The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-30
THE STATE OF OUR STREETS.

VIVA. al. Conn M ssioners Are DoinE-The
Thoroughfares Dry, but Not sumcientiy
swept-Dirt md Disease To BE Dismissed
Nv strenu0us Exertion-The Ash Barrel
Nuisance.
Since Hercules contracted to clean the Augean
stables no man could possibly have undertaken
more severe task than that which Captain Thorne
has done. How il is that the streets OF New York
should oe possessed OF the power OF accommodating
NTH tar in advance, as TO quantity, Of any OF
the th0roughlares OF cities similar in size
passes imagination; but deDizens OF Gotham have
discovered it 70 be a sad fact that in snowy anu
muddy weather traffic is generally impeded, and In
dry and windy weather the optics OF the pedestrian
suffer untold tortures on account OF the many par
tcles Of dust which persstenty find ingress to the
retina OF the human eye.
Considering the very severe Winter which has
leen lately experienced in New York the streets
are in very much better condition than might
reasonably be expected, especially when the state
OF the thOr0ughlares
UNDER THE OLD TAMMANY RING ADMINISTRATIONS
is taken into consideration. or course it is an alb
solute impossbility Tor Captain Thornes' gang of
workmen TO clean the streets in a few hours ana
even when the chief bulk OF ordure IS removed
from the thoroughiares vast amount OF refuse
must remain, which, on becoming pulverized by
the dry winds Of March, makes itself especially dis.
agreeable TO pedestrians. The SIDE streets ana
cross-town thoroughlares in the Eighth and Ninth
wards, and indeed on the west size OF
in very great measure rom the MIN
that usually disgraces them. The main avenues
ey @ W"o o"ec 0p o nsr ar
being specKled with particles Of dust, hnd cause OF
complaint as to their dirtiness: Ladies accns-
toned Ia promenade the most lashl0naDle thor
ougnlares do not complain so loudly OF the
fresh Spring breezes for sprnkng their rcn hao.ll-
sirens gave for the general feminine complacency
was that
THE MODEST WIND
ladies
by the dsarrangement OF their Huttering dresses
by binding with dust the eyes OF the peepng
Toms who find delight III loahng around the por
In the worst portions Of the city OF course there
tenement houses OF the Fourth ana Filtn wards,
where dirt seems to hold sway as deity and clean
gan reigns AS sovereign and pure water is consid-
cred useful only to IDIOTS there are still very many
III, unds OF muck" which lt would De healthlai 10
remove. Rome was not built IN day, neither are
these back streets and alleys to oe cleared OF their
fifth IN few hours. The one great iault IS tne lack
of proper ana well organized system Tor the
REMOVAL OF REFUSE.
Inmates OF tenement houses appear to think that
they do everything that can be expected OF them
if they carry their ashes, sweepings and ofal into
the street and deposit them in the ash barrels on
the sidewalk If they had any conception OF the
amount Of disease which is annually generated
during the heated term in New York by the
the Rud sencnes and the te mor
hesitate to deposit Kitchen and other household
stuff in them.
Avenues "A, ID anu are uot yct Ccdussu ioH III
their impurities; in fact. there Is still vast
amount OF dirt and mud visible in even the princ-
pal thoroughares OF That district, which, being one
vi the most
DENSELY POPULATED
in the city, is deserving OF the most prompt atten-
ton, if captain Thorne wishes to save the city rom
the visitation Of a serious epidemic.
A HERALD reporter yesterday made an extended
tour through the highways and byways of Gotham
for the purpose OF ascertaining the general condi-
ton OF the streets and the prospect the population
possess OF retaining health II sudden "Lot spel'
should come upon the city. The deduction
he drew was that the Street Cleaning Depart
ment should at This present dry season employ
more men to remove dust and refuse, especially
from the vicinity OF those nests and rO0kcrieS, the
generators OF disease in every form, which exist
the outskirts OF the uptown and ia the midst of
the lower wards; and that especial attention
should be paid to the cuverts and cutters, that
in the event of rain storm Jupiter Pluvius may
he enabled to freely contribute his good ofces tow
ards the cleansing OF the streets and the Ipreser
walton OF health, both man and beast, become
nm nit 1rcDuDI