The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-06
CITY ABUSES.
HOW TIE POLICE MIGHT BE UsED-soME SEN
sIBLE SUGGESTIONS.

HOW TEE POLICE MIGHT De UsED-soME SEN
sIBLE SUGGESTIONS
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
I ike your suggestions respecting the good uses
to which our policemen might be put, and think
you could do no more popular or useful work than
to keep hammerlpg away until our authorities
are compelled TO adopt your sensible advice. /
remembera year ago you threw out similar sug-
gestions, specifying numerous ways in which
the police might be used with great advantage.
Let me recall some OF these to your mind IN the
hope tnat you Will renew the agitation:-
Fi7St-You urged that the police should be
charged with the duty OF lighting the street lamps
on their beats and also OF reporting all cases
where the street lamps are out OF order and the
gas oil Inferior quality.
Second-You SAID tnat as policemen were in
every district they should be made to report the
condition oil the Streets the existence OF nut
sances &c This would lead bon TO economy and
efficiency.
Ihird-Policemen should be to some extent in
spectors OF buildings ana puolic works generally.
Tuey should prevent street oostructlons OF every
kind. Ii man wants to build or move
house the police should see 10 Is that the
public rs not unnecessarily lncommodeu or i'm
perllled. For instance, In ADDITION to tue
case mentioned by correspondent in your
paper to-day, let me mention another case. Az
the corner o. Third avenue and Ninety-arst street
q gentleman mas concluded he would like hts pres
cut mousse removed some place eise He nas a per
Iect right 20 10 so, Dut IN executing his design L
submit he goes little beyond ms legal rights
wnen ne allows his workmen 70 rip up the side
walk Tor hall a block aud render the street I'M
passable from mud and timber. Another instance:
Some one AT the corner OF ElShty.sixih street and
Madison avenue commenced eighteen months
ago putting up brown stone 'front.'. The side
walk was ripped up, excavations were made
and lett uncovered until a rev days ago in conse-
quence OF suspension OIL WORK lor some cause or
otner In no other city OF the world would sucn q
stAle OF arars be tolerated. Another instance !:
LOOK ut the Fourtn avenue Improvement. The
Fourth avenue ana SIDE streets along It's rou e Tor
a year have been We'll nigh Impossible, owing SIM
ply to careless and cheap Jack management l
might g on enumerating but you have enough
Tor the purpose.
Fourth-Dwe lers mp town suffer dreadfully on
account OF ill-payed or unpaved streets. When
the weather IS dry the dust Is detestdole. Wnen
the weatAeris wet the mud Is aboninable or
course the answer VII be. tue streets should be
paved. ana so they should be. But they are not,
ana, IN the absence OF good paving or any nav.
ing, our lordY policemen might do great service
II they were properly managed. Let me explain
by little living picture saw lew DAYS ago. It
was wet day-muddy under FOOT pouring tor
rents overhead. IL was at the corner oil Broad.
way and Fulton street. There / actually oeaeld
one oil those gigantic fellows VI the Broadway
squad, WHO are p-overbal Tor their pohteness TO
good looking young women, with 0g broom Ia
his hands and Deut-pack sweeping The NTH from
the crossing. lie was what / would Gull a MOTEL
policeman. Now, why not use all the policemen
IN this way | don't want 10 make street
cleaners OF them. but l don't think II ought
10 De beneath ineir dignity Ia nasty wet weather
10 see That the street crossings are Kept pas
sable. TINS IS particularly necessary up town
In the unpaved districts, where a little RAIN
makes the mpd ankle deep. on rainy days why
saould not the police be instructed e. improvlse
some SAFE and healthy means OF street crossing
For that matter little cOntrlvances such as boards
might DC kept at all tue station houses Tor sucn
emergencies. In case Of rain each policeman
might shoulder his board and throw II across tue
street ike ontoons. Why not Mr.. wlcknam
might probably turn his attention this subject
IL is customary 10 refer to Fernando ood's adj
minIstraton with sneers, but wnaGeyer sins he
may have committed at least lie Kept the city ON.
clals wen under MS management rue police had
q terror OF him. He n4d odd ways OF gong about
disguised ike Haroun al kascnid, to see that the
oflcIals were not bacEsldeTs. Mr.. WIcknam
might follow mis- example with Denent 20 tue com
munIty IMPROVEMENT
NEW YORK, April s, 1875.