The New York herald., 1872-12-29
CLEARING THE SNow-BoUND STREETS.
The Italian Brigade Walking
Down Broadway.
Statue of the Venus De Medicis
Carved in Snow.
A Great Rush Of Sleighs to
the Park.
BRILLIANT SCENE ON THE AVENUE.

Yesterday was par exceuence the great day Of the
lively Winter season OF 1872 now within so short
time OF drawing its last breath. There was plenty
OF work still to be done on the streets, and though
NO such sight was seen as marked the morning OF
the day previous, when every able-bOdied man and
boy nourshed shovel, still there was pretty re-
spectacle army working away at the pestilential
ice that cung to the sidewalks and at the snow that
yet numbered the curbstones. This alone made .
street like Broadway wear more than usually
busy appearance. The saddle colored natives Of
Italy, over four hundred in number, were
scattered along the centre OF the great thorough
fare helping to cart away the unsightly mountains
OF snow banked along either side OF the street.
They jabbered lncessantly, but they worked well
and deserved their wages Providentially none Of
them were run over by the passing stages for the
reason. 1t is to be presumed, that the stages
unable to run ana had to be content with a gait
little faster than a walk. Then yesterday was
brilliant, from Q weather point Of view.
Nor was the n0r'easter bitter as on
the day previous. In truth 1t was
nowise too severe, even for invalids Then It was
Saturday, and practically the business eve OF the
new year. Everybody was abroad, and the Oldest
hoottues Of Broadway will admit they never saw
such thr0ng Of fashionably dressed people as
noon, from Broome street to Madison square. As
for the seighing 1t beat all past recolections OF the
sport It was sleighing gone mad; but Of that
more anon.
WHAT OUGHT 70 BE DONE ON BROADWAY.
good deal was accomplished towards relieving
Broadway, but much more might have been done.
Three times the number OF lab0rers should have
been employed, and three times the number OF
carts. The cuts in the snow banks should have
been multiplied so as to facilitate communication
between both sizes OF the streets and with the
stages.
THE UNHAPPY SIDE sTREErs-AN INCIDENT.
AS for some of the side Streets particularly
Bleecker and Houston, they were left In deplora-
BILE condition. At six O'Clock last evening car
laden with passengers, going towards Broadway,
came to full stop in Houston at
the same time that q dray, heavily laden
with all sorts Of household traps, going from Broad
way east, came to q dead halt within fifty feet Of
the street car. II all the profanity that passed
between the drivers OF the respective vehicles
were put in print 1t would appal the soul Of
Rabelais, who had in his day special knack for
coining imprecatlons. hundred people and a
dozen police looked on. 1t was utterly impossible
for the drayman to back his truck to broadway
S11sr SnSu was In an his st esaa aS saS as
none of that selfsh crowd Of passengers
he had on board would bulge an inch to help him
towards backing his car to the turn. The drivers
finally settled their wordy differences, retired and
had drink and when they returned the passen-
divers ways home. The drayman triumphed to the
intense delight of everybody around, including the
police. This Is one Of many such cases the HERALD
In other instances there was more COED
humor. In the one just cited 1t was the selfish
seats for full hour when the difiicuty might have
been adjusted In ten minutes had they come out
and lent hand that won popular sympathy for the
drayman.
RAPACTTY OF THE STREET CAR LINES.
Business iile IN the narrow streets Yesterday was
ScaV draw ten feet space beween two walls
OF solid frozen snow is joke though the dsinter
ested spectators all thought 1t was and laughed
lines were al doubled up, the consequence OF which
was, especially on the Third avenue, that the con-
eissa e the Sss Of
people would suffer much to secure ride under the
circumstances; but what can excuse conductor
who on yesterday, as the HERALD reporter can
aver, picked in passenger in the open
doorway OF the front platform and let the bit
se wna blow In do2sn delicate sn
fare that he gained but then this was done on the
Third avenue. That road is undoubtedly answer
In spite OF all there vast circulation OF good
hum0red remarks aud civilities throughout the
day. The great event of the evening on Broadway
RETURN or THE ITALIAN "BRIGANDs"
to their homes after their arduOus lab0rs OF the
day. They were paid on at Tenth street. and took
the sidewalk at the east side OF Broadway for their
line Of march, Each one had his shovel, and each
one seemed To carry it In different way. 1t was
at shoulder right shoulder shift, reverse, present.
carry support, and endless other FORMS They
strung out in struggling column over two
blocks, and were freely accorded the
outside Of the sidewalk. At this time the business
people in immense force were coming from down
town. As the loud jabber Of the Italian lingo
struck their they turned for an instant to look
ut the "brigands" who presented fully rs cOmical
an appearance as ever did Falstan's ragged
army on Its march to Coventry. The fun
these unconscious children Of sunny Italy
afforded aSsa the passers,Sy was .,s;o consider,
dellghtful ~ dialect, unheeding the taunts Of the
small boys crying, "Tuta-tuta-tool" One OF them,
carrying the blade OF his shovel at horizontal pro-
lection from the shoulder Knocked on Q gentle
mans silk hat; but the owner Of the tile contented
himself with damning the whole race to Dante's
Inferno, while the gay tr0ubadour with The shovel
walked on a. II nothing had happened,
ARTISTS IN SNOW.
Several copies OF the "venus de Medicin "Niobe
All Tears' (congealed) and various other classic
models were executed out Of the pyramids OF snow
in front OF Ttnany's and the Metropolitan by some
OF the most artistic OF the 'macarooneys," as
the Irish laborers call them II Is hardly
necessary 70 dwen on the dtfruson OF art
which these efforts win produce. 'Niobe
All Tesrsn ts pronounced by competent