MUNICIPAL VERSUS CONTRACT STREET CLEANING IN WASHINGTON, D. C

Abstract

Washington, the Nation's capital, is among the few of the important cities of this country-and probably the latest one-to abolish altogether the practice of performing its street cleaning operations under contract, and to take over such operations as a municipal function. The contract system had been in vogue since the establishment of the present system of government, when, on recommendation of the commissioners of tbe District of Columbia, Congress, by an act of March 2, 1911, authorized the said commissioners to undertake the work when In their judgment it could be accomplished more advantageously to the interests of the District of Columbia. Accordingly, such operations were commenced as a municipal function on July 1, 1911. Necessarily during the first year the department was put to considerable expense towards the purchase of new equipment, horses, etc., and naturally many experiments were resorted to and changes made before the forces engaged in the work could be properly organized for so important a task. Notwithstanding these changes in methods as the work progressed, which necessarily impaired the maximum efficiency of the force engaged, but which were dictated by knowledge gained by experience, and notwithstanding also the considerable expense attached to the purchase of new equipment, the office was able to show at the end of the first year's operations that the average costs were less than the contract prices. At the end of the second year, June 30, 1913, the records disclosed that for the expenditure of the same amount of money, over 25 per cent. more work was accomplished than during the last year of the contract system. Unfortunately, the quality of the.work, being a matter of observation and judgment, cannot be shown in figures, but the whole interest of the municipal authorities in charge of street cleaning, is to have the work well done, while the object of the contractor was to do it well enough to be paid. The stock is largely supplied by horses from the fire and police departments which have become unfit for fast worik but are splendidly able to do the work of street cleaning and were originally the best that could be bought. They are kept better and fed better than tlie contractor's horses. All equipment is kept in perfect condition. The men are well paid, work hard, are employed and discharged according to their ability to work; and thoroughness at all times is insisted on. There seems to be no reason then for the efficiency being less, and the testimony of old employees of the department and impartial citizens who have been sufficiently interested to