The New York herald., 1877-12-19
How the Expense of Cleaning Them
May Ba Reduced.
THOUSANDS ANNUALLY THROWN AWAY.
Departmental Muddle About
the Removal Of Snow.
STABLEMEN PERPLEXED
Important Considerations for the Police
and Health Boards

Three wears ago the Board OF Health in spasm OF
reform enacted an ordinance by which was decreed
that every householder should provide himself with
two bins and devote TO ashes, dust, &C., ana inc
other 10 garbage and kitchen refuse. For little
while rhs law was observed but the violent spasm was
succeeded by feeble hour, and In the suosequehs
lctnargy the wholesome rule was quito forgotten IL
has held that Tor everything under the sun there
Is reason, and the case in pout is exception to
tho rule There reason why the separation OF
garbage and ashes neglected. and slight though II
may seem IL was deemed sufficient by the Solons
of The Health and Police departments. The
reason was that garbage of itself was light and would
not pack so it decided 10 dump them botn To-
gether thus produce heavier and more consistent
mass; one In TACT that would be adequate Tor nlng
IN OF Harlem fats and the breeding OF miasma ana
malaria That the experiment was successful mas
been demonstrated time and again In these coumDs'
bu, such is The force of habits that although
the residents OF Yorkvillo aud Harlem have been
sickeued and fats reclaimed the mixing oi ashes
aud garbage stili continues. In order TO ascertain
whether the men who gather the stun from the boxes
and bins or their supero responsible for this
confusion a HERALD reporter yesterday interviewed
a couple Of ashmcn, whom he encountered
while inspecting the lower eastern portion Of the CITY,
One OF these working az an ash gatherer
when the rule about separation was In force ana mas
contn ued at the same work ever since He toid TIE
reporter the order only observed Tor snort
wne and that, TO make bulk for aling in purposes
he ashes ana gar bagc according Instructions were
mingled together. Now, he says, not even house.
holders pay any attention 10 the rule, and
the boxes and bins contain swill, swecpings,
garbage aud refuse OF all sorts 1t matters not now
the sun comes is dumped into the carts and taken
oa WniIe tho reporter was talking to the ashman
couple OF industrious Italians improved the opporun-
ity and rooted with pokcrs the cartoad OF sw and
ashes Before brief conversation ended each had
flied bag with bones, paper and other treasures,
certainly must have been worth something, esc
why would the spent time and labor in gath
sring ,hem The driver OF the cart told the reporter
that men IN question made living out OF his
cart and ,nat they followed him around all day. The
idea suggested to the writer that II individuals
are able to makcsa livelihood oy following an asn-
cart much easier Tor the city to realize money
from sweep:ngs and refuse which II owns
aud controls
PHIIApxLpmA's PLAN
The suggestion by means new one, for
several European cities develop u revenue out OF
street swcepIngs and garbage, and Philadelphia,
Imtating the bright example, accomplishes twice
mucn WORK rs done III New YORK for $4,000 less
than tail the expense. For instance. IN tho ten
mouths last past She mas had her markets and her
streets cleaned tor $27500O, while during
the same period It as cost York city 5000,
cleun $40 miles OF street The word s.cean' in The
last connection used advsodly, aud only in deer.
ence to ,oup custom ated by the street Cleaning
Bureau Philadelphia has divided the city into districts
and contracted with parties who pay bonus ior me
privilege o away the street swecpings ashes and
garbage proposition oi the same KIND mas recently
been made by MIR Frank Swift 10 the city govern
incut, but as yet no answer has been given TO MN.
The patronage is an important adjunct 10 political
power here and the jobs II fosters are too remunera-
tive 10 be given up without struggle. The garbage
OF the great hoels OF New YORK is sold by the pro-
pr,ctofs, and is a source OF income Mr.. Swift know
ing and being possession OF all the statistics
touching the subject has made his proposition and
expects It II is accepted, to have IA handsome return.
oaly tne garbage OF the hotels is saved, and
tnis. IN an immense city IKE New fork.
but small item. Every house has
less waste and IN tue aggregate IL amounts 70
about thirty times as much as that from hotels The
combined incomes OF the hotels from garbage amount
10 about $4,000 a year Accepting the aoove es-
tmaes as about $780, 900 worth OF girDago is
avery year away, and instead OF being oil use
is a cause oi disease and puoic nuisance.
COMMERCIAL VALUE OF GARBAGE.
1t may have occurred to the economic mind, as lts
owner pnllosophically contemplated the large rem
nant OF lunch left after the inner man had been
sa,iated that sucn remnant was worth
something. Too well brcd make inquiry a
subject which is the exclusive business OF
another, tue economic mind may have been dis
suaded from prosecuting inquiry, whose best re-
suit would only be the gratihcation OF an idle curos
uy. And the coffee came, and ,as the luncher
dropped In the blocks oil sugar the waiter removed
the manged chop, unfinished entree, or whatever -
might be. ana with It departed the thoughts IT mad
bred But The remnants: what became o! them alter
they conveyed nto the mysterious precincts OF
tho Fltcheny The mutilatcd beet and mutton. and
the sadly mingled vegetables have been followed by
the arguseyed reporter into tic very mouths OF Long
Island hogs, and thence by rational inference INTO
sausapes. hams, belly bacon, Tue graLual
evolution into the ultimate sausages, there
lore, is most interesting process, and
onc which involves most Important principle Of
aomests economy. The Board oil Health ana
its right arm. the Street Cleaning Bureau, may
learn from this narrative valuable lesson Inc rem
nants spoken OF are thrown into tub or basin, which,
when tuIi IS conveyed and emptIed into great vat,
which, when iull emptiea iuto the carts ol man
VINO pays handsomely tor tho privilege This process,
o course refers only the larger eating houses an
hotels o the city, Tor fellow can hnd out what be.
comes oi lne ieavings OF cheap houses, and
10 pl
lege OF carting this garbage away OF course make
money, else wny should they pay TO DC allowed 10 ac-
commodate hotel proprietorsf Some idea oil the ex
and OF thus business may be geaned
the following facts obtained from nute proprie-
tors VINO have been interviewed on the subject
Mr. Dam, Of the Astor House. said that the refuse
from that establishment was sold 10 Mr.. Lyon, or
Long Island for $500 year, that an offer OF 900
year nad been made, but was rejected because Mr.
hours as suited the convenience Of tue house. The
Street Cleaning Department. he complained does not
even take away tue ashes ana oyster shells IRON the
house, and the proprieors are compelled To pay $40
month Tor carriage He Is OF opinion that the cy VIII
grant the privilege sought by Mr.. swiitto him
other responsiule person the result VIII be most
satisfactory TO the citizens oil New York.
Messrs Darling Il Griswold, OF the rum Avenue
Hotel, receive 81, 200 year ior the garbage.
The Metropolitan HOTEL $500
The Coemar and Stuftevant houses, $500 each
Earle's Hotel, $500.
The ST. Nicholas Hotel, $500
The Giiscy House, $500.
The New York Hotel 5000.
The Windsor ard Buckingham IN, $500 each.
The Union Square Hotel, $500.
French's hotei, $l00
The other hotels IN town receive sums ranging from
500 to 5000 year. and not few FIRST class boardI
houses where the guests otJcct TO hash, also
the lists.
GARBAGE IN THE STREETS.
Notwithstanding that section ia OF the Sanitary
Code proviucs that garbage other offensive
ter shall DO thrown into the streets II seems to be
much respected as the relating to the separation
OF ashes IRON house refuse During tour OF tnspec.
made yesterday throug tho east side OF the city
HERALD reporter found heaps OF dccaying vegctaD,
matter IN the streets, and In many places the cutters
cnokcd up, ana ied pools OF foul wafer threat
ened 10 inunduto tue Sidewalks.
PREPARING FOR SNOW FALL-FAcTs wHIcE
CONCERN THE TRAFFIC OF THE CITY.
During the past winter, when there consid
erable accum ulation of In the streets or New
York, the sum OF $23, 600 was appropriated to place
the leading thoroughfares in passable condition
Owing to the doubt then existing as TO IN,