The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-07

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as the matter is pressing, viii we scruple 10 q
sert that the incendisries may be found, In min
instances out of ten, among the vagabonds VIII
hang about fire engines, and are always the frs
to offer assistance at fires These fellows ar
not in the habit of working from pure philan
thropy. They are ragged, drunken and vicious
they spend more money than hardworking me
chanics, though they have no home and no fam
lily to support Whence come their means o
subsistence, unless incendiarism and pillage b.
classed among their ordinary resources? WI
have not shadow of hesitation in stating thaf
q comparison of New York and other large citieS
will give rise to presumption, SO strong as u
be almost irresistible, that majority of TIL
fires which weekly desolate our city are thu
work of incendiaries- our system of volulr
tary fremcn facilitates their nefarious scheme
and that nothing but an alteration of this sys
TEN, and the substitution of one under whic
the firsmen would be an organized and paid bt
dy would remedy the evil.
city to rival the flthiest pigstye in the countr 4
for full fortnight the Mayor has at lengt,
summoned courage to call the Board of Healtf
together. The Aldermen and Councilmen La
evening empowered them to act, and the
meet this afternoon with closed doors
usual, to take counsel on the section {
the law, which authorises' them "to Civ
all such directions, and adopt all sue
measures as in their judgment may be nece
sary for cleansing and purifying all such bull;
ings, lots and other places, (meaning places
any description within the city, and to do
cause to be done every thing in relation theret'
which in their opinion may be proper to pr
serve the health of the city"
If there be single member of the Board
Health who doubts that under this law Il
streets may now be cleaned by the Board,
deserves that his door be forever closed up wi
mud. II is 80 clear that in week or 80
weather will be upon us, and that crowds
immigrants will be congregated at every &C
ner in the lower part Of the city, that from
other body than municipal corporation NJ
York should we anticipate any hesitation or {
lay in purifying the streets from the heaps
mud, garbage and filth which now choke the
but after the experience Of the past three mont
we are almost prepared for anything. Office
who, in the face of law which prevented I
streets being cleaned by the ordinary meal
entirely neglected the obvious resource of
appeal to the Board of Health until the PR
forced them to act, are very likely to find soi
pretext for multiplying that resource now that
has been found. Whether they do OF no, t
people of New York will now take notice th
if the streets still remain in their present sta
the fault will be with the members of the Boa
of Health, and they ought not to be suffered
transgress with impunity.
We say that the law prevents the immedis
cleaning of the streets by the only means
which the Comptroller is authorized to pa
Between our "rcform" charter and the fraud
lent contracts made last year, the Corporate
now finds itself obliged to go through the who
work of dividing the city and advertising +
fresh contracts for cleaning the streets. tt
operation will not be completed before the
of April, and till then the mud must rema
where it is, unless the Board of Health orders
to be removed. We need not lay stress on t
absurdity of the laws which place us in t!
dilemma. 1t is one of the first fruits of t.
legislative tinkering that has been going on
Albany for the last ten or twenty years. /
stead Of endeavoring to induce the masses
vote at civic elections and choose honest al
able Aldermen, the clique of individuals wi
have taken our municipal matters under the
special supervision have rushed to the Legisl
ture whenever corrupt Alderman turned !,
and procured law to prevent the recurren,
Of his offence. Far better and more sensib J
would it have been to repeal all these amende
and counter-amended charters, and revert Il
the old system of twenty years ago, und,
which the Mayor, Aldermen and Councilmt
were empowered to discharge their duty wit
out letters, and absurd restrictions; and
secure their integrity and efficiency by takir
the business Of their selection out of the han,
of the grogshop politicians and ward bulle.
We shall be driven to this at last
EDITORS WANTED AT WAsHINGTON.-Why d0t
not the United States send on its Sergeant-a
arms for certain editors in New York, suppose
to be guilty of violating the secrecy of the S
nate, in the publication of the Gadsden treaty.
There are some Of US here who want to go 4
Washington to see how it looks, provided th
government will pay the fare. And we wal
to see how they are getting on with the Ne
braska question in the House, and Colts paten
and various other things. Let the Senat
therefore, without further delay send on thei
officer with writ Of haIeas corpus. We migf
be usful on the Nebraska question. Who knows
Value Of Church Property I'm New York. Y
SALE OF PEws IN THE CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH
BROADWAY.
sale Of several pews in the Church Of the Messiah
Unitarian the Rev. Samuel Osgood pastor, took plat