The New York herald., 1868-03-14
DIRTY STREETS.

The Citizens Association Mako a Few sug.
gesti0ns.
AS the public is greatly interested at present in
the enforcement Of the street cleaning contract any
facts bearing upon the subject Will no doubt be pc
rused with interest, The subjoined communication
has just been sent by the Citizens Association Of
New York TO Senator Crowley, Chairman OF the
Senate Committee on Municipal Affairs, giving the
law points In regard to Mr.. whitng's contract:-
CITIZENS ASSOCIATION OF NEW YoRK,(
March IL, 1868.
Mr.. RICHARD CROWLEY, Chairman Committee On
Municipal Afrairs:-
DEAR SIR-The Citizens Association Of New York
begs leave to call your attention to the authority
under which the contract for cleaning the streets
this city was awarded. This authority is found in
the first section OF chapter 646 OF the laws OF 1865
commonly known as the New York City Tax Levy law.
This law appropriates the sum OF $5oO0O0 annually
that the work shall be done by contract, which is
authorized and directed to he made by five OF the
ReoseP he tne Gy 1s
the Counsel to the Corporation or majority OF them
The law also prescrbes that the contract shall be
awarded to the person or persons whose proposals
shall, in the judgment OF the above Commissioners
majority OF them, secure the most effective SER
vice and shall be most advantageous to the public
interests The law also prescribes that the terms Of
the contract and specifications shall be fixed by said
10 Will thus be seen by your committee that the
contract its terms and specifications left to the
judgment OF the five chief local officials in the city.
in the premises, and II Is dfficut to imagine how
fuller authority or greater control could have been
given to the local officials over the matter the con-
tract than was given in the law above referred to-
BY an examination OF the terms OF the contract your
committee will nnd that the whole general supervision
OF the work and the enforcement OF all the details the
contract are with the Commissioners above named.
Whatever imperfectons exist in the contract are
chargeable directly upon the Commissioners who had
full power TO prescribe all the terms and epecihca.
ons OF the contract necessary 10 protect the great
interests OF our city. II default IL charpeabIe pon
the contractor In not fulfilling the terms OF his con-
tract the continuance or the default is chargeab!e
upon the present Commissioners, who can refuse 10
done. The contract specifies the work 10 be done
and relieves the contractor frcm is performance
only when, In the judgment fthe Commissioners he
should be 80 relieved IL, In the Judgment OF the
Ice or snow IN certain streets from m!n,iinp the
terms OF his contract be should be notined by the
commissioners 10 perform according to the spec!nca-
tons or that otherwise his pay Will be withheld.
II possible that the five high oficias-the Mayor,
john y. HOFFMAN; the Recorder, John X. Hackett;
the Counsel TO the Corporation Richard O'Gorman;
the Comptroller Richard b. Connolly and the Presi-
dent OF tie Board OF Health George Is. Lincoln
(Which latter ofcial has succeeded to the duties OF
the City Inspector In this regardwho have the gen.
eral supervision over the enforcement Of the cen
tract, and without whose sanction the contractor
cannot receive penny OF the public money, cannot
devise any system OF inspection and employ thor
ougnly capable and honest inspectors. whereby the
commissioners VIII know positively whether or not
the contractor Is performing his dutyS
The highest loca! 0tfciais made the contract the
ngbest local ocias have the power OF enforcing II.
The general default u any, is charpeabe to the Com.
as wei as to the contractor since Is
their DUTY to enforce the contract and also to make
such reasonable allowances are required by the |
necessities oil unusually severe weather.
PETER COOPER, Chairman.