The New York herald., 1878-03-02
street Cleaning Plans-The Simplest
Is the Best.

action three plans for cleaning the streets OF
New York and removing the ashes and
garbage. The first is that prepared by the
committee of the New York Municipal
Society, of which Mr.. Thatcher Adams, the
author of the scathing report on the ineffi-
cheney of the Street Cleaning Bureau of the
Police Department, is chairman. The second
and third plans have been drawn up by the
special commission created by the present
Legislature, and composed Of the Mayor,
the Commissioner of Public Works and the
are known as the "small contract
and "block" systems respectively. While
each plan presents some meritorious fea-
lures, and two are based on what the HERALD
has persistently advocated and all are con-
structed so rs to take the entire control of
the street cleaning out of the hands of the
Police Commissioners as governing body,
there is much unnecessary machinery pro-
vided for, which, in our opinion, renders
them too complicated for their very simple
purpose. They also tend to create a new GEN.
tire of political patronage or pressure which,
we believe, should be avoided at every cost.
1t is really marvellous that in such an in
telligent community as ours any serious
difficulty should arise in the way of carry
ing out such plain and easy work as clean
ing the streets. Why a complicated organ
ization is necessary for such purpose cam
not be seen unless we regard the work from
the standpoint OF those whose conception
Of efficiency is represented by bureaus, COM
missioners, clerks, messengers and other
apparatus of cumbrous administration.
Mr.. Adams plan for street cleaning pro-
poses that the Commissioner of Public
Works and the President of the Health
Board and the President Of the Board of
Police shall form Board of Street Cleaning
for the purpose Of exercising a general con-
troll over all the operations connected there
with. Secondly, he proposes that the city
shall be divided into twenty-one districts,
and that contracts shall be made with 'any
responsible person or persons" for the clean
ing of these districts and removing the
refuse collected. Thirdly, that the con-
tracts shall be based on proposals sub
mitted to the Board after certain notice
has been published in the City Record,
and that brief advertisements calling atten-
ton to the notice shall be inserted in
two morning and two evening papers and in
one published in the German language.
The contracts to run for three years and
the contractor to give suitable bonds ac-
ceptable to the Corporation Counsel. The
plan also provides for the appointment by
the Board OF an inspector of street cleaning
at five thousand dollars year, who in
turn shall appoint, subject to the approval
Of the Board, twenty-one district in
spectors. These officials are to be paid each
nine hundred dollars o year, and the ac-
counts and records of the Board are to be
kept by two clerks, whose salaries shall
sum up one thousand seven hundred and
fifty dollars per annum. The total amount
to be annually appropriated for street clean
ing not to exceed five hundred and fifty
thousand dollars. which includes the cost
of removing snow. Unfortunately this
plan creates a new department under a
Board composed of highly Questionable
elements, which would neutralize the good
features represented by the district con-
tract system and the appointment of u COM
petent superintendent. 1t would lead to o
mere repetition of the old evils by the nom
inal transfer of control from the Police and
Health departments to Board formed of
the heads of these commissions. 1t rejects
the Mayor on the ground that his selection
occurs every two years, while the officials
named in the plan hold Office for longer
terms and by appointment. It seems to
have been forgotten by the trainers of the
plan that it is intended to operate for all
time, and that competent and energetic
mayors will undoubtedly be chosen in
this city. We would unhesitatingly reject
every part Of the plan but that which Gre
ates the district contract system and places
the control in the hands Of o superintend-
ent, but that official should be appointed
by and be directly responsible to the Mayor.
Turning to the plans proposed by the
commission appointed by the Legislature
and composed of the officials of the 'Board
of Street Cleaning" lin the Adams plan
minus the Police President and plus the
Mayor we again find "bureau" with all
its official machinery, a superintendent and
deputy, clerks and messengers. We also
find the contract system, but in it every de-
partment chief in the city government
seems to have share Of the control. The
Police regulate this, the Health Board that,
the Dock Board one thing and the Public
Works Department another, until it is diff
cult to determine where authority begins
and where it ends. The plan looks more
like grand programme of inspection than
anything more practical, yet it contains
hidden in the confusion of its many Sec
tions the simple solution of the whole
problem-namely, the appointment of
superintendent of street cleaning and the
district contract system. If all the rest