The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-28
puted to the gradual improvement OF the streets In
| Gays time there was no safety but within tho

In We, and gusty wea her the unhappy walker heard
the crazy SANS swinging over his head as Guliiver de-
scribes the Red Lion Of prenlford The spouts OF
bis laced bat and ID oSSsl2sa ws with Implying Tor.
narrowed tho narrow road drove him against
the coach wheels The chalrmen. II there was
between the wall ana the posts The "hoodcd maid''
came sometimes gngcriy along, with pAttens ana
soasy e ma ss me wa The s%a coal man.
the sweep and the barber took the WALL In assertion
OF their clothes spelling pfcrsgaiive. and tho bully
thrust him or was himself thrust Ito tho muddy Ken
nei's side" But At Whatever period the crossing
sweeper rs took his place as one Of the institutions
Of Lond0E IL Ii certain that he has ever been an inter
esng subject Of study 10 novcsts and essaysts ana
occupies distinct space in English literature HIS
always prosperous trade, no doubt, IN such
muddy city as London, although not many, like
Charles Levers hero could have lett their crossings 10
become dipomatsts and dine with tho Prince Regent
In the days OF the Regency the crossing swecpers had
trade union oil their own. Win rules un-
written, but rigid Not more than twenty years
ago there existed In one Of the back Sums OF
oxford street tavern where the West End swespers
used 10 take their ease in their mn Here was Kept
record OF vucant crossings and list Of such members
the fraternity az desired 10 retire from business ana
sell their interest," There Is story OF one old iclIow
would retire. he 's SwDeS crossing "a Fail Nail for
which he wanted 81, 600 he had established the
crossng himself in tho days when clean swept paths
across the streets were moro wanted than they arc
now and had swept II Tor twenty-dve years. IL was
worth SIS day 10 him ON An averagei tho "nobs"
knew HIM, he said. certain noble lord gave HIM
half-crown every Jay tor .espinp the muo OF his
patent leather boots and = duchess he averred used
10 smile on him Dlandy Whenever she crossed that
the old man almost forgot TO hold out his trembling
hand for the coin, which Cd occasions was = i've
shilling pieec He sold his crossing at last ana tor
years after ircquented the swespers rendezvous.
where he generously assisted his less fortunate
brethren OF the broom.
II Is related Of q young gentleman who was mady
in love with cruel fair one, but upon whose heart he
crossing lust opposite the ladys house that he
might but touch her hand as she bestowed upon MIN
Slipped note into her hand with ine words, Begging
your pardon. MISS but think " 10 one you dropped
rs you crossed over" In Tho note was unioided the
story OF his love- and OF course the veracious history
would not be complete without the proper ending that
they were married and Iivad very happily TN they
died. But street crossings nave their tragedies as
well their romances. Faithless wives have been
divorced through the agency Of tho crossing sweeper
who has discovered tho error 81 their ways and while
frequency OF his honors" visits TO the ladys house
whiis the husband was away. Angry husbands bands
have become crossing sweepes IN order 10 torture the
irail one as she passed. lmprovidcn. sons have
fathers obtain from them the very shilling, per-
haps, with which they were 10 DO out OF II Is uot
long ago that exc colonel oil the English army VINO
had grievance IN tho matter q pensions took u
sweeping crossing opposite the War once and then
another opposite the houses OF Parliament, IN order
thar he might call public attention TO his woes.
But the romantic period In the history OF styeet
crossings RAPIDLY passing away and the profession
is degcnerating. Diiapidated gentlemen nowadays
can dc better gentlemen helps' or full prvates in
the British army The realities Of the crossing sweep
cr's lite are we'll told by Dickens Who docs not re.
member poor Joe' In "Bieak Housei"
STREET oRDERLIEa
Any visitor who Tor the first time walks the strects
OF London will be surprised and amused by the legion
OF boys, distinguished BY brass plate their caps
who rush about tho carriage ways, sometimes on all
rapidly advancing hansoms, omnibuses or drays, with
an apparent determination 10 commit suicide Where
orderly be- found. When two vehicles arc swiftly
approaching each other IN marrow street and horo 10
barely room for them to pass then 10 the moment for
him 10 rush forth between them II tho traffic be dull
and the street half empty OF vehicles. you may look
Tor him IN vain, but amid the clatcr oi hundred
him plying bis brush and shovel For his business
10 collect the horse droppnss IN ths very heat OF the
traffic. The wonderful as,ny and ooolnes. o. these
superin,endents OF the streets The lad who aspires
TO the dangerous vocation Of strcct orderly" must
not DO less than twelve years OF age, and
he cannot continue at It after no 10 sixteen.
There lao Of these boys employed BY the author
according age and length OF For len hours
oil day do they rush about the streets and dodge
Tor their lives Having llled their shovels with tho
manure they empty u into bins erected At inter
walls along the sidewalks and II is thcn removed In carts
and sold. Tho manure ID worth At the lowest vauc IS
per ton and nc must he lazy orderly Indeed who, In
crowded thoroughiare, docs NOT collect ton In he
week The average. IN TACT, 10 about ton and
quarter The boys for The most part children Of
the already Ia the employ Of The Com mssioners
and destined rule to spend their lives IN tho
noble avoS.',on o. stree. cleaning Il !, an amassg
~ night time for pillar posts that tho carriers are In
sructed always 10 carefully examine their imp
contents aud not q morning passes without consd-
cradle number oil ettcrsbusncss letters, love lccrs
letters containing money and valuables-being for.
warded TO she Post once as result Of the examine
tioD.
STREET vsHBRs.
The street fishers, inasnuch they have hand in
the work Of street cleaning deserve passing notice
This industrious class OF the motley population Of the
great city Is composed chiefly OF women. Now that
tho work of general cleansing rs undertaken by the
courts and alleys in the back sums and tho streets
leading to tho RIVER. She 10 not young. She ia not
beautiful she Is either q sturdy, mido)c-aged
Amazon, or a decrcpt old bag Clothed IN . mass Of
shapeless rags, occasionally cnveoped IN mans
overcoat taltered bonnet on her unkempt head, her
stockngcss feet thrust into pair Of rough Shoes
may be seen, stick in hand basket back, setting
iorlh In the early morning on her rounds From the
dust heaps she extracts rags bones broken bottles
anything that Is OF the slightest value. She follows
the coal carts aud picks up the droppings, and
watches the great wagons laden with vcgetabies for
the same purpose. Round the warehouses and lac
tories she prowls, gathering up any stray fragments
OF raw material which may lie about the gnteways. A
few grains OF Indian corna little oatmeal burst from
the packaGes-wil furnish the poor creature with a
rnca for the day. Al night shc be,akos herself
TO some back yard the underground Kitchen OF her
lodging house where she sorts her lots,
dsposes OF them Tor trne 10 the dealer who in turn
takes them TO The manufacturers. All the finds of the
street Usher are not SO marketable for ana then
under a dirt heap dead baby Is brought 10 light
certain class OF street 6shers devotes itself to the col.
lection oil dead animals 10 Is computed that every
year the London streets aud alleys yield harvest OF
100000 dead dogs and cats Their skins and enIrals
are utilized Ter various articles such as gloves iur
caps and nddesrings, while tho 1esh--but the horri.
PIE thought Of sausa2es urges uG away from pursung
tho subicot further! When, at last after years Of this
hard unsavory o the street Usher DIES 10 tho Work
house. she Is bundled into shell and buried with lle
more ceremony than u she were one OF the dogs or
cats by which she made her living.
THE CONTRACT SYSTEM.
Tho contracts made by the vesrics Tor the cleansing
OF tie streets are generally Tor term Of years Every
department OF the work rs contracted Tor including
The sweeping watering aud carting, and In most
the contractor receives The refuse ~ dispose oil he
chooses 10 this way the Bonses OF Old OF to-day
amass fortunes before they have mastered the alpha.
bet. They do what tho vestries, would think,
might do tor Enthusiastically asgort and select
the refuse OF the streets ana turn 10 good
rho smallest plcco OF waste paper found among the
debris has for them It's commercial value the rich
manure which is manufactured OF the street sw eep.
ings yields them a large profit. but without
these sper1usitcs' tho prices 81 which they obtain
their contracts would enable them acquire moderate
fortunes within very short time. The contractors
have really vested interest III aud monopoly OF the