The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-06-07

1852. ..2ss aa 6s 3oo77 90 2sssis 70
1853. .......... 9625 81 26S31 y 262,ISS 10
1851. ..29ooeo 20 7,oos VI 233ooI ~
rlo. ..........''. LofVssV q .o,Vso ~
1855. .......... .27s ,262 AZ 4,746 10 273,5l7 so
1896. ,3a6 ,25l 70 10,5o2 SO 3S5,74s 80
This amount expenaed bv order Of the Board Of
Health by the City inspe tor in 1854
The ABOVE figures show grand total of s2,sa2 44o SO
expenditures for cleaning the streets OF Ne York for the
last twenty elk years, being from 1881 to 1857.
The receipts for manure, &c being at the same time,
$340 s5 90 leaving net expenditure of .255 H.
The committee lnd great evils Lave arisen from the
practice Of letting the contracts to the lowest bidders and
not holding their surees to their bends IS often IRE
sponsbe ana inecieat procure the Contracts who
without either calculation or money hnd themselves 10
every incompetent to perform the task and az AIM
under the small district system, while some wards may
be properly cleaned others remain untouched
They are therefore satisfied that if city s'o be c,an
ed by contract should be let to association OF respon
sibe who wSuld txe upon themselves 70 clean the
whole city aud that for term OF II such an asso
citation should undertake the business OF cleaning the
streets for Eve or ten years at three hundred thousand
oars per annan and do their work efectuaiy would
be both a saving aud blessing to our citizens.
They regard cost as secondary consideration provided
the city be kept clean; while they would economist,
they would not hesitate to recommend to the Common
Council to rive the contract TO men whom they believe
would al I'll hazards do their duty, though they
the lowest bidders States aad corporations slow
to prosecute the surees thai are gven and through this
ndposon to press their legal rights this city has suner-
ed immense less.
They find that under the charter the Comm Conn
Gil authorized to make contracts by hreefourths
vote with such parties as they their Judgment may
deem proper, without their being the owcss bidders.
The specifications OF the contract should be strong and
guarded and OF such character 10 insure the cleaning
of every street thoroughly both by hoe and broom once
a week. and the removal OF ashes and garbage daily.
The principal thoroughfes, such as Broadway Park row,
Chatham, erand, Fulton streets, Maiden liue Cortaudt
Wall and such other important streets as the City inpec
may direct, should be swept daily All the streets
embraced in the First, Second, Third, Fourth Fifth and
Sixth wards together with Canal street. Bowery and tas
Third, Sixth and Eighth avenues TO Fourteenth street.
should be cleaned twice a week.
If the report OF your committee, with the resolutions
annexed be accepted and adopted your CON mitice will
at early day, submit to the consideration Of he Board
such ordinances and specifications in their judgment
based upon the kuo Wedge which they have obtained in
their invest cations may best meet the require Of
the case.
Should the Commou Council deem II proper for the
City Inspector to take charge of cleaning the streets
your committee recommend to their consideration the
plan adopted by him as per communication hereunto an
nexed.
But your committee are satisfied from an interview
bad with the Comptroller, that he will acknowledge
drafts except such for the temporary cleaning Of the
streets during the ten days required for advertising by
the City Inspector. Such being the your committee
have come to the conclusion that the streets be
cleaned by contract and the only question now TO be de-
cided Is in what manner that Is to be done?
Prior to the year 1884 the city cleaned by the ci
under penalties for omission to perform that
duy However efcctlal such a system may have been
that be returned TO, siucc by tho amount OF labor
pended in cleaning the streets would be much greater
than under proper organization with proper ma shinery
even with the ordinary implements used in the
streets managed by persons skilled in their use.
Your committee have concluded that account of the
number Of tene ent houses in the city, and the great
number Of tenants in many houses, with all the distin
gushing eharac.crstcs OF metropolitan or rather
mopoitan population, that such system could not DO
successfully carried into effect Some portions Of the
city might under this pan be well and property cleaned;
others, your committee satisfied, would be otaly
neglected and that among that GLASS Of persons who
being from their manner Of living liable To epidemic
disease are In most need OF the sanitary exerons OF the
public.
From the facts adduced your committee convinced
that the loss OF health life and property account Of the
filthy condition OF our Streets annually from
other Taxing all the consequences arising
10 spend million and would be pubic economy to 10
keep the city clean. Filthy Streets, rot only jeo
pardze health lives and property but are great Get
ri nent the progress and advancement OF city Ia
every way. They emigration from city, nos
Only Of the wealthy. but every who has the welfare
Of his family at stake They also greatly deter mgr alton.
Thousands would 10 city make the metropo-
he their home, bringing with them their fortunes made
elsewhere they enid be guaranteed the possession Of
the dictates Of humanity, demand that our city should
be cleaned.
familiar citizens that both from habit and despair
they quietly submit 10 what seems TO be their des
tiny this respect and give up all hope OF pure air. clean
hearthstones decent no and healthy residences The
people. the press the Common Council have talked, writ
ten resolved and ordained all to no purpose The right
in the right place, with the right way TO clean the
streets. has not eeea found.
New York to day, while the most favored In Its local.
ton Of any city In the world fer street cleaning sktcd
n either side by rivers having free and rapid
currents; high IN It's centre with sueeDt sopc tosard
each river TO make u drainage and sewerage perfect,
With Gpe agricultural country surrounding and
ready pay for and carry OF the accumulation Of street
manure IL nos and has been for the past I've years.
Of the neglected In s sanitary regulations O.. re
CARDS The cleaning Of s streets, OF any city In The civil
| lied world.
With all the foregoing facts before them your commit.
tee have ondeavored 10 ascertain only why the
or the city no. Clean but ho~ they be cleaned
and that forhw h. and they fully persuaded that n
the Common Cou cl ~i second their efforts 10 out
Of the two plans proposed, they and wilt make
New York clean city, the importance Of which they
deem 10 be OF greater importance than any other
acts.
l. IT. under the direction OF the City Inspector h.
should have full and ample power the
police authority for himself and subornales
ell persons violating ordinances.
q IT. under contract the same should bs let for one
year with the privilege q containing the same for nve
years 50 authorized, association OF competent
whose standing and mcsps viii AFFORD sufficient qua antes
for the undertaking. All bids TO be submitted and de-
sided upon by the Common Council
Your committee. therefore recomms md the following
resolutions for ADOPTION
Resolved That the Common Council hereby direct and
authorize the City Inspector TO thoroughly clean the streets
| Of the city forthwith.
Resolved That the City Inspector be, and he hereby
directed To advertise for proposals for cleaning the
of the city Of New York. the to be done by
contract such Districts and under such specifications
may be directed by the Common Council the bids 70
be year and also In separate bids for Eve years
submitted 10 the Common Council for approval
y. J. OrrARSOy,
W. e CRANE,
Committee on Cleaning Streets