The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-01-16

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guished for being the commercial metropolis OF
the new world, it is also distinguished for hav-
ing the dirtiest streets and the most corrupt and
extravagant government Of any city, in either the
new world or the old. We venture to say, that
in proportion to the amount paid annually by the
people of this city, nominally, for cleaning their
streets, there is not so dirty and filthy city on
the face of Gods earth; and how it is that the
city authorities have the hardihood and the un-
blushing effrontery, to come forth and demand
have to wade knee deep in order to cross our
thoroughfares, passes our comprehension.
We have no hesitation in saying, and we here
by proclaim and assert, that in this item of
street cleaning, the taxpayers of New York are
cheated, swindled, robbed, plundered, pillaged,
and defrauded out of their property, and that
the taxes and assessments for this purpose are
fraudulent, corrupt, and profgate, and the sys-
TEN under which they are expended, is nothing
less than system of robbery and swindling that
ought to entite its aiders and abettors to i'm
prlsonment in the State prisons the country.
This is strong languages but are We not justi-
fed in employing il in this case Z Let us look
at the facts, and we beg our readers to bear
them in mind.
We are informed that the annual amount of
money-but we deny unequivocally that it was
expended-for the last few years, for street
cleaning, was one hundred and twenty
thousand dollars, averaging one year with
another. We now learn that the expenses under
| the same head, for the year 1s4s, will not be
81, hun Jra III nd Inll nd
should not be at all surprised il they reached the
immense sum OF quarter of million of dol
lars Now, what has been the condition of the
streets for the past year? What is their condi-
| ton at the present time What was their con-
dtion before the late cold weather? In word,
have not the streets for the past year been in an
| extremely filthy and dirty condition-worse tn an
they have ever been! Look at the thoroug hfares-
Broadway, Nassau street, Full on street, Green
witch street 1t is, indeed, rare thing to see
the corporation sweepers in any of these streets.
We beg cur readers to tax their memories, and
endeavor to recolect how often the streets in
which they severally live have been cleaned; and
we ask them, have they been swept more than
four times since the present Common Council
came into office! We venture to say they have
not; and we can point out streets that have not
felt broom for six months Nay, more we can
point to every street, lane, alley, and bye way in
the city, and assert, that since the coming In of
the fall they have been ankle, andin some cases.
knee Deep with mud and filth And yet we are
to be charged two hundred thousand dollars or
more for street cleaning. 1t is gross swinding
and unmitigated robbery-nothing else Why
will the people of New York submit to this i'm.
position! Why will they not combine together,
and elect to Office city party, pledged to reform
those abuses and disconnect the affairs of the
city with the politics of the State and national
governments!
But this is not the only way in which our PEG
pie are robbed and plundered of their hard-earn-
ed gains, under color of the law. Look at the
manner in which they are assessed for opening,
widening, and improving the streets. In many
instances, streets are opened which will not be
needed for fifteen or twenty years to come, fol
building purposes; and the only object in open.
ing them, as far as be seen, is to put fees in
he pockets of the lawyers, contractors, printers
editors, and understrappers Of every kind, con-
nected with the party which, for the time being
has the control of the city government, anc
which come under the name of "spoils.'' It Is
asserted that the Erening Post, in the course o
few years, pocketed the immense sum of forty
thousand dollars for simply advertising those as.
sessments; and the wing organs, the Tribune and
| Others are now receiving their thousands from
| the wing party, for the same work. In fact, it
would appear that each party endeavors to out
Herod the other, in plundering and robbing the
people.
In the name of justice, how long are these
thip oo RI he euhuoiifed tn ouY no onle he
reft of common sense, that they allow them
selves to be swindled in this way, from year te
year, without combining in movement thai
will relieve them from these expressions.
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