New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-27
THE CONDITION OF THE STREETS.

If there is ANY other CITY on earth where the
condition of the Streets is 80 abOmnable as this,
we should ike to be made acquainted with it, for
" do not know Of any one that is now, or ever
has been, allowed TO remain in such an unclean,
filthy condition as the City of NewYOrk upon
this 9th day of December, 1854.
And if it should so happen that the people of
any other city in the world should be so heavily
taxed for STRENGTHENING as this, and that the
streets should be permitted to remain one week
in the condition of ours we have no doubt 1t
would be the occasion of sn instruction against
the authorities. DO the taxpayers of New-York
know how much they pay for keeping the streets
in their present condition. There has been paid
tbis year, up to Nov. u, 70 tho Commissioner of
Streets of Streets and Lamps, for street-clesn-
ing only. the sum of S232, 900. Yet this enorm-
Gus amount wac not sufficient. Last spring the
accuInul atoms of winter had reached such fear
ful extent TO endanger the public health upon
the approach of warm weather, and the Board
of Health found it necessary to cake the matter
in hand, and spend over So0,O00 in Kidding the
streets of the agglOmerations of garbage aud pes
tieutihl filth, in order to preserve the City from
threatened epidemic.
Then for a month we had Broadway cleaned by
the enterprise of private indi fdual-and cleaned
it was, so that lady could cross /. anywhere at
any time, from UnioD-square to the Battery with
out soiliDg her dress, almost without soiDg the
soles Of her shoes.
But what is the condition Of Broadway now?
II is disgrace to a civilized people. An abomi-
nabe canal of mud, that no one can cross except
protected By India rubber shoes; and no lady,
even then, can hope to get over without spelling
more clothes than ten times the cost Of cleaning 80
much space ofthe street. The amount of injury
to wearing apparel alone, in day ia Broad way,
would pay for keeping that street as clean as it
was KEPT by Mr.. Genin. But in many places the
mud is nesrly even with the top of the curb stone
IL hes like black mortar all over the Russ pave
ment nearly over shoes 10 depth. The sidewalks
are keptina filthy condition all the time, and when
il rains, are quite impossible for ladies'. TIE
mud is carried into houses and stores, Wnere it
turns to dust and does an incOnceiyabie amount
of damage to carpets, furniture, dry goods and
other costly articles This the public suffer ia
patience, because they know no remedy. We
submit TO the people, who pay over $500, 900
year-yes, over a thousand dollars a day for
every working day in the year. for keeping the
streets clean, if they do not feel that they are
not only robbed of their money but worse than
robbed by the immense damage done to their
property, by TIE foul condition OF the streets.
Such is the state of Broadway Look at II.
and think of it in contrast with the time when it
was cleaned by Mr.. Genin. Look at the side
walks along the PARK, which the City officials
should keep decenty clean. Then go around the
PARK and look at that pile of filth on the walk,
BY the Hall of RGGds, which has laid there
month. Look at the walks through the Park;
oil Of which are under the charge of men who are
especially paid to keep them clean. Go up Broad
way, and turn down any of the side streets, and
see what you shall see; piles of ashes aud kitchen
garbage, and muddy remains of the accommodations
of months. Go down Pearl st., if you can, to
Cross-st, and through that to Mulberry, and up
that, and, Notwithstanding that you are told that
contractors have been paid large sums Of your
money to keep these streets decent, you will find
them almost impossible for horse and cart, much
more for foot passenger The mud and garbage,
in places, is nearly two feet deep.
In fome of the cleanest streets in the City,
you will find the mouth of some Obey where the
ashes have been empied and formed o dam in
the gutter. until the filthy slop-water overAows,
and freezes and spread. almost acrQM the sksss