The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-20

! Common Sense ana Cioem ssEeess'
We fear that the old spirit of legislative
tinkering at Albany will again defer COM
plete and practical solution Of New York's
simple problenl-street cleaning Not that
the tinkerers are necessarily dishonest in
their efforts to attain definite end. but
they are most provokingly impractical and
roundabout in reaching what is easier
gained by simple. sensible and direct
methods. We have suffered too long and
too much from the great evil of dirty streets
to tolerate any attempt at reaching remedy
which is from its nature ridiculous Man.
ifestaticns of Legislative genius do not
come to US so frequently from Albany that
we can look leniently on converse condi-
tons that threaten to plunge us deeper IN
the mire by seferring to commission OF in
quiry question that pointedly suggests its
own answer. 1t appears to us marvellous
that any doubt can now finger in the minds
of those who have the power in their hands
of relieving this city as to the proper
plan for cleaning the streets of New York.
We do not believe that thes united wisdom
of the Legislature can devise simpler and
better plan of cleaning the streets OF the
metropolis than that which we have been
advocating for the past two years namely.
to clean them. 1t does not require the
high attainments in chemical science
possessed by the head of the Health
Department, the engineering skill that dis
tinguishes the management Of the Depart
ment of Public Works, or q strain on the
administrative ability of any officer of the
city government to give us clean streets.
We need only for the purpose few compe-
tent men whose efficiency for the perform
ance of the simplest duties is beyond
question, whose honesty in the expenditure
of public money is above temptation, and
whose responsibility for their acts is to the
people, and not to any political ring, cote
RE or party.
With such men, and under the conditions
we have suggested, all that is needed forthe
successful accomplishment Of this vital
undertaking is q reasonable money appro-
priation that will truly represent the value
of the work done. The details are simple
enough, as simple as those of houseclean-
ing, and could be arranged and directed as
we'll by man possessed of the average in
tellect of a housemaid as by Won Moltke.
They are so simple that in some districts Of
the city which are neglected by the Street
Cleaning Bureau they are actually carried
out by the servant girls and hired laborers
of property owners and residents, and
very efficiently Mt that. Where, then, does
4 1k,vo ~ sv Io;r fow he vho1o
city what can be and is done for these dis
tricts when the means are afforded? 1t is
created by the very officials who complain
that it is insurmountable; it grows out of
neglect and dishonesty, and thrives on the
| political influences that eat like dry rot
into the administration of departments
of the city government on whose eff
cheney the welfare Of the community
| depends. Do we need further evidence
| of this than that which is presented
by the report of Mr.. Adams on street clean
ing? Is it necessary to cite any stronger
proofs than that document affords of the
utter rottenness Of the street cleaning sys-
tenn organized by the Police Department,
with its corps of furriers, wire drawers and
BARRIERS as inspectors ? The case is so plain
that it seems absurd to discuss it further,
and we would afford it but limited space
were it not that new danger in the form
of Albany legislation threatens to prevent
the application of the remedy.
We refer to the resolution adopted in the
Assembly constituting ''high joint COM
| mission" to sit on, discuss and report
"plan" for cleaning the streets of New York.
The supreme absurdity of this device to
secure clean streets is obvious. What
s'plan' can the commissioners possibly
suggest that will possess any special merit or
novelty? Each of our readers is as fully ac-
quainted with all the controlling conditions
of the case as the ''high joint commission
ers" can be. Moreover, the probabilities that
any three or more citizens, not officials, who
have suffered the disagreeable experiences
in the filthy streets OF New York
could in ten minutes determine on q
plan for cleaning the city, and that
such a plan would not differ in any i'm
portant feature from that which the HERALD
has offered and explained repeatedly, are
very strong. How the work is economically
done and by whom in other cities Mr..
Adams report fully explains How the
ashes and garbage can be collected and kept
separate and salable is also pointed out.
Why, therefore, cannot the Legislature
promptly pass bill empowering the Mayor
of New York as the chief executive officer Of
the city to assume the control of this whole
work of street cleaning and direct it through
a competent superintendent who shall be
appointed by the Mayor and subject to sum-
mary removal for cause? Last session
street cleaning bill was introduced giving
the appointment of such a superintendent
to the Health Commissioners and contain
| ing other highly objectionable provisions.