The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-08
THE STREETS.
Report Of the Municipal Re
form Association.
WHY NEW YORK Is UNCLEAN
Results Of Inquiry and Care
full Inspection.
MONEY THROWN AWAY.
Over One Million Dollars Required
for 1878.
CORRUPTION AND EXTRAVAGANZA
The Comparative Cost in Other
Large Cities.
PLANS AND REMEDIES PROPOSED.
Police Commissioners Preparing
an Answer.
Over One Million Dollars Required
for 1878.
CORRUPTION AND EXTRAVAGANZA
The Comparative Cost in Other
Large Cities.
PLANS AND REMEDIES PROPOSED.
Police Commissioners Preparing
an Answer.

dill hllSW0Is
At the regular monthly meeting OF the Municipal
Reform Association, held last night at their rooms,
No. 81 Madison avenue, hr. Thatchweli Adams, as
Chairman OF the committee OF tho asso-
citation street cleaning read a very ex.
haustive report that subject, which is given
below IN full The chair was taken at eight
O'Clock by Mr.. Dorman 3. Eaton There was very
largo attendance OF members Police Com missiouers
Erhardt, Nichols and Wheeler were also present
After the approval Of the minutes Of the previous
meeting Mr.. Adams read rs folows:-
THE REPORT.
BY chapter o77 OF the Laws OF 1872 the Board OF
Police in the city of New York has exclusive power,
and Is charged with the duty OF causing all streets,
avenues, lanes CUTTERS wnarves piers and heads OF
slips TO DO thoroughly cleaned from time timc and
Kept at all times thoroughly clean. 1t Is 10 remove
from the CITY daily and as often as may be necessary,
except such dirt IN tho judgment Of tho
Board Of Health may be suableto I'LL low and sunken
In addition. II is to remove all onal, dead animals
blood aud other refuse matter, but this part
duty IS not within the scope OF our inquiry we shall
not quote further from the statute CONCERNING It,
notice II In this report. except remark passing
that the expense OF performing this work Is entirely
distinct from aud additional TO tho appropriation for
street cleaning.
The statute places al the disposal Of tho Police Board
sips necessary Tor carrying their authorizes
them TO contract Tor the sale o! manure, dirt weep
the proceeds be applied to reduce the expenses OF
their work, and empowers them TO appoint such
sary to perform such duties cannoi BIO Advsn
tageously performed by members OF the police orce
Ak their compo nsaton. employ iaborers purcha or
materials essential 10 performing their duties
The money TO pay thor expenditures shall BIO nxed
annually by the Board Of Apporonment after consid
alton oni revision OF the estimate thereof by Tho
Police Commissioners and inserted in tue tax levy.
Such are tho provisions OF law regarding street
cleaning. They simple, easy DO understood and
grant almost pIenary power for their endorsements.
shortly after tho passage OF this act The Police
Board assumed the duties imposed upon them, and
IN carrying out. or attempting 70 carry out those du
year 1874 $50 OF Tho year iss5, ssSi 4c5 SO;
in the year 1876 S72600 received for the year 1871
at tho hands OF tho Board OF Apporti0nment,
QUESTION FOR TAXPAYERS
Have the taxpayers OF this received from those
Entrusted with mo expenditure oil these enormous
sums thing like full vaule therefor clean sireo,ss
Arc they likely, under the present inslration to
receive for their money such value In the future II
not, why nots anu what remedy shall they seekf
such are the questions which arc to occupy to-
night. We Will consider them seratm:-
First-Dotaxpayers receive their moneys worth IN
Your committee do not suppose-even In view Of
sonio oil tho testimony lately gwen before Mayor
maintain that New York is thoroughly cleaned or Kept
ciean. The Police Commissioners themselves have
freely admitted your committee that II not Bur
We do not propose In this report to general
assertions or admissions, bot upon facts sscersined
from personal inspccton-as VIC desire above every
thing 10 be exact-wc shall, At the risk OF being
tedious, invite yoa TO follow upon OF inspec-
ton undertakcn by your committee the 10Th day
December 1871 starting from Th.rty-sevcnt street.
at Madison avenue goi east through
street ~ First avenue, d0wn First
street, up Twentieth street 10 Second avenue down
Second avenue 10 s,xth street. up Sixth street 10
Third avenue, down Third avenue To Houston, down
40 Mulberry, up Mulberry 70 Biescker west
Fifth avenue Prince, west through Prince 10 West
street. north through West TO Houston, east throurb
In In Mace al fhPnn 0b M.n
Spring, east through Spring to broadway, nortu Up
Broadway to Houston, east through Houston 10 Chm.
Madison to New Bowery, ana from New Bowcry
through Frankfort 70 the City Hall IL Will be
served that route takes In the heart OF the city
IL was made with these results
DONE
Thirty seventh street. from Madison to Second ave.
nue., pAssa0y clean except ut It's junction with Third
avenue where the CUTTERS, both OF avenue and
street, had been ceansed for many days; 10.
tween First and second avenues tho lutol.
erahiy dirty the roadway Uttered wi.h garbage and
ashes Second avenue in crossing 10 have
been swept tho Jay before, tho dirt lying Ia heaps
awaiting removal. no CARTS III sight, aud the high
wind blowing the compost from tho heaps IN clouds
through the AR. First avenue In tho Judgment Of
your committee, had been coansed for month or
moro; II was eLcumbered with heaps OF dried mud.
ashes, garbage aud all manner Of nith Twentieth
street, between First and second avenues was in bad
order. Second avenue, between Twen,ssh aud sixth
streets, was iary ccan sixth strestw was very dirty
Third avenue. between sixth and Houston, was in
comparison with other streets, passabIy clean, but
not IN the condition should have been. Great Jones
BAD order. Houston and Mulberry streets. fairly
clean. Bleecker, at ITS junction with broadway ana
thence West, IN bad condition. It's cutters uli Of
nosome dirt south Filth avenue had evidently boon
swept IRON Two TO threo days before, the unre.
movod caked into hard mud heaps, which were
gradually beingt distriouted over the roadway BY
passing wheels. wooster and Greene streets were
Noticed IN rvss,ns very dirty Prince street. to
Houston from wcstt MacdougaI, was nlthy enough
10 breed pestilence, tho roadway In places deep
In mud despite the nigh and drying wind, choked
with garbage sshes the cutters requenlly beng
filed to level with the sidewalk. OF the cross streets
some--noticcably Washington-were very dirty,
others less So others had been swept, but tho DIRT
not removed. Turning into Broadway AZ quarter
before ten, tho hour when II Is filled with citizcus
hurryng down town. the roadway showed no signs Of
having been swept for at least forty EIGHT hours
Clouds OF art and dried horse manure were whlrIng
through the AR, deniing The lungs aud runing tho
garments OF every passcr-by. The east side OF town
presented more creditabs appearance, tnc streets
being fairiy clean, though encountered with ashes
awaiting removal In Madison street, however, tho
dart aud garbage rcappcared IN offensive heaps. and
streets couia DO called clean. In ali this distance
your COMMITTEES met but ono gang OF street-sweepors,
hvo IN number, all 1ecrepit, feeble mon. the only
aolooodied one oil the party bong the gangmau, a
staiwsrt lrishmsn. who, with pipe IN mouth aud
hands IN his pockets stool leaning against post
specting the attempts az work OF his followers with
iangud curiosity The work was not halt done, tho
scraping and grooming OF tho poorest kind. ana
whom the noaps had been formed tho men ioft them
In the gutter, no carts following tho swcepers Your
committee encountered but two carts during tho
and, as a high wind was blowing, the ashes werc
about equally divided between the car the street and
tne passers-by.
sccn is a lair statement Of what was noted by your
COMMITTEES on tho last OF their many Of uspec-
lion. IL ~ needless To multiply ike descriptions;
suffice II TO sny that during the past summer ths
streets were In far worse condtlon, especially on
the extreme east ana west portions OF tho city;
much worse under tue torrid rays Of the that
have cause for congratua,on that wo escaped gen.
eral epidemic.
NOT UNREASONABLE DEMAND.
The Police Commissioners claim, IN conversation
with your committee TO clean Broadway and the ave.
pues running longhwiso OF the island three timcs
week, the other streets once a we,K.
As TO the system followed they respond thus In WRIT
Ing 20 our qucstiops:-
!. . Hew ei'sa Is each district or w~d sisaassd saA,