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

-fpE Srplcrs-We trust that the work Of
Cleaning and purifying the streets OF this city
Will moi be suspended, but that it will bs carried
Oh with renewed vigor Such weather as we
had on Friday Saturday and yesterday is
enough Of itself to breed an epidemic, and
when dirty streets, filled with decomposing
vegetable matter are added to the influence
oil dense humid atmosphere, the speedy pro-
pagaton of cholera becomes almost q certainty.
In williamsburg we noticed, on Thursday,
that the city officers were engaged in cleansing
and washing the street guttaes with solution
Of chloride of lime-an example worthy of imi-
tation. In walking through portion of the
Sixth ward, yesterday, we perceived that the
cutters were in many places filed with decayed
vegetables, halt submerged in pools of dirty
water, the mixture giving out a most disgusting
odor, and evolving the most noxious gases. The
coincidence between these circumstances and the
fact that there were four coffin shops in the
same street, gave rise to sundry unpleasant
speculations, and induced US to think that the
hberality of one undertaken, who displayed q
sign on which was written, Free passes to
Greenwood" was entirely unnecessary, as
many persons in the vicinity would probably
receive strong call to some such place.
1t seems to us that the Aldermen and Coun-
cilmen OF the lower wards can do much towards
improving the sanitary condition OF their con-
stituents. Their excuse is, as we are we'll
aware, that the amended charter ties their
hands so that they can do nothing; but they
ocf po11 ;ol1x
are always people enough who are willing to
contribute their money toward any good OBJ
ject, provided some responsible man can be
found to superintend the distribution of the
funds, and thus guarantee that they shall
not be misapplied As the Alderman Of
the ward, or the Councilman of the dis
trict, claims to be, for the time being, the
leading spirit of its citizens, he should en-
deavor to earn the title by rigid supervision
of the interests Of his constituents. He should
employ such leisure as his pursuits allow him
in the examination of the streets within his
district, ascertain their condition, and, after
estimating the cost incident to putting them in
acleanly state, he would find little difficulty in
raising the money needed for such purpose.
We opine that 1t would be much better for the
merchants Of this city to spend some time and
money in sanitary measures than to suffer
from repetition Of the cholera season Of eight
cen hundred and forty nine.
We have no faith in or hope of the present
hydra-headed system of city government, and
we see plainly that private citizens will again
be obliged to take up the broom and pay for
that work which should be done by city Of
ficers, and paid for out of the city treasury
1t is not pleasant, we know, to pay twice; but
the work must be done, and we see no other
way by which it can be thoroughly executed.
Some Of the more public streets have recently
presented more clearly appearance than
usual; but how it Is done, and who does it, we
cannot say. A number Of street cleaning con-
tracts were announced as having been con-
cluded q month since. Where are the new
contractors, especially in the Sixth, Seventh,
and Eighth wards ?