The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-12-25

Firsf, IN the matter OF cleaning the streets The
proposition now is TO do il by contract The form
OF the contract has been drawn up doc. No. 81,
Board OF Aldermen1 and approved by both Boards,
and also, the special Committee Of three members
from each Board. are authorised and empowered To
enter iato contract with some suitable person, and
upon good and sufficient security to perform the
work. Both Boards of Aldermen have now done
their duty In the premises, and the document al
luded 10 only awaits the signature Of his Honor the
Mayor 10 become a law We may consider there
fore, that the whole responsibility rests with the
special committee above Observation-Disclosures
Balls, Davis, and Martin, and Assistant Aldermen
Brady Mead, and Esquirol. THIS committee, by
political majority, is wing power, four out Of the
SIX being wings The responsibility, therefore, rests
with the wings. Their duty is very plain Whe-
Their the city be divided into districts and given to
several contractors, according to the desire Of the
democrats or whether it be given to one contractor,
the duty is equally manifest give it to the person
or persons who will perform the work on the lowest
terms provided they give good and sufficient security;
and here the strong point of the casefor the per-
Torrance of the work In any event. the public have
fright ts expect, under all the prouse advantages
afforded by the Croton water, that this city, in point
of cleanliness shall surpass all the cities of the
globe. The committee are invested with great
power, which they can undoubtedly prostitute and
abuse for political and partizan purposes, but we
have reason to suppose that they will be guilty
of any such dsgraceful abuse of accidental power.
They will be closely watched.
The next matter of reference is the meat market
laws. Here much has already been done, and
much remains to be done. The Assistant Aldermen
have done their duty thus far, although they have
more to do, in carrying out the plan of establishing
slaughter houses in the precincts Of the city, pro-
posed by Alderman Waterman, on Friday evening.
Of this, however, we have more to say anon. In
the meantime, the public will look to Alderman
Waterman to press forward a measure of such i'm
mense public importance. The discussion of this
question has already done much TO bring down the
price Of good meat. Beef, which not long since
sold tor 10 to IA cents per pound, can now be
bought for to 10 cents; and very good meat can
be bought even as low as. A or cents per pound.
This is a great blessing to the poor. Nor is the
price of meat unreasonably cheap, when you
compare it with the present low prices of all
kinds of produce Meat should always be afforded
for or cents per h., and never exceed 7cents
The present wholesale prices only 81 to 81 cents.
Why, therefore, should eiherpoor or rich be COM
PEELED to pay shilling per ID? Whatever may be
the prices of meat in the shops, they do serve to
keep down the monopoly prices in the public mar
kets 1t is useless to talk of impure and unwhole-
some meats; the only certain remedy is the slaugh-
ter house and inspecting system, according to Ma
poleon's plan OF abattoirs in Paris, which he es.
tablished in 1909. Neither il proper to allow The
question of refunding premiums to the butchers-a
~ I'LL,
the establishment of wise system of government,
on correct principles, and with equal laws. If any
wrong shall be done the butchers by organising
wise government, it must be either legal wrong or
a moral wrong; if legal, then they can have their
redress by suit at law; if moral, then we reply,
we believe there is not solitary member of the
Corporation who will not vote for an equitable in
Identification of real damages Neither Alderman
Tones, Brown, nor any other member, is opposed to
he interests of the butchers. On Tuesday evening,
therefore, the public will expect the Board OF Alder
men to concur with the other Board in passing the
ordinance on the market laws as reported in yes
terday's Herald.
The Police reform is next in order. And, now
having proved themselves an able "Court for the
Corrections of Errors" and done so well on one
subject, we shall look with favorable anticipation
to the prompt and efficient action of the Board of
Assistants upon their Document No. AZ, on the re-
organization of the Police. AS it now is, it is not
only not preventive police, it ought to be- but it
is not even curative retrlbutive police-lndeed,
it is little better than legal organization to throw
the protection Of law the Preparation of crimi-
nal offences. II crime cannot make its escape on
the blind side of the executive officer, it still has
pretty fair chance of getting baied out by the in
dulgent arm Of judicial authority. Robbery and
plumber take one overwhelmingly and Justice
the other-but the street is somehow neverpassable.
And it will sometimes happen that our guardians Of
the night will mistake and watch for plumber in
stead of the plunderer Instances of this kind are
of but recent occurrence. If our Police system
were good $50 years ago, for 10000 inhabitants, it
is no argument that it is in the remotest degree
adapted to population of $4,000. Indeed, we know
of no one who has recently endorsed oven our pre-
sent police sysem,exceptitbe that able financer and
accomplished gentleman, Mr. William Gray just SEN
fenced to the State prison for twelve years He has
given it very handsome ticket of APPRECIATION.
The Police will undoubtedly feel grati6ed, while
other people will put their finger upon their nose.
Lastly, in the order of reform, the Fire Depart.
ment. And no where is reform more imperatively
needed The city is now supplied with rivers Of
water, and plenty of strong hands to use it. All
that is requisite, is proper organization. tpresent
the Engine Department is little else than school of
rum, and the engine houses mere localities of de-
bauchery. Reerganize the whole-give the city
honest fremen-drilled iremen-paid iremen, with
horses attached to their engines--and allow no boys
or citizen to interfere with correct discharge of
fremens duty.
Again, we call upon the present city wing admin
straton, to finish the reform that is begun, and give
us a well governed city.
PROGRESS OF SCIENCE IN THE WEsr.-Dr. Blu
chanan is not the only western philosopher who is
destined to revolutionize the old systems of medi-
cine Witness the following advertisement which
appears in one of the Louisville papers,
j. Walter Son inform the public generally that they
are at this time manufacturing in the city Of Louisville
Magnetic Electric Machines, and also Electro Magnetic
together with Gavanc Rings and Magnets. used in the