The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-22
STREET SPRINKLNG.
Cooling the PaVements and
Laying the Dust.
How the Streets Were Watered
Long Ago.


carried on il Is characterized by want of system plan
Or method. While some few OF the streets ara kept
well watered others only moderately sprinkled,
others abandoned to aridty and dust. II often hap
pens, moreover that those parts OF the city which
aecd spriukng most get II least while those that need
least get most II is not strange that the matter
should stand does when 10 is borne in mind that
there is such thing general system, and nothing
OF the kind pretended. The matter OF sprnkling any
particular street. conducted is LEFT the cprces
Of those who happen to reside do business upon
that street, and unless they NJ to do the proper
thing dusty streets will be the standing order for the
summer.
oRJEcr sPHIyKLISG
is TO serve two endsa sanitary purpose and to pre-
serve the curtains, hangngs, furniture and interior
decorations Of the private dwellings,, we'll the
goods laccs and delicate fabrics in the shops and
wholesale houses all the business tnoroughla
II sprinking entirely omitted the annual destruc
tion would amount to many millions OF dollars. The
very products Of combustion arising from the chin
neys Of factories together with the dust and other
dcleterous substances swept abroad the wings OF
winds, would render business residence almost i'm
possible upon this island As sprnkling carried
on however it is Of those lev private institutions
managed entirely by private parties. which has
passed under the jurisdiction Of tho city
THE PRESENT PLAN
All the sprinklng done by the voluntary contribu-
lions of those who reside do business upon the
streets which sprinked and the city government
contents itself with simply granting licenses to those
who may do the work Wherever street Is sprinKied
odght the expense OF doing is borne very
unequally by the abutters as there are always
who refuse to subscribe their proportional part while,
as has been already stated, the Inhabitants Of
streets which among the dryest in the city do moth
ing whatever The present regime has ascd altogether
ftNnl fha In sv foro
thing better to take its place
AS A SANITARY MEASURE.
The watering Of streets rs sanitary measure con-
Germs not only the occupants OF particular streets but
the whole city Ifthe granting Of licenses for sprink
ling the be placed In the Board OF
Health it would be step the right direction, but it
would also stop far short of what is required The
prinklng Of streets is important, regarded from
Antary point of view, the cleaning Of streets. and
hcre Is why street sprnKling should not be
classified with other sanitary measures requiring
The active superintendent of the Board OF Health The
beneacal effects Of street sprinkng
lned to the particular street which sprinkcd than Is
hc benefit OF paved sidewalk confined TO those who
lbut upon that sidewalk, and there is
saying that the expense should be borne by the
Inhabitants OF particular street than in saying that
the expense OF paving a sidewalk should be borne by
those whose tenements front upon it.
THE QUESTION OF ECONOMY.
Considered IRON economical point OF view great
paving could be made by instutng change and hav-
pg the work performed under the Jurisdiction or the
city government AS the contracts made conf
pciiion practically ruled The contractor goes
round the spring, and finds out how much each
Individual Is willing TO pay but he is tho only who
knows how much his bids loot up. This being the case
able to compete with him by undertaking,
and the result Is that the willy is Of
Ill he surveys. By some 1t IS thought that municipal
management OF such enterprise sprnklng
apt TO degenerate obbery. but serious apprs.
tension OF any change for the worse need be felt
HISTORY.
Street sprinkng began in 1921. This is the earliest
mthenlic date, though no doubt waier was much In
avor with the old-tme Knick erbockers But previous
that time, 1t should be remembered, New York
lbounded creeks and inland streams, where the
sashng Of the thorougnfarcs much than It
became at q later day. After 1921 the trucks
filled by the operation OF old fashioned double
brake pump, down at the North River, in the vicinity
hChambcrs street, where the watermen wont to
rive their casks, and then delight the burning coun-
OF the growing city by bathing i.s face in salt
kaier
THE cHoLKRA
But IN 1892, when the frighifu maiady of cholera
raging all Manhattan Island, the health
ihorties imagined that salt water injurio-s rom
the dccompos vegetable matter contained H.
iud thea therefore ordered be discontinue
substituting fresh water in ITS place In lss2 Croon
York better for tho public health in every particular
FLUSHING THE sTREkrs.
In 1870 Mr. W. r. Worhen, in an elaborate PROPOSE.
lion, presented TO the Board OF Health. oil which body
ne engineer project providing for the erection OF
two powerful pumping englncs-one ut Canal street,
near broadway, and the other at the reservoir In
Forty second street IL TO be the duty OF these
engines to pump water from tho North River through
large mains and branch pipes and distribute salt
over the surface the entire city over 100 street
hydrants be erected tho fer the Fire
Department, with which 10 hush the streets
wATER POWER
IL was proposed 10 make tie water thus undermining
!.e cay the agent o. vast water power. ~ when
turned vauaDe force introduced TO expedite the
removal OF nercband,se by which New York could pos
a power unequaed IA the Union. This grand
scheme vi the distinguished engineer dismissed
BY Mr.. Manierrc, who treated tho whole subject
joke. Competent authority asserted that the plan
undoubtedly OF the most practicable ever presented
TO the public. Its iu development would cost nearly
S. 600 UO0 but according to Sir. Worthcns statement
thc annual municipal revenue would considerably ex-
coed The expenses OF keeping up the system.
OBJECTIONS To SALT WATER
The chief objection to the system proposed by Mr.
Worthen that SAT- water applied 70 the may
be delcterous to heath or used 10 extinguish nres
may destroy goods fabrics, being as u such
snemy all colors The intoerabe condition OF the
Streets Taught with It's fearful promise OF
the approaching hot weather. Is subject Tor
consideration by every c1en, and the introduction OF
system should be thoroughly tested before It is
universally adopted
During tho past lew years eminent sunitarians have
been experimenting Win view either procure
chemical substitute introduce some agent other
than watcr which the dust he laid the at
mosphcrc ceansed and purified IL Is well premise
that all efforts supcrscic water have iruitless
failures Occasionally some chemist OF rcpute would
BY a grand display integers and some mysterious
dccimals, attempt make a show Of experimental
compound but brief trial has always proved
vIncsng-
BRITISH ASSOCIATION.
of thc OF the British Association held
few years ago suggestion was made which Is quite
as worthy Of consideration here IN any European
city TO dispense with the present mode OF watering
streets by OF water alone and to substitute for IL
ehordcs OF sodium aud Of calcium dissolved IN water
Ia the proportion 81 pound Of the mixed salts TO
one gallon OF water his suggestion in present
partial and ineffective OF watering the streets
BY private enterprise, when only an occasional block
10 subjected To- the watery process, would be service
able only where could be put into operation. but
could not any general advantage unless univcr
sally used, this could not be accomplished uncss
the city authorities could control aud direct IT, which
they might do advantagcousy and at much smaller
III han hr