New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-09-03

usual merit and worth, aside from these honored
representatives.
THE PAVED STREETS or OUR CITY
We published yesterday a very important
communication addressed to Street Commits
sioner George w. Mclean by the Citizens
Association of New York. This letter, to
which we invite the careful attention OF our
readers goes into detail as to the repairing ana
repaving of our streets and although sent 10
Mr. Mclean as far back as Aug. 6, we are III
formed that no answer was received until aug.
%. From this letter it appears that the paVed
streets of our city receive little or no attention
from the Street Commissioner, while vast sums
of the peoples money are annually spent WIN
the pretext of keeping them in repair. Mr. NC
Lean went into Office in the latter part oil
the year 1866 and in January, 1867, there
was n balance of some $4,000 to the
appropriation of "Streets, repairing ana re-
paving Street Commissioner Mclean, OF
whom our people expected so much, COM
menced having the repairs to the paVemehtS
made through his department In sums less
than $780, In this connection one very re-
markable fact appears. While Mr.. Mclean
paid $4,000 for alleged work from March 70
TO June l. 1867, the work actually done IN that
time did not amount to more than $4,000. On
Nav 81. 1867. Mr.. Mclean, without advertising
for proposals, as required by law, entered INTO
an agreement with one John Il. Brown, whereby
he agreed to pay him $4,000 for keeping the
streets in repair during the seven months end
ing Dec 81, 1867; but of this sum Mr.. Mclean
was to reserve $1,000 to pay Inspectors fees.
How this money was earned, or rather how 1t
was not earned is evident from the wretched
condition OF our streets during the past year.
But again. In July of this year, Mr.. Mclean
entered into another agreement with this same
John l.. Brown, to pay him $4,000 for keep
ing the streets in repair for the SIX months
ending Jan. ., 1869. The appropriation, this
year. for "Strcets, repaving and repairs" beng
Sl3j 900, Mr.. Mclean has the snug little sum
of $4,000 to pay Inspectors with. For what
purpose Mclean needs Inspectors 1t Is dlihcult
TO say. At least we know that If his IN
spectors certify that Brown has done and Is
doing his work, as agreed, they sare
worse than useless. TO show this whole
matter in another light, we present the
following figures: There are about 2lO miles
of paved streets in New-York, required by
Browns contract to be kept III repair. ms at
$4,000, makes the cost of keeping one male IN
repdir for sir months $G20 and the Citizens
Association treats the subject too gngcrly, ana
Is too charitable to Mclean, when 1t says that
1920 mile is "a sum much more than ample
"to keep every every block i'll thorough repair,
"even if it were the case Gas 1t Is not
chat every street needs the same amount
"of repair the year round" Let us see
if we can Approximate BroWH d Co.'S profit.
To see the cnormty of the whole plot, our
readers should consider that this repairing
and repaving covers the mere ordinary repairs
To the street, filling up holes, resetting stones,
sc. Under IA proper administration OF the
Street Department. the streets of our city could
be kept in admirable repair for the whole
year for $4,000 and any sum spent beyond
this is so much plumber wrung from the peo-
PIE. Nor is this the worst feature of the case.
The public might endure to pay about three
times As much for the work as necessary, pro
vided the work was done; but the insult
that Mr. Mclean adds to the injury that
he is INJECTING upon our people Il
that the work is not done. The wrctched
condition of our streets is a disgrace, not only
TO Mclean and his Department, but TO the
whole city. We do not know that the streets
of this city have ever been in such disgrace
full state as for the last year, and yet Mclean
paid Brown $685. last year for seven months
dlcness, and has agreed to pay him $4,000
for six months work this year. What are the
Inspectors dong7 The list of streets given by
the Citizens Association as being in bad
condition, is confirmed 10y the experience of
every merchant in our city, and every poor
carman, or driver, or workman who uses the
streets. If the management by Mclean of our
streets is a sample of Democratic rule and
efficiency, then may the Lord protect the car
men whose horses and wagons are worn out
by the shocking condition of our strectsg Who
is Street Commssoner-Twce or Mclean?
Mclean must be held responsible. We would
advise him either to do his duty or to get out
of the way, so that our people may run the
chance of getting some one in his place whom
Tweed cannot so easily manage.