The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-18

tendent of Streets who had great experencoin such
matters, in report upon this subject the follow
ing language
The membranes the public streets, slips piers,
and balkheads is enormous. If q reasonable rent was
think it would amount to half million OF dollars Tzs
has become matter Of great Importance. know DOT
business cty like ours to enforce the law to the letter
and il it is how il be donet lot OF one hundred
would hold the encumbnnces filled TO the height
of twenty feet yet think the estimate within the real
amount
1t is frequently the case that when encumbrances
are removed from the streets and piers TO the corpo
ration yard parties owning the goods, after redeem
ing them, knock loudly at the door OF the Common
Council, and ask for remission OF the redemption
money paid by them, and in some instances the
money has been so refunded thereby establishing
precedent of most inconsistent, If not dsgraceful
character paying premium for vioat0rs OF the city
ordinances. All ordinances that cannot be enforced
should be promptly repealed for it is by no means
pleasant for those officers in the department who
attempt to do their duty faithfully to be jeered by
those complained of for breaking the laws.
Your honorable body will be called upon to defend
yourselves in a suit about to be commenced against
you for daring to remove many thousands of tons OF
railroad iron, found laying of the piers OF the
North river, and removed to the corporation yard
The parties seek to have restored to them the redemp
ton money We shall see. Ordinances in reference
to this subject are something or nothing.
Another prolific of complaint is, that por-
tons of the streets of the city rendered almost
impossible from building materials occupying two
tnlrOS OF the street, IneSe complaints dHu
the facts notorious but the remedy is beyond nay
control From usage, the builder, or the persons ln-
terested claims as much OF the street as they please
and become very indignant if requested not to allow
the dirt to be spread the entire street The law
requires that they shall have the permission of the
Street Commissioner, and they generally granted
onethird of the street. How they avail themselves
of the permit to third of the street, can be
rious in such matters. This is not all. In years
gone by, when building was to be put up, the sand
dug from the cellar to lay the foundation, was carted
away by the parties when not required for building
purposes. Now they pile it up two stories high.
screen it in the street and then expose it for sale,
leaving the refuse of it the ground for this de-
partment to take away. This course of conduct for
those claiming to be good citizens has been excess
lively expensive to the bureau Of cleaning streets last
year, and without the assistance Of your body bids
fair to be equally burdensome this. here respect
fully ask, that, at your earliest convenience an
ordinance may be reported that permission be grant
ed by this department alone for permission to occu
ply the streets for building purposes, constructing
sewers, &C., as the whole burden Of nonconformity
with the ordinances in such cases made and provided
falls directly upon this department. Some set
curity would be granted me by keeping a
registry of ali building, sewering, &C., so that
the Ward Inspectors may be kept advised OF the
condition they found Them the parties be hand
ed over to the Attorney Of the Corporation for his &C
ton have the assurance Of his honor, the Mayor,
and the Chief of Police that every assistance that
of our city ordinances will be cheerfully given.
In making contracts with parties for sewering, if
the department possessing the power would only
stipulate that those to whom such contracts were
awarded should be compelled to lay timbers the
crossings, and open but one block Of the street at
time, many of the complaints made to this depart
ment would be obyiated, and the public convenience
better regarded. Notwithstanding the advantages the
city must derive both in cleanliness and health from
proper drainage, yet the manner Of constructing
sewers makes it both annoying to the citizens and
pensve to this department.
In commencing sewer the pavement is taken up
and thrown along the line Of the sewer in the next
street. Then the trench is dug to the sired depth
the dirt thrown out, covering the reet cutters
and sidewalks, sometimes for two OF three blocks,
shutting off all crossing, either for pedestranism or
vehicles. By inserting such clause as above ex
pressed, and having strictly complied with it would
materially lessen complaints of this character. The
next step, after the sewer is built is to fill up, ram
down, and then re-pave. This re-paving is gene
rally done in the most iimsy and understandable
manner, and covered over with large guam
titles OF dirt, instead of zone inch Of pure
sand, and no more" No sooner is this large
amount OF dirt removed by the Street nspectOrs-they
being compelled to do it, because it gets mixed with
all kinds of rubbish thrown out and becomes an in
toerabe nuisance, at large cost to the department
which should belong to individuals the occu-
pants or owners Of buildings commence the opera
ton to cOnnectwith the sewers. Again the pavement
is broken up, and when the connection is completed
the same disgraceful paving takes place; but few
buses turns up the cobble stones, and more
patching takes place, and months elapse before the
streets are in the same condition as when the sewer
ing commenced; besides, no manure is collected for
blocks in the vicinity where this work has been done.
In reference to casting rubbish, &c., in the streets
the laws are wholly disregarded. The following or
dlnance was passed J he Legislature, and by the
Mayor, Aldermen, and Commonaty, April, lS49 )
Sec. l. No person persons shall throw cast, lay
ashes oal vegetables garbage dros cinders shells
straw shsvings dirt, filth rubbish of any kind what
in osr ,1o
Of New York fs' '
Sec. TIE violation of any Of the provisions of the
preceding section shall be- and hereby declared mis-
demeanor and shall be punis liable by fine not less than
one dollar than ten dollars by imprisonment
IN the city prison for term Of not less than one more
Sec 8 1t shall be the duty of the Superintendent OF
to enforce the of this ordinance and the pun
shment Of any party Or parties who may violate the
If the record of any fine can be found in any court
having jurisdiction in the matter although the ordi
nance is violated hourly it is more than am aware
OF. Chap. "a, title 3, revised ordinances
Sec 10 No brewer, dister, dyer soap maker other
person, shall cast throw, suffer the water to
from his mandatory shop, house or establishment,
into street except between the hours Of eight in the
ofDecember until the first day Of April in any year un.
der the penalty oftweny five dollars for each offence
sell. Whenever any water shall be cast or thrown,
provided in the 18th section of this title the person
persons casting suffering the to from their
premises shall clean passage for the same to run along
The gutter river or public sewer SO that the same
shall not overflow the curbstone sidewalks under the
penalty Of twenty five dollars for each neglect
These ordinances have all been published in hand
bills, and distributed among the citizens, and good
citizen should plead ignorance Of their existence or
attempt TO avoid their enforcement
The increase Of coal ashes is very great, and in
the lower part of the city and high Fourteenth
street. in the winter they have averaged from seven
to eight hundred loads per week, and in the sum-
mer months there will be from four to five hundred
loads per week. II is estimated that over thirteen
thousand houses were put up, fronts altered addi-
tons made last year. There were six sewers built
in the Ninth ward alone last summer, some of them
of such a character that, if paid for, arc fraud
upon the public besides destroying the grade of the
streets. There is ordinance that requires the GER
ticate Of the Superintendent OF Streets before the
parties ca. get their pay. These certificates are
rarely sought for, and the presumption is that they