The New York herald., 1877-12-09

| The frequent conferences at the Mayors
Office between the chief executive officer OF
the city and the officials who rule the de-
partments are conducted with SO much
gravity and form as to lead one to believe
that s.How to clean the sire cts" is some
very profound problem that cannot be
solved even by the united wisdom of all
the great heads Of the city government.
Every body is willing to admit the useless
ness and absurdity of calling conference
Of kitchen maids to determine on scien-
tific basis the true method Of boiling eggs
or OF washing up the dinner things.
We believe that the Academy or Cooper
Institute has never been hired for
convention of housekeepers to debate the
great question Of spring house cleaning. We
have heard of no .'plans' for removing
cobwebs or machines for the clearing Of
snow from front stoops. II such assem-
blages of experts weres convened, or plans
and machinery proposed, the purpose OF
their meeting or inven ton could not be
more absurd than that which brings to-
gether the Mayor and commissioners OF
various departments to discuss the cleaning
of the streets, for that work is as simple, as
easily accomplished, with the means Mt the
disposal Of the authorities, as any OF the
simple details Of housekeeping. The only
plan that can possibly succeed is that which
has seemingly never been tried. The only
way to clean the streets is to clean them.
Instead Of wasting the ample means annu-
ally appropriated for this purpose in
maintaining an army of political hang
ers-on that are more useful to
their employers during election time
than to the city at any time or in any
capacity, the work of cleaning the streets
should be honestly carried out by honest
workingmen. Real carts and good horses
should be engaged for this purpose, in place
of the rickety boxes on wheels and broken
winded, spawned brutes that struggle and
stagger to the dumping boards under loads
that would not distress a rag and bone
gatherer's dog. Even with this wretched
equipment much could be done that is not.
But when the political cart owners give one
or two days to the work and the balance Of
the week to their own business it is easy to
understand why the sum OF eight hundred
thousand dollars per annum is not found to
be sufficient for the cleaning Of the streets.
AS it has never been tested practically we
do not know what may be the merit Of the
Mullaly plan tor melting snow, and we do
not care to recommend any private scheme
while the public functionaries have at their
command all the necessary means for doing
the work. But it may be said in oil fairness
that the proposer Of the snow melting plan
in his address at the conference showed
how snow as an obstruction to street traffic
might be removed for about one-hundredth
part of the cost estimated by the Street
Cleaning Bureau. We do not believe that
any machines can clear the streets of all the
water resulting from the melting Of snow
by artificial heat, but, nevertheless, it
would render them fit for travel very
quickly after heavy snowfall, and would
free us from the nuisance Of monster
snow banks in the strets that before
spring time become mountains Of filth.
Why cannot the fire engines be employed
for this purpose? They are ready at the
shortest notice, and could be used immedi-
ately after storm while the snow is soft
and the atmosphere at relatively high tenn
perature. By first liquiiying all the snow
for about ten feet wide from the gutter line,
the street would be prepared for the more
complete melting of the snow over its whole
surface, the street basin openings would be
clear and fair drainage afforded for such
of the snow water as would flow toward
them before freezing Although the melt
ing plan has many things against it there arc
in it several commendable features which
deserve attention. 1t can be easily tested
with a few fire engines, and if it proves
effective may be adopted without hesita-
ton and with great advantage in point of
economy.
AS to the whole question OF street clean
ing most unsatisfactory state of things
exists. Our municipal authorities are con.
tinually discussing and planning how to do
it, but never arrive at plan. This is
simply because the absence of q plan is
profitable. The President of the Health
Department says, 1--WE are of age" 1t is
scarcely necessary to explain the meaning
of that pregnant remark. An official who is
"of age" in the particular sense of the
term is one who knows exactly where his
interests lie and how far any innovation
might disturb them. Any change of sys-
TEN, particularly if it means the triumph Of
honesty, will be regarded by IN official who
is ''of age" rs something not to be too hast
lily accepted, and, if possible, to be de-
feated on conservative principles. "He
knows how it is himself as regards the old
way Of doing things, but the new plan may
not work well, and therefore, cannot be
good one. Now we have shown our
street cleaning and health officials how
the city garbage could be cremated very
cheaply and converted into useful and
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