Evening star., 1925-01-04
Officials "Pass Buck" as
Pedestrians Wade Slush
and Autos Are PeriIed.
RAIN PROMISED TODAY,
OFFERING SOLE RELIEF
Conditions. Attacked in Senate. Are
Defended BY Comnis-
sioner Bell.

deep slush and automobilists humping
over foot-deep ruts in the middle Of
the principal streets of Washington
united yesterday in cursing Congress,
the District authorities and the snow.
And meanwhile, an exciting game
known as passing the buck
started, with Congress on one side and
the District authorities on the other.
From his high post in the observa-
tion tower of the United States
Weather Bureau. the weather man
looked down on the puny efforts of
400 pick-and shovel men valiantly but
impoteuu ytrying to clean 800 miles
of paved highway in the District of
Columbia. and reIenting. predicted a
warm rain for today which will help
the situation more than all the money
Congress will appropriate for the pur-
pose within the next geological epoch.
Street Department. Scored.
The decision of Morris Hacker, su-
perintendent OF street cleaning in the
District. that a bird in the hand is
worth two in the bush, and that money
which might be expended for extraordi-
nary methods in removing the snow
today, will be needed next Spring in
cleaning dust of Summer from the
Capitals streets aroused the indigna-
tion of Senator William H. King Of
Utah. who delivered d scathing speech
in the Senate against what he termed
the ''incompetency" of the District
Commissioners and the street cleaning
department for their failure to make
more headway in clearing the snow
from the streets "a hours after it had
ceased to fall.
Sepator also unable
understand why Mr.. Hacker wasn't
using the fine snow plows for which
Congress appropriated good, hard
cash two years ago. 1t developed
last night that the seventeen plows,
attached to as many trucks. are di-
vided as follows: Nine plows for the
suburban districts, eight plows for
the CITY, The plows were in use on
the first day OF the snow. but yes
terday they were not used at all.
The trouble was, Mr.. Hacker said,
that the snow was packed too hard
for the plows to perform efficiently.
In fact, all they did the first day
was to push the snow TO one side
The trucks, however, were on hand
without the plows yesterday, and
obligingly carried away the snow re-
moved by the 400 valiant snow re-
movers. If they accomplished any
eye.
Says Money Is Needed.
At the same time, Engineer Com
missioner Bell, under whose jurs-
diction falls the street cleaning de-
partment, gently reminded all con
cerned that 'if a majority of the
members of Congress feel that the
city government should spend the
amount of money necessary TO get
~
an opportunity now to indicate that
desire by making an appropriation"
He recalled at the same time that
the current appropriation for the
street cleaning department was cal
culated to cover the normal opera
tions of that department twelve
months, and that the Commissioners
would be creating deficiency if they
expended large part of the allot-
ment on one snowstorm.
Mr.. Hacker, while admitting that
$9,871 had been turned back last year
unused out of his annual appropria-
ton, pointed to the fact that out of
$4,000 appropriated by Congress for
cleaning the streets this year, only
$lS1,SS remains to carry on this
work until next June. The result of
his two days fight against the storm
he sadly gave as follows: Eight
street from Ninth to Fifteenth: New
York avenue between Fourteenth and
F1fteenth streets; one block, or part
OF II. on Pennsylvania avenue in front
or the Treasury building, and the
sweeping of the majority of the street
car tracks.
Declared No Excuse
Senator King, however, met Mr..
hackers arguments of why more had
not been done, as follows:
That's no excuse a ALL" he assert
ed. The street department could
have anticipated appropriations to
make up any deficit for the proper
carrying out of its duty"
When told by Senator D. Heisler
Ball of Delaware, chairman of the
Senate District committee. that ap-
preparations had been made two
years ago for snow-cleaning ap-
paratus and that the apparatus was
now supposed to be in Washington
and in use Senator King expressed
amazement.
why hasn't 1t been put to some
use? l am very glad that the Sena-
tor from Delaware has made this
statement. 1t fortifies me in the
stand l have taken. 1 remember now
that these machines were asked for
and provided.
Congress has certainly been gen
erous in appropriations with Wash
ington. 1t should be. because this IS
the National Capital. The admins
tration as a whole of the Commits
sioners of the District should be COM
mended, but in allowing conditions
where traffic is practically at a stand
still. and where motorists venture
forth at considerable peril not only
to themselves. but to their automo-
biles, they should be criticised.
No Proyisions Made.
Experience with past storms
should have made them realize that
adequate preparedness along with
prompt and efficient action was nee
essary In the event of a heavy, snow.
1t is obvious in this case that no
provisions for removal of snow have
been made"
Representative Zihlman of Mary
land, pointing out that all the road
between Washington and Cumber
land, Md, was cleared of snow and
open to traffic, a distance of about
$50 miles, was unable to understand
the paralysis which now exists in
Washington.
At the same time some unkind per-
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