The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-07-14

Tho Cleaning or the streets-Economy VI
Expenditure.

expenditure
Mr.. EDrroR:-it appears to us much false rea a.
sonlng prevails with regard to the best plan oi
cleaning the streets. Some persons contend tnat IL
is kind of business in which all rules OF economy
are to be- set at nought, and that the mole money
spent upon them tor this purpose, the Deter-that
il is better tor the city TO give hundred thou
sand dollars than TO have them cleaned tor nothing
that it the persons employed to sweep them were
not thus occupied, the city would be completes to
support them as paupers IN alms-houses Nothing
can be more absurd than this mode OF reasoning,
We all know, that persons employed to sweep the
streets are, and indeed must be able bodied men
aud none OF whom adopt the occupation Vi sfee.
sweepers as a permanent meaus OF employment, out
merely enter the service in most instances 10 suit
their own idle convenience. II is wen known
fact that there is not an able bodied man IN New
York. but who If disposed can find more respecta-
bic employment. All this summer, the farmers IN
many parts of New Jersey, and other places, nave
been greatly in want OF labOrers, and are willing TO
give steady employment and good wages TO snch ];
but the half idle street laborers prefer TO remain IN
the city, even at lower wages and less constant
work, IL order that they may be near grog shops,
where they spend all their idle time, and the most OF
the money received for wages.
The most OF these able bodied men are also
foreigners, who, presume it not bllleted upon
the tax paying people OF the ciy to sweep dIt at an
enormous expense, would not be tar oDJect5 ior
aims house rehet as we believe 1t IS the aged, IN
firm, and the Invalid, who are considered obects oil
such chanty.
The healthy and robust persons employed on the
streets prefer this half lazy lie, Tor reasons stated
II is well known, that, IN wet weather ana during
the mes, OF the winter, when they most neec work,
they cannot labor the streets, and must remain IN
miserable deness and want, and by relying on this
kind OF precarious employment, which iails when
most required, they liable from destitution and
| want, TO become charge to the aims house, by
this very mode OF employment, which II Is con-
tended is calculated to keep them ont. so lar IRON
their employment in thus respect, being charitable
boon from the city, it results In many instances In
their overthrow and The money paid them In
too many cases, is unwtingly advanced by The
city, as bounty for the support OF grog shops, and
gambling hells
| That the vast sums paid them on the old plan OF
sweeping the streets, was not expended upon them
with purely benevolent views by the city corpora
ton, evident, from the fact that much the largest
portion of the $i49 600, was paid them Just on the
eve, approach OF each charter election II Is evil
dent then, that political, and not charitable motives
| induced this great waste OF money gathered from
the people by taxation And we certainly underrate
the sagacity and intelligence OF the people, II 1t Is
supposed, this or any other corporation, can return
to this eXravagant waste OF money, without IN the
end being expelled from power by the force OF the
| ballot box.
The people cannot afford to pay for the Croton
water, and for the multitude of other burihens, and
| then in addition to be sadded with $4,000 per
annum to purchase votes Tor the support OF any po'
| lltlcal party.
If able bodied foreigners are too lazy to go into
the country and work on farms: and must be provl'
ded for in the city,t will be infinitely better for the
Corporation a once to build public work house,
| and give them permanent and useful occupation,
where they would be Tree from the haunts OF wee
| and the corrupting .luences OF grog shops
The profession oil scavenger Is also degradn
species OF labor, and no honorable, industrious OF
| ambitious American will ever, while any Other
means OF support are left, either III the country on
farms, or III the far west, submit to its low drugery
And we never able bodied, healthy man sera
ping and cleaning streets; but we tee regret tor bis
absence OF ambition 10 strive Tor nober emlloyme nj
| better suited 10 the dignity oil hts manhOod-aud
better calculated to elevate hisfeeings and prospects
| in lie.
| We sincerely believe we do no more than express
the wishes OF ninety-nlne huudreths OF our fellow
| citizens, when we give The preference to The best
| and most economical mode OF cleaning the streets
Ii they can be vel! cleaned for nothing, or for the
manure alone, in the name OF justice why not adop,
| that mode, and save the money and health OF the
| psoplel We care not whether this be done by
| means of machinery or by other methods Still lei
| it be done-it will be sure in the end to meet the
hearty appreciation OF the people, both rich and
poor.
We do not consider the late contract fairly made
II was wrong to put it out for so long PERIOD and
| for SO large sum- Ii was too plainly political
| job And turtle there were responsible bids
made 10 do it tor much less sum, which the con-
tracing committee, according to their own propo-
sails, had no right to reject.
Besides, we believe the city could be divided into
districts and cleaned by contracts for much less and
| IN much better manner, than the lowest bids Tor
| the late contract.
II the present political log rolling contract is set
aside, we shall srenuously advocate the division OF
the city into contract districts, TO put out to the low
| est responsible bidders
We think the vexatious delay on the part OF the
Corporation In attending TO this business, very re-
prehensible II keeps all in suspense, and is not at
tended with strict justice the present contractors
| or TO the community. Something ought to be decl
| ded on at once, one way or the other.
| am, &c. CLINTON