The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-10
STREET CLEANING INVESTIGATION

formidable Array of Police Cap
tains Who Have but One Opinion
The Laborers OF the Bureau Mostly
"Piayed Out" Pensioners.
The street cleaning investigation was resumed
yesterday morning at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, Mr.
McAfee in the chair. Mr.. Rufus +. Andrews for
the defence, and General Francis A. Barlow for the
prosecution.
Charles N. Haswel a city surveyor. testified that
certain quantity OF ashes had been dumped upon
the property ofJ. W. Duryee, brother OF General
Duryee, and that he had been accused Of rendering
q certificate that less amount had been furnished
General Barlow said he wanted to show that
$4,000 worth Of filing had been furnished to
Duryee, of which only $3.50 had been collected.
DR.. Demiler, Health Oficer at Hunters Point,
testified that about $50 men were engaged there
in filing In Commissioner Charlicks property;
the stuff consisted Of garbage and ashes, with a
stratum of cellar dirt on top; 1t was on witness
complaint that the cellar dirt was so used, as
it was good disiniectant; witness did not re-
member that Captain Thorne had offered to make
him an inspector, but thought he would have done
so If requested, as he (witness) devoted a great
deal OF his time to the disinfection.
Bernard McQuaje, a Stanton street junk dealer,
tried to shirk the questions OF Mr. Barlow
CONCERNING "a ONE-ARMED MANI
connected with the Bureau, from whom he had
bought junk. After about ninety mine different
questions he was finally driven into a corner and
admitted that he RENE mbered such one-armed
man, and that this mysterious person had come
four times to sell him Junk. After numerous
wrangles he also confessed that he had bought
stun from the dumping boards OF the city.
John b. Green, a clerk in the Pay Department OF
the Bureau said that there were $50 miles OF paved
streets swept in 1873. Tue total number of miles
swept was something over 1000. The localities
swept were marked by coloring them on map.
Odd cents in workmen's pay were generally not
paid, and when q man was to receive 81 cents he
only paid him % cents. He was asked by General
Barlow whether the odd cents over the decimal
whether he generally did not pay men ST. 90 in
stead OF 81 93, and ST. 95 instead OF 81 49, never pay
ness reluctantly admitted this to be true The odd
cents were used in making up mistakes in
amounts which he put up: He had no reason to
believe that man named Pollock was paid, who
did no work.
General Barlow offered In evidence the proceed
ings OF the Board appointed under the act of 1872 to
fix the amount required for street cleaning the
remainder OF 1872 after the Bureau went into ope.
ration. General Barlow stated that the actual
expense for 1873 was sl,O45,s46.
Mr.. Andrews offered as evidence the report of
the Board of Health to the Mayor for the quarter
ending December 81, 1873 stating that the work OF
the Bureau during the previous summer
HAD BEEN PERFORMED SATISFACTORILY
Captain Lowery, OF the Twenty seventh pre-
cnct, swore that he had found the streets in
clean condition in 1873 The patrOlmen reported to
him the number of men they saw at work. The
condition OF Washington street was good with the
exception OF certain garbage which overnowed
from the boxes. great many people waited till
the carts had passed by and then put out their gar
bage. Arrests had frequently been made but 1t
was impossible to ascertain. in a large tenement,
which one OF the $50 families had put out certain
bucket Of ashes. Since the cold weather set IN
some OF the streets in his precinct in filthy
condition. He called the streets IN his precinct
now reasonably clean. They were twice as clean
as In the previous winter.
Captain Williamson, OF the Third precinct stated
that he had been Captain since 1857; he mad eX-
amned the streets and thought they were cleaner
than they had ever been before; they could not
have been kept cleaner than they were last sum-
mer; he telegraphed the number OF men and carts
at work IN his precinct TO the Chief OF Police; this
was intended as check upon the Bureau; the
streets in his precinct were twice as clean they
were under Brown.
Captain Charles Ullmann, Of the Fourth pre-
cinct, pronounced the condition OF the streets
cellent; he saw no workmen who were incompe-
tent.
Captain Kennedy, of the Sixth precinct, also tes-
TO THE MARVELLOUS CLEANLINESS
OF the streets in his precinct. In answer to the
questions OF General Barlow he declared that hui
man Skill could not render the streets cleaner than
they were on last Saturday.
Captain Byrne OF the Eighteenth precinct, hal
always found tie streets in the wonderfully clean
condition which had been dilated upon by the
Mr.. Andrews wanted to call all the other cap
tains OF the police force who were waiting to be
examined, but the committee thought this would
be only multiplying testimony.
Mr.. Andrews requested the chairman to direct
minute to be made Of his otter to call all the other
Mr.. Breben desired to know If Mr.. Andrews
wanted to reflect upon the whole police depart
ment, and make IL entirely responsible for the
dirty condition OF the streets.
Mr.. Andrews said the committee knew nothing
at all about tue condition OF the streets, except
what they had read in the newspapers, which GER
tainly was not lair criterion.
George jacob, formerly foreman, thought
there was as little accumulation OF dirt during
this winter as he had ever seen before. 1t would
take 900 or 700 men q day to sweep the streets;
but it would take take twice that number to sweep
otrnnt nf In off Inu
mans Americans and others, except the Italians
thought it a disgrace to work on the streets; but
the Italians, VINO took to this work.
WERE BY FAR THE BEST LABORERS.
General Barlow subjected the witness 10 q very
lengthy and severe cross-examination, and Mr..
Andrews finally remarked that the learned counsel
ought not TO lntmldate the witness.
General Barlow-iou don't eel intimidated do
Mr. Jacobi-Not IN the least.
General Barow-You never felt more pleasantly
Mr. jacob (emphatically) Never. Qaughter.)
In the course Of tedious REORGANIZATION last
ING some three or four hours (most OF which was
O mere repetition OF what has already been pub
llshed), the witness stated that, as general rule
the laborers, when they were not Italians. were
generally an inferior class Of workmen; since the
Investigation began he had called at police head
quarters on friend OF his who WIS in the Pay De-
partment OF the bureau out assured General
BARLOW that he had not been offered place IN the
bureau after the close OF this Investigations after
the middle OF October and during November very
little cleaning was done and during that period
the streets could have been cleaner, the opinion
OF some Of the police captains to the contrary not
wUhstanding. Most OF the workmen, other than
Italians were not fitted for any better labor and
''played out" He thought If cellar diggers got So
q day, the "played-out" men in the bureau were
certainly Overpaid. The last named class OF men
were only employed because they were forced on
the bureau by politicians. For the greater part,
THEY WERE ONLY PENSIONERS
who ought to get the same pay, however, as good
men, II they were regularly employed. Some of
the ioremen were laborng under the same disease
even worse in fact. Uaughter) The entire or
ganizatlon, however, was not played Out.v
(Laughter.)
Isaac ID. Coleman o public contractor, testified
that he had had great deal of experience in re-
gard to the employment OF cartmen and the load
ing and unloading OF dirt. He thought the cost OF
unloading per cubic yard would be about eight
cents.
The Committee, at i've O'Clock adjourned till
Saturday morning ut ten O'Clock.