The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-25
STREET CLEANING.
Effect Of the New System on
the SWeepere.
DRONES DISCHARGED
Preparations for Clearing Broadway Of Snow
When II Falls.


ash barrel Under the system formerly in vogue tho
laborers would work in gangs and being in different
groups IL was very difficult to tell Tho had done his
work properly and who had not. Under tho now
plan, however, each man sweeps apart ANY one Of
tho old superannuate policemen who have been ON
poyed as inspectors may detect HIM long way of II
he DO idle tagging, and Captain Gunner, who rs
driving about in his buggy In all directions every
day, Is sure to catch him. Besides bis
section speaks for ITSELF II 1t 10 not clean
hs and he alone Is held responsible. Tho
consequence of ali this Is that the laborers
now know they must work to earn their wages, in
stead OF dawdIna about under the cover of numer-
GUS gang, and many do relish the change. Com
missioner Nichols stated yesterday that the growing
among the aborers OF worry dcmonstrative char.
acter and about twenty mon went SO far Us 10 throw
up II not the sponge, at least the r d. oroom
They declared that the work OF single handed cleaning
a section was hard and they would rather give up
the Job altoge Their. Commissioner Nichols and his
chief aid Captain Gunner, were not at all dspleased az
this somewhat novel deveopnent regarding It as the
best proof that the work. as now given out. was Of
such a character as 10 secure to the city better
equivalent for each swoeper's pay.
WELL INTRENCuED FoREMEN.
But why could not the foreman Of each gang have
been held responsible under the old syslemf is a
question that will naturally be asked The fact IS
that the foremen, being politicians OF some petty
auence, their removal was not nearly SO easy as Is
sections properly. Commissioner Nichols will run
against far less "poItlcal nfuence'-the vast STUN
bling block OF good government well as Of clean
streets-n dismlssing dozen sweepers than In turn.
ing out single foreman. Mr.. Nichols yesterday
ordered the dismissal OF several aborers In presence
OF the writer Tor failure to do their duty, and en-
phaIcaly promised that this method OF wedding out
the bad men from the department should be kept up.
"Why. il you believed the report OF the Munsclpa
Society,"" Mr. Nichols remarked, ''yoa would natu
rally come to The conclusion that there was no such
thing AZ u dismissal In the Street Cleaning Depart.
mcnt, and tina! every aborer could work or not just
WATCHING TIE WORK
Another tour OF inspection WAS made yesterday by
the writer IN company with Captain Gunner, through
those avenues and streets in which the new block
SIXTH Madison, Fourth, Lexington, Second AID Flrst
and the streets were The p1uopal cross thorough
Thirty fourth, Forty-second, Fiyseventh and Fifty
ninth. marked Improvement was noted In all those
Tor some days on the block system. The men, almost
without an exception, seemed to work III a steadiast
manner Many OF them had their backs turned 10
Captain Gunner as the latter along, and coula
not, therefore, possibly have seen hun, and yet
they were slowly Dut steadily plying their
condition. little below the Everett House sweeper
met who, when asked by Captain Gunner whether
he did prefer work under the new plan, spoke
up IN dubious sort OF way, and said ve got 10 like
it, l suppose" The officer stumbling by, who
watching the sweeper gave II as his opinion that Ms
district was never as clean before 1t was now.
Nearly every sweeper accosted by Captain Gunner
turned up his head with scared look, as though Le
was afraid he had been caught mapping. On Lexing-
ION avonuo Italian was met, who was evidently
working with will, and when tho Captain hed out
eriy clean no would be steadily retained he cheeriny
replied, "A do It well make It clean"
INCIDENTS ALONG the TOUR.
Second and First avenues exceedingly dirty
yet and evident here that the section sweepers
n s snss wsn s
Captain Gunner said these avenues would first have
DO cleaned by gangs and then, when they were IN
d fair condition, The sweeperS would be able keep
their sections clean. Tho Captain expressed his IN.
tention OF week thoroughly overhaulng the great
side portion, avenues A, b. G and ID, which u
generally little tier than dirt heap sixth
found TO be very clean. Between Thrticth
and Ihirty-frsi streets a tat, sturdy freshman was
met whose flowing locks round his neck gave HIM
quite a poetic aspect He also said that the work
much harder than under the OLD system, but
Immediately caught at The Captains promise OF steady
employ ment contingent upon faithful work, aud dc.
cared would do best 10 secure IA steady job"
officer Flandrau, who stood by hun, reported that the
result thus lar was gratifying. He complained of
cart driver No So who instead OF taxing away full
load dirt the street, had scahiiy half filed
his with ashes from private houses Qor the re.
mova Of which he probably earned a small fee) and
Captain Gunner declared that the man would be dis.
missed this very day. The officer, who evidently had
seriously entered into the spirit OF his duty, also
planned that the swcepers did not report 10 lin till
ten O'Clock IN the morning. Captain Gunner said the
men must report halfpast seven and work eight
hours per day. He explained the present CON usion
by the TACT that SO many new men mad to be employed
tins morning
MATTERS TO BE REMEDiED.
Some oil the sweepeis Complained That tneir sections
were 100 large 70 De thoroughly swept py theh every
day. The Captain thought there prooaoy was some
ground TOR occasional OF ths Character as
the department had not YET had the ume 10 properly
map out each section rhe IL tention Was 10 give .acu
man Uniform distance oil ooo square YARDS 10 clean
every day ana according, as Tue wiatn OF tue street
differed, the number OF DOCKS would De apportoned
TO each sectioh Az present. upon arough CALCULATION,
the sections IN Ninth hghtn anu olAtn avenues are
composed OF -FOUR oiocks eacn, on ourth tnfee on
Madison anu Lexington avenues oil hve ana on Second
ana FIRST oil three each. WINE passing lhIry-iourtn
street. almost OPPOSITE .ne otewai. ~ ahslon an over
loaded dirt cart was encountered winch was ie'suroy