New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-07
STREET CLEANING.


IrREErs IN FORMER YEAEs-CoNTRACIohs VS.
rNspFCrORs-THE PRESENT CONTRACr-l1S
INPFRFECTIONs-HOW THE STREETS ARE
CLFANED TO-DAY.
Bujlt os New-IOlk is, on long, narrow
isapd receiving abundance OF tcsh air. not only nom
Tho ocean but from the highlands along the Hudson wei
.oDi,ed Uid pure Thier and composed primo l0ly OF
do streets ana thorougares, 10 ought 10 he one q Tie
haItbje,t cities in the world But, although the vital
statstics show O wonderful improvement 10 the phhhc
health during tho past few years. no cylzto cry has
entered moro during tho present century iI0m tho'e
6seases which proper sanitary regulations strictly en-
torced might have prevented from 1910 to 1870 tIo
average age at death IN this city was little moro IMAM
2 years. in 1891 it was % years IN le4J 1t was ~ years
and In is6o It was not more than II years. NLie INC
health OF london. Paris and other European c''S L'o
been constantly improving until the annual o'"n l"'.'
nave been reduced from 90 to q in lCoo the rate 81 NOR
tally IN New-York has been The increase uh ron
min 900 annual deaths in 1880 u was 81 IN lVV Vlo
>bf the most alarming symptoms OF he S'"o
Of public health IN this city In ioHnefE Nv NM
was the gate and increase Of infant tufird lie
Pal stsfstics OF the metropolis most c9ltl w. ~
actually presented with the aa1I1 r" . and Tie
Tropos of the Western Continent one u W. he , fIr
S2cbS6e duration Of life at birth e less Hen gre ynr;
or, In other words, where OH4t51, pe,ulfsn follows
IN tbet-sck of disease and death Famine Is ine 5hn e
attendant OF sickness ana inc NJ Go mt a. costs to
toward Iie nee ba m Dutch kind but the long account
that has preceded M against WMeh tho Iovt Moral dis
case tagOn and death follow nom tle SAINT c,ns
SRSstl m The child who from his very cradle
pfeathCs atmosphere OF moran Hlu l ''C a.,
,his city in former years. the fearful record
OF crime, or the increase H r aTiT''i le an
exaggeraGOn but that directly or indirectly, may ui
these evils have arisen from nelClGnt shi,alS lSTUJ
we're the provisions FOR cleansing the srtels must ne
apparent 70 every one Who mas SaIeiHiy m N cV
matter. Whether then, we consider tIs Vt%S VI Sv
York the public health or tie fecf or cty oNTlpI
aened MIN aAS Se first had paved streets TO
clean i'm no department has the eiJy Oeth so 'cs
9nblio work has been 50 neggently pcrioimcd as he
cleaning Of the streets ana the remove Vl Hii ~,
ired 70 sweep the street in front Of his own door nnt
during that year c94I@f M Sonfractor performed his
work Is not recorded, but If he dlSreg1rutd i4Eu ss
d1t 10 clean tLe Sheets he vas an unworthy pr0geitor
az many of the race of contractors that have 9uONtI
Ia Sa the civ was generally cltaucd BY tie citi-
IONS, as tho snow is now lehoSeu tttt u,n ~
sidewalks. In 1850 tbe city inspector was urec,eU 10
1nerntend tbe cleaning Of the streets, street sultl
tenden appointed and the woik N co ",' p ~
contracts and subconraots ~ lSs2 Ss.D VA "ll~
prjated FOR this purpose, OF which S5lyl7 co was C&-
bepded Ia Is6 the bin S794S5 70 I 1888 S469!6 o.
and IN 1892 when We had lS mlSs o, dt, ~ Glenn IN,
500 In 1875 BTlttOu, C1nlc( co, uhotl tYOh w. %
Ta59Te 81 WHICH Ir BIiton considered Worth about
$1,000 This contract revoked by the common Noun
lime and Isl0 ten contracts for sweeping az on part
OF the city were made. every one Oi NlHn Mns
Council or given up by the contractors before the
zine expired During thesG Yeas my Hjfy condi.
zion; by the neglgence OF Inspectors ana the frequent
%sIEof t ~ eoyycd TO accumulate IN The streets for
y, tiIe SIMMER 81 isl9 when Col Chds, as street Com
missioner, assumed the care o. the Gly lug
contractors failed during the previous NinltI; NY
ON tho fret May 10 provisions lor t9ng lhe wh naG
been made The streets never before 81 lhcAVt
Bile nasty then Mounds OF arr Mete Pur UP c ti
cutters ike newly-made graves haNis @
HpOn them, bearing the inscription; otSu 10 ~
Ory OF the street Inspector" Cholera mad already mue
ia appearance and, tue mOruary records prove PIE
eauti6ps came too late. From the 10 uhes % laNc9
ga Sos loads Of manure aid 23Sl3 loads Of dirt ashes
and garbage, 0t cost OF N5eojt % III Io0I' Wy "uut
An4et Mnl , Iug I t Known as The Hackey contract
Near the end OF 1861 resolution was passed Dy th3
b IN c,rcuation touching the unnecessary expenses Of
that had been expended, and the amount OF WORK pr
doing tho work by contract were published ard Mr.
Hackley received tue contract agfseHE 70 40 S WI
cost ~ NE clerical force In Department was S5
coat coat 10 no cty S4iLOOo The history of this
contract Il told. Mr.. Haekiey, considered 10y
out moanwhen lac assumed its dulles beeane neces
sary ior his sgIeies The Messr helf 10 M @ h b'
quired s83S 20 more making tue i0n indebtedness %,
the contract TO them si3,555 40 Ihen HOPE 20 sUu
ont 20 Bsh q YelvertOn, who, in consideration q the
profits acerung from the contract agreed 20 pay $500
month until The Indebtedness to the Mcssrs Hope shOud
be cancelled This arrangement the Messrs Blisl Vel
aid not find very profitable. although Tie hon
Ben wood who for services rendered received share
OF the earnings, probably did in the shape Of $500 month
from Hockey payment for BrotAer Bens service IN
inducing The Hon Fernando 10 sign the contract MI
Hackey was forced 20 make assignment, and his au-
sgneo failed TO comply with tie conditions Of the con
fact, which provided That the contractors failed 70
perform any dUy specified In the agreement fOr period
City Inspector then the City Inspector should notify the
suroto ana the surtcs failed 70 have the Work done
spector should take tbc work in hand have per
formed at the expense Of the aureiles. Then me
lie civ Inspeeor 10 proceed Immediately TO clean the
streets aud advising him 70 confer with the Mayor as TO
men ',o rassed similar resolutions and al length In
sptcI BcaYan was Instructed TO undertake the wOrR,
and on 10Th Of june. 1863 the Haciey contract was
revoke y the Board Of CouDcmen fhls was the last
cOprat Cor cleaning the city previous 10 the one under
which Je'ge Whiting is doing the work On the 22d OF
Aldcrma francis A. BOole was elected In his place
known 90 an residents Of NeW-Hork. BY paying ms
friends .g1 cents load for removing Dirt from the
ing that labor without compensation BY abohsing the
cleck and substituting Ia It's place the ticket system by
cheat tie city by receiving full pay for half loads, and
also for loads tan they delivered az the dumping
ITO 22icy cSrAs l,IF n r mrry 1o,n
ln nY dute s'' and in otter Ways only known
10 himself De managed 20 spend ut least millon and
aafoHe. year ana Keep 'N' ''i''' " very H'DS con-
Prom this review Of tho history Of streetceaning
In New York, we learn that 40 contract previous to the
present one n we except those earlier whose
not recorded has ever been found 10 insure clean
streets and the prompt removal Of dirt ashes ana gaib-
age and that every contractor has either brcon nsoly
all been either abandoned revoked When the city has
0rs j. sanitary condition has been. II possible moro
abOminaAe than when Che work has been done by con
70 clean . great city like Eew-York-tO sweep every
Ulaff f4rfrI la mud fleiT