New-York daily tribune., 1856-02-12
CIT Y I TE NJ s.

u Il Il Il ~ M -
1HE THAw.-Yesterday the progress made in the
liquefedon of the mass of snow and ice in which we
have been Fix weeks buried very satisfactory as
il was lust moderate enough to allow parties interested
in tuning numerous little rls into larger channels by
artificial sidecuts" to assist nature and save an in
undaton Of their premises. The chicago papers are
clronicng, as worthy of note, that hundreds Of
passengers were stuck in snowdrlt for thirycish
hours within seven miles of that city. What is that
to the way we the people Of New-York have been
stuck for thirty-ochs days We have been showed
under" froze up "out Of wood -" stuck fast,
buried in a drin, pumps bunted, and have suf-
ertd under every other term usually applied to rail
road trains until we have got used to it; but
as for being contented, or merry in MISFORTUNE that
is beyond human probability, or equine possibility.
We have ad six weeks OF sorroU-hQrsc sorro"-
during the snowy term, and now we expect an indef
nitc number of weeks that may be properly defined
as the "mud and water term" The snow has been
in use so long that II has grown gray with age. In
come places it has a sort Of mody appearance-back
uold-ard altogether il is a compound of snow and
dnt, ice and mud rlluure and water coal ashes and
kitchen garbage; all Of which yesterday was under
eoirg slow liquefact.on, under the influence Of
state of thras. should we have three four days Of
such weather, that will appal the soutest-bootS.
Many Of the streets that have been all but mpa,slble
will be all but passable And w..ha, it seems that
we Lesc no help for this state Of things. 1t is not
perhaps rally known out Of the city that have
"Street Commissioner, whose duty it 10 to keep
the highways in repair. But we have such an
,tiiccr. who possesses all the concentrated power
of all The path. masters or road supervisors"
"Then why dom he clear the stree4 p Is the simple
Ggestion that will be asked by the country reader
There are two reasons. This functonary Is hiber
Mating animal; he never works in Winter; and beside
that BY "stIict construction it is settled that the
streets are not out Of order-dO not need repars-in
consequence of fall Of snow. He decides that the
work docs not belong to bis department; the snow il
Nuisance; somebody has obstructed the streets; the
duty of atating nusances and removing distractions
belongs to the Mayor and Police. The Police reply
that they have notified the occupants Of all houses to
r, move the srow and there their duty ends they are
not picksx and spade-using department. The Mayor
replies that be cannot expehd dollar of the peoples
money, and osks the Common Council to
take the matter in hand. They take time 70
consider and in the mean time the south wind blows.
AL other human efforts having failed, all the
other departments of the "City Government" having
refurod to assume the responsibility Of employing
men 10 Ieifom few days of labor Indispensable
TO the sal, alton OF much property aud to the comfort
of these who must wade the streets the Aims House
Department have come to our aid. That is, we
presume that to be the fact, because we noticed
Yesterday in various pars of the City squads of
superanruated men who wore the indellble marx
Of being berefcia-ies Of the "Ten Governors" who
4 I'D ata tfl
These old ?, nsoDers were furnished with picks spades
and hoes upon which they leaned their weary bodies
while an occasional working bee among them dug
canals through the ice at the crosswalkS, which, we
understand viii be furnished with ferry boats, as soon as
the Board Of Aldermen make the necessary appropra
tion In the mean time, told that the Life and
Marine Insurance Companies are about sending odt an
expedition furnished with lfe-boat- submarine amor,
and steam-pumps. This life and property ysaying com
pany would have started out yesterday, bat for tho
difficulty OF navigating the streets, as No craft known
10 sailors iandsmen ecIns exactly suited to the oc
ca,on This delay is unfortunate, since We heard Of
several shipwrecks in Broadway during the day, but
caunot learn that any lives were lost. We under
stand that the Passengers were rescued by throwing
lines to them from second story windows. One laiy
was saved by her hoops, which extended her silk
.kirt 70 such an enormous width that SIZE was ap-
parertly buoyed up until she fosted ashore and
drifted into the ST. Nicholas Hotel landing half way
up the stairs 1t could not be said to b. " narrow
escspe since the skirt was four yards wide. II the
,haw continues to-day We shall look for many very
stirring events.
In the Board Of Aldermen last evening rern"n-
srance wa received from several persons against the
proposition to extend Albany street through 1nnity
churchyard, which again referred to Special
Committee a communication received from the
Commissioner of Repairs and Supplies, protesting
against the appointment of Alexander Ward as super
nterdent of Roads. Mr.. John H. Chamber late
Deputy Clerk Of Common Council, was unanimously