The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-18
THE CLEAN STREETS.
A New Method of Removing the
beautiful Cd Snow"
Roadways, Cutters and Sidewalks Still Filthy
and Dangsrous-The Reform" Street Clean
ing Machine-Sons of Sunny Italy" a.
Knights of the Pick and Shovel.

Washed on all sides by running water, particu-
ary blessed by Nature with all the aids to insure
the health Of those who ''ve and move and nave
their being In this great city, with IN exceedingly
generous class OF residents, who grumble but little
at paying for needed improvements. 1t might
naturally be supposed that the wellpaid officials
whose duty Is to keep the streets clean would at
least make q respectable show OF doing their duty.
The anathemas Of citizens, the structures OF the
press, the, examples OF the past and even
the assertions OF the chiefs OF the work
themselves, seem to be entirely unavail-
ing In arousing these on1cials to q sense
OF their duty to proper appreciation Of the wants
OF the city or to desire to contribute to the COM
fort OF the people by the means at their disposal
TWO days ago the HERALD called attention to the
fact thatafter all the buster and braggadocio by
the heads OF the Street Cleaning Department about
cleaning the dirt and snow from the successfully
three weeks had elapsed after the fail OF snow, and
that the palmiest days Of neglect under the City
Inspectors Department OF years ago, or the Street
Inspectors Of the same era or of the more recent
Street Cleaning Contractor, were equalled, II not
outdOne, by
THE SHOW OF sLUsH
on "all the Streets avenues lanes alleys, cutters,
wharves, piers and heads OF slips" throughout the
entire city. The law which the same officials sue
ceeded in having passed by the last 'relorm" Legs-
lature given in full, 80 that the citizens might
know what the Police Commissioners have under
taken to do, and what the venerable Judge in the
Commission swOre could be done at less expense
than was then incurred by the city under the
Brown contract and the 100000 extra which was
allowed for cleaning the snow from Broadway.
This new department for cleaning the streets COM
menced in o manner which carried out the tradi-
tOnal adage in relation to
THE NEW BROOM.
Now however, alter asking for and being con.
coded an appropriation OF over one million
dollars for cleaning the streets In 1873, the
Street Cleaning Department has fallen into the old
rut OF its predecessors and allowed the sush, Ice,
dirt and garbage to remain untouched, except in
Broadway, apparently relying on the aid OF rain
and moderate weather to play the part OF street
scavengers extraordinary.
two days has had the effect of sotening the heaps
and hiocks OF snow and Ice which encountered
the streets, avenues and lanes, and lett the 'Te-
form" department no excuse for neglecting longer
the duties incumbent on 1t. Several squads, COM
posed OF recently arrived sons Of sunny Italy were
posted In different sections Of the city, and
NEW MODE OF CLEANING
was inaugurated. The children from the Gland Of
song and sunny skissn picked and .shovelled most
indusriOuslv at the filthy mounds thrown up at
either side of the roadways, and threw the Jumps
out into the middle OF the street. so that the pass
ing vehicles might crush into proper condition
for the thaw to act upon and melt into flowing
streams OF dirty water what was once "the beauti-
1ul snow"
The condition of all the side streets yesterday
positively disgraceful as well as dangerous to
life and limb OF man and beast. TreacherOus
mounds, and Of course, immense valleys OF PUPPY
slush. could be seen everywhere Horses struggled,
In many instances vainly, 10 drag the trucks or
carts or stages over the more than corduroy
roads that characterized all the streets down town.
Drivers sw0re, and whipped and shouted while
the animals Owed and splashed pedestrians
Joined the tumult and slipped and slid, and
"bessedn the noble relormers, who were to give
them SO much to be proud Of In the way Of clean
Streets Should the present moderate weather
continue the people may hope for Uassable con-
ditlon Of the streets in the course OF the coming
week.
A SERIOUS SOURCE OF COMPLAINT,
that may be properly referred to here, Is the gen.
eral condition Of the sidewalks. There is an ordi-
nance which requires the occupants of
premises 10 clear the snow from the side
walks in front OF such premises within
three hours alter o snow storm; but with
the same apparent apathy that has characterized
public oicais the private citizens have neglected
to clean their sidewalks. and the number OF acct
dents resulting from such neglect have been some
thing extraordinary. True II Is that during the
present Winter the city has been particularly
afflicted with rain, which became concealed soon
as it touched the ground or any other object here
below. These storms have tended much to the
discomfort OF pedestrians, but were not Of such
lasting character as to exempt the people gener-
ally from dong their share to render the streets
and sidewalks passable.
AS this Is the age OF "reform" 1t is to be hoped
that this, one OF the most needed reforms in the
matter OF securing clean streets, may be speedily
secured.