The New York herald., 1868-03-08
7 HE T n A w..

TAc' Condition of the streets-snow and
sansk-Puddles and Pcdestriauism Cen-
trri PaYk.'
The clustering March CHS year certainly made @
leonine advent, and threatened he tossed and
shook his white name, to plunge New Workers into q
protracted winter. But his anger 1t seems, has at
last subsidized into the proverbal lamblike docilty,
and the genial face OF old Sol has played grand havoc
with the traces Of the fury of Che young month Two
or three days since the streets were almost impass
able with long sicrras Of snow, and yesterday they
were almost dificult to traverse h consequence
of the agoons Of slush and ridges OF ice that
to be found in every thoroughfare In the city.
Broadway was, as Is generally the case during .
thaw, me most dsagreeable street IN the metropolis,
not only for pedestrians, but for the passage Of
vehicles aso The deep snow which fell early In the
week had become toIeraby well packed, and as SOON
"countereit presentrnentn Of dirty brown ice. The
omnbuses and heavy wagons cut II into deep ruts
and "pot-hoies," !" and these were nIled with water
and slush. Crossing the street was task which, II
successfully performed was worthy OF being
designated q feat OF dexterity, the ridges and
aeS G 20 obtain nsas asod fopg % On friday
night and during the whole OF yesterday detacll-
ment OF about one hundred men belonging to Judge
Whitings street cleaning brigade were set to work
with picks, shOyels and tumbres In the vicinity OF
the Ice from broadway, working in both directions,
north and south. Some OF the narrow streets In the
lower part OF the city were almost lmpaSSaDfc Tor
vehicles and in Wall street, from Broad to Pearl.
there holes that took wheels almost to the hubs.
Many OF the crosstown thoroughfares. also. which
traverSed by city railroads are In very bad con-
dition owing to the fact that they In most cases
rather and the snow has been thrown on each
side of the track until il has formed walls two or
three feet high. AS 1t mes the water flows over the
sidewalks and in many places accumuates to the
depth Of two or three inches. Broadway, above
Eleventh street. is not in that disgusting state OF
sushy slipperness and ruty rgidness that prevails
throughout the whole OF It's soherly portion OWING
n hp fuptt 10 IL
sau street. one OF the most crowded streets In the
city, is OF course about the worst in point Of encu
cumbrance and general uncleanness. The ice Ia in
many places from three to ten inches higher
than, the level Of the footwalk, and owing
Of the sidewalks, pedestrians are contnu-
ally in great danger OF having their feet
frequently slide from the centre OF the street on to
the foot pavement In addition to this the CUTTERS
being ed Wi with ice the water flows over the side
holes and ruts splash everybody and everything
within twenty feet OF them. The Fourth and Sixth
wards, always dsgustingy dirty, have, since tho
present thaw set in become absolutely flthy, ana
the water that nows through the olIal-sata- nal t.-
is almost pestentia even in the moderate
warmth Of yesterdays sun. The Bowery is in
thoroughfares on account of its great width and the
Inconvenience caused by the pools Of water s owing
more to the great number OF street railroad tracks
than to the accumulation OF Ice or snow.
THE AVENUES.
as well, in fact as almost the entire northerly por-
ton OF the city are by far the cleancst and best
drained OF all the thoroughfares and OF these Fifth
avenue is, perhaps, in as bad plight as any, with
compact mass Of ice, with an uneven surface, and
though the sush and water does not accumu-
or ate tho se sst in Sep t. supeSa
In the avenues which traversed by street
railways the tracks become Sc G cutters tiers ana
miniature mill races. AS Is almost always the case,
however, the street crossings are most by
trampled little lower than the surrounding Ice, or
Of tho nagstones being little more elevated than
the beds OF the streets and In either case the water
accumulates to overflow the crosswalks. One
remedy for the present state OF the streets might be
obtained by opening the cutters along the curb
stones; but there Is ordinance compelling cti-
zens to do It, and as New York has no winter
this arse' couse w be adopted the Street
Department is entrusted with the repairing
ana o oww Of e R
Is not "dust, and from lack OF the application
Of municipal brooms never becomes metamorphosed
cOuntable for the streets In the winter season, al
though every man, woman and child IN the metropo-
lis Is inconvenienced to greater or lesser extent
THE CENTRAL PARK,
the great promenading and driving resort was yes
OF carriages and a few pedestrians, who acted as
though they had been sent up as scouts by the
poets were for a good dry footing. The PARK Comms-
siOners have achieved such good reputation for the
manner In which they superiniend and keep In con.
pleasure ground that some incOnsiderate individuals
actually thought that the roads might be In good
condition yesterday because they had been favored
with few hours OF genial sunlight. But they were
to some extent disappointed, as the roads and walks
were, with few exceptions, wet and muddy. Tho
laborers and workmen were, however, promptly at
hand, and were cutting temporary channels for the
flowing or OF the water wherever there were any ac
cumulati0ns OF Ice snow. About the end OF the
present month, II the fine weather continue, the
Park will be In tolerable condition for pleasure seek
ers, and In the meantime they will doubtless have tO
content themselves by perambuating slushy streets
or in avoiding ambulatory exercise OF any descrip-
ton.
Threatened Freshet In Illinois.