New-York tribune., 1874-04-11
STRENGTHENING ABUSES.

REPORT OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON FfhhS
OF CITIEs-THE sTREET-CLEANING BUREAU
CHARGED WITH NEGLIGENCE IGNORANCE AND
WANT OF ENCY-REComMENDATIoNs OF
THE COMMITTEE.
The Chairman of the Assembly Committee
on Cities yesterday presented the report of the Commit
tee on the New-York streetceanng investigation. IL is
substantially as follows:
The Committee report that they have made most
searching inquiry into the whole subject have person
ANY examined into the workings OF the bureau III III IL
details their accounts books and papers; nave person
ally inspected the public streets, ana nave ehanneu
great number OF witnesses, and taken volumlho%us Gus
amount OF testimony, and submit the following as the
resulrof their investigation:
Firs: The Street Cleaning Bureau expended s1os50Oo
IN cleaning in 1873 The lack OF cleanliness OF the
most part of the city during the whole year. and up 10
the present time as shown by the testimony hen nha
personal observation, proves conciuSlNey tnat ts
large sum has not been wisely OF economically eA-
second That the Board of Police in the management
of this business has shown cupdbe want OF encehGy
and lack of that skill, system, and economy when tne
city has the right eIect from public ocers 10 whon
such extended powers grave duties ana large amounts
of money ntrusted. and that the entre system o
street cleaning conducted by them has been an lm
position uUOn the people.
Third we believe that the heads of the ,sreetClean-
ing Bureau. and many Of their subordnates nave peG
negligent and ignorant OF Their du les ana oi the uetas
of important business. and indifferent 10 tbe ope
tions imposed upon them by law IN THIS respect
Sources OF revenue improved by former conductors OF
this business nave been neglected. and more or less OF
the proceeds applied to private profit and IN one case
least the refuse from the city was used IN the I'M
proyement OF private property at loss 70 to ~
minor employees Of the Bureau, system OF IeVylns
con i oi . ,argaIv tayed 10 nrocnre
the performance OF work whch-was too often negecteu
fGW Ina' 1ne os the eencv Of the de-
paftment seriously affected by the interference OF hu
49,, ,,inor on .ers an the force and thus
have been pressed into the service without any re-
gard 10 tner competency OF nenr py Sc t h f,lod
fph the looe IoAlo m anu p1oo h rdnSnces reati1S
and claim TO be unable 20 enforce tne t
TO the throwing OF garbage IN tne % od nhu tne %
3rulh net5 tIe @ U VII" m it dnties and i'm
@ boaIu VI neat,, ~, III ~ I'M, .d,o Nj j,ion ~ tnc citv
TsSing the ABOVE facts, wmch are fully supported by
the testimony INTO conslocrhuoh tno ndo
should no longer continued III the Police Department
and that III no other OF he e1lshH Gepartehs OF .e
should be. 1t was the opinion OF yonr Com
mttee that SO important Pno'c VOTE, az, an
expenditure OF SlO0OO annually, ana DeCesstdtlnH tho
employing OF force nearly a. large RS Tue Ioco De
partment proper should oe olsnIt 10 i,s % ~
and workings, and in the hands OF dlsuhct Doalu OF
competent managers. whose whole duty should he to
attend to the requirements Oh the "orA anu 20 wnom
the people could look ior responspy iour ,
tee was therefore prepared 10 recomiehp sepaiavo
board OF three persons 20 Roars and mad ppe
pared b in support of such recommendations when
Ihey Iouuu tnst ~ ~ nn"ons IN such conrse he
rne II was linen mfged that the Health Depart
ment would proper to exercise tins power,
and there were many tneorescaI M ,aa m
m Vr ancry for undertaking this work and
the members OF Board deprecated the imposition OF
those duties upOn ~ neIeVine Sn"1 ~ moun 81 he
thelr powers ana ad1eo & ~ fbem We are therefore,
left to the conclusion that the cleaning of the streets
must, TOT 1 1ne preSei' "' ''''' W -'-' - 'N
IhSt the eohtrSi anu 90 iont ~ Pore Roard "a the
opipon Of gentlemen who have had great experience
la,it, ,-, tna s,reet cieanng OF keW-York and
Mo at Inc same rmo expressed very strong opinions
10 the defects which characterized the recent man
sSene1f of tbe Police Department That body
ry has patrolmen and officers passing through every
street several day. aud therefore in position
10 know the condition of the streets, and how the
orl ~ of ceaning them ia progressing from time to
time much better than any other organization
or BODY could do. Moreover, IL rests with
that bo1v 70 enforce the laws and ordinances with refer
ence 10 the improper deposits OF substances In the
Cleaning of the public streets in the CITY of NewYork
only be thoroughly and economcaly acconplshou t
duty TO TO the great mass OF the people, VINO look az
1t IN sanitary and economical POM ny % pJ", & 6
pre- Police Board does not occupy ana any perha
nena lenno,inI ii,p of the Board Of Police
Also that the most satisfactory results in cleaning the
ets cannot he reached until the defective pavements
~ araots esneciallv i'm the lower parts OF the CITY,
~ raI1edied and also not until sufficient sup
nS ia nrovded to ush the principal streets, whenever
s1cb p1S "a irIeanslne is demanded
Ie rned by all the members Of the Committee on Affairs
~ CInes
u N'''' 1900 ~ - ,,,,,,n,,v
RECOMMENDATIONS VI ihh |hAii'''A"
-ondatons for the more systematic organization and
W. -, -. o.-.a, e,o.r,tu . r,oror,r,on, ana
perfect workings OF the estreetCleahng Department. ahu
urges their immediate adoption by the authorities
COCOON "a given for each recommendation
That the Bureau purchase and own sufficient horses
carts, machines implements ana toois 10 perform en
2. That all machines, carts. tools and implements
owned by the Bureau DC painted uniform color say
distinct blue, aud that the men pe PROVIDED Sih soe
simple distinctive badge OF the department; l., .
That each horse pc pranded OF maLheu M ln sols
simple 10 identity the animal as tne property OF
| the Street-cleanlng Bureau -, ,,
That the cry pTovdg suitable tSs ae
sweepiugs, to be used in emergencies when no other