The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-27
STREET CLEANING.
Shameful Condition of Some of the
Thoroughfares.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE SWEEPERS.
Third Avenue and Rapid Transit
Seventh Avenue.

The rain Of Friday night and the shower Of early
yesterday morning, which queaed the frozen dirt oil
The streets ana Glled the ruts OF our bad pavement
with great puddles OF mud made the city as sloppy
ana nasty under foot as 1t well could be- The new
system OF street cleaning seemed to battle against
This new enemy with but Indifferent II was
comparatively easy TO clean the streets In the unih-
terruptedly fne dry weather New YORK has lately
enjoyed, but whether the new system VIII be quite
equal to heavy rain snow falls would seem to be
doubtful from the results achieved yesterday:
DISTRIBUTION
The following the precise localities, with the
Itreet cleaning force employed in each, In which the
Iectional system was in force yesterday: =
First avonue from Houston to Sixty-sixth street
Force, officers supervising % sweepers and carts.
Second avenue-Same distance and force.
Lexington avenue, from Twenty-drst to Sixty-sxth
streel-1 officer 10 sweepers, 3 carts.
Fourth avenue, from Fourteenth to Thirty.second
street, officer, 6 sweepers, carts.
Sixth avenue Washington place Tor Sixth
street, to Fifty street, officers 10 sweepers
3 carts
Eighth avenue, from Blocker to Fifty ninth
officer II sweepers, carts.
Ninth avenue, from Fourteenth to Fifty ninth
street, officer, IL sweepers carts
Canal street, from East Broadway to the North
river-l ofncer, sweepers 3 carts.
Blocker street, from the Bowery to Eighth ave-
nue. officer, sweepers, CARTS
Fourteenth street, from avenue to Tenth ave-
nue-1 officer, sweepers cart
Twenty third street, from First avenue to the
North River-l officer, sweepers, cart.
Thirty -fourlh street, from the East to the North
River-l officer, sweepers, carts.
Forty-secoDd street, Third avenue TO the North
River-l officer, sweepers, cart.
Fifty-soventh street, from East TO North River,
aud Fitty-nnth street, from Fourth to Ninth ave-
uues-1 officer, A sweepers, carts.
DIFFERENCES STREETS.
1t will be observed that the above distribution OF
the force fragrant disparity appears Distances of
the same len 9Th provided with different number
OF sweepers and carts. Captain Hedden, OF the
street Cleaning Department, explained this variation
by the difference IN the condition OF the various
streets TO cleanliness Not only would some
quire more sweepers than others, though of ident
ray the same length but the DIRT might be denser
and beaver and It's removal might require carts
II VIII also be noticed that some streets and avenues
not taken at their whole length. Captain Hedden
explains THIS on the ground that Tor certain reasons
the portions omitted were not properly SUBJECTS OF the
new plan OF street cleaning. on Fourteenth street,
Tor instance which IS omitted from the plan east of
G, there Is paved throughiare
The river that end OF the street being filed with lum-
Der piles steam boilers &c. on Twenty-third street,
which only included tar east FIRST avenue the
wretched condition OF the cobbio stone pavement
renders sweeping by sections, in the OPINION OF the
department, inadvisabe. THIS portion of Twenty
third street. Captain Hedden says Is being swept
twice a week by gangs on Forty second street
which embraced east OF Third avenue. a tunnel
Is being through under the rock the East River
and Fiityninth street Is not regulated near either
river.
THIRD AVENUE.
In examining. yesterday the working Of the new
system II ioard that certain streets and avenues
in a diseraccful condition. Third avenue Is a |
perfect point OF DIRT ana nothing was done
yesterday by the department to clean H. the excuse
being still that the Elevated Railroad working
upon their foundations, and had SO covered the ave-
with their rubbish sand and gravel that nothing
could be done until that company bad restored the
avenue to ITS former condition, repaved 1t properly
and carted away the heavy amount OF dir; |
which encumbers 1t wherever foundations |
have been or are being put 10. Captain
The New York Elevated Railroad leaves the avenue IN
this trahtful condition. On Sixth avenue We had no
difficulty at ali. There they would dig a few lounda-
lions side oil the avenue complete them care
fully. and when they were finished and the sand and |
gravel were removed they would gradually take up
they dig up miles of road boln SIDES and so |
excavating still more without fing up those that
have ready standing open SIX weeks or two
months; and even the BOwery, where most |
OF their foundations are filed IN, they have
relaid the pavement very badly and left
great deal OF sand, gravel and rubbish We |
cnnnot do anything with Third avenue until this state
OF affairs is rcmedied Alter hearing this statement
the writer made tour along Third avenue, aud while
II Is true that excavations are still open, which
dug SIX or seven weeks ago, many portions OF the |
avenue were found upon winch the department could |
certainly nave gone 60 work days ago There seems
TO be reason why the department should wait unt
AL the excavations cOmpetc-Wnlcn may De Two |
or three weeks yet-when over twO-i hirds OF the |
avenue can now be cleaned just well as NOT And
II the department means TO wait until the New York
Elevated Railway has removed all those little
remnants OF It's work that still cucumber the finished
ioundatlons-be 1t SAND, gravel dirt-they may |
have to wait long ZINE.
SEVENTH AVENUE.
In worse condition than Third Seventh |
avenue yesterday. This aN cnue Is IN the urgent
need OF repairs. The wooden pavement has half |
broken and hall roued away and the countless ruls |
and pitfalls oil the avenue are choKcd up with fin,
Captain Hedden claims that 1t would only make mat
tiers worse to sweep this avenue thoroughly dig
out the filth anu sand from the which nu-
Inerous and deep that the avenue would become al
most impossible # these holes not thus filled up
with dirt and mud seventh avenue would certainly |
be uisgracc to any civilized city. and II |
Is high time that something be done to redeem this
thorough h faro from It's present condition Blocker !
street was also very dirty yesterday; but in inns
street no similar excuse can be offered depart
ment. Captain Hedden, however, claims that this |
street was driy TO begin with, that would take
the sweepers another week before II could be made
fairly clean. tour through the city yesterday SUM-
cienty satisfied the writer that the sweepers want
sharp looking alter, and that the policemen detailed
for TINS purpose SHOULD receive stringent orders to
watch their work carefully and make daily and honest
reports TO the department. so that laggards may be
promptly dismissed.