a great extent by the use of CON
crete in the form of base for the !
top wearing surface. This base pro- l
vides rigidity for the road and the c
future maintenance of the street or q
road is only matter Of the repair '
ing or replacing of the top or wear
ing surface and not complete re- d
building Of the road. which means ]
a minimum Of expense in the future.
Dur city has many old streets laid
without concrete base and many
rreets of what is known as ma