The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-05
OUR FILTHY STREETS.
A Trip Through Them with
Captain Gunner.
WHAT CONSTITUTES DIRT I
Refuse, Old Boots Bottles and Dead Ami.
mails in the Highways.

There was considerable astonishment aud excite
ment Yesterday Mt Poioo Headquarters ovor tho 70
port yesterdays tho nl.ny streets OF The
side. "rhere not dirty street IN the whole
city OF New YORK." Inspector Gunner emphas'caly
declared; and Commissioner Nichols, who rode In ono
Official convcyances Put street and some
OF tho other streets mentioned IN tho report, was
perfectly amazed that such spoticss, pure, virginia.
localities could DO called "Githy."
ali you sec a dirty tho wnoIc city OF Nov
York. Captain Gunner vigorously affirmed. ''pu
give you SUIT OF Clothes" Tho generous Cap
.tan's offer only partially accepted; humorous
dirty streets pointed out but after all, NO visit
mado u fashionable clothier.
In the report Saturday attention called 10 the
dirt which tho Ponce Commissioners allowed TO sccu-
mulatc their very doors In Mott street Yesterday
swccpers already busy IN Mulberry aud Mott
Streets tho dead dog had been removed by the Board
OF Health from tho block In Mott stroct between
Houston AMI Prince, and yet Mott street. between
Houston aud Beccker. where tho entrance the
Police Depart ment is situated was still dirty enough
even for the Police Board. All sorts OF rcuse had
been swept he street and old shoe ornamentsd
tho middle OF Il.
OLD SHOES BOOTS.
Yesterdays inspection OF streets devoted 70
the west side, more especially justice had already
been dono tho side street odors In the account
Of yesterday. After tho inspection, during part Of
which tho writer was honorcd by Inspector Gdnner's
company, was over, Captain Gunner was asked-
"Caplain, hav' Mt We seen enough OF old rotton
shoes aud boots 10 supply whole rcgiincnty"
"No, sr,o the Captaia replied II have only soon
old baby shoe in street and shoe belonging
u foinal..''
AZ a matter OF fact old shoes and boots abound In
the streets OF tho ives. sdeon tho grcat thorough
fares like Sixth ana Eighth avenues, which kept
faIrly clean by tho Street Cleaning Department Tho
pcrs OF tho department. bong proud sot Of mon,
Will not "stoop 10 conquer Them
well, wha, would you do u you had an old boot
you wanted got rid VfY' captain Gunner, with his
accustomed good humor asked
al certainly would not throw IS into tho middle OF
strcci,' was tho reply.
'No,'' SAID The Capian and no added trum phsntly,
by way OF a"ciiocher,n 'yon would probably s,vo 4
10 mcbody who would throw ~ into tho street."
SWEEPING REFUSE ISTo THE STREETS
Ono OF tho fret west size streets inspected was
West Third Here the graceful OUTINGS Of dead dog
rotting Ia the middle OF tho street greeted tho eye,
OF refuse aud garbage the
oil every lager beer saloon aud groccryan experience
inspection OF the west side
captain, don't want the suit OF clothes you 90
kindly offered me, but cali ms very dirty"
"Whatf This diriyg Why, that's only . little
stuff swept out by these people, I1to refuse" In
els that right ~
"No, II ISN'T; but then the HERALD should blame
VINO sweep tho refuse into the streets;
| the department"
why tho police arrest these mon for volas-
Inspector Gunner canddiy replied that thcy should,
but indicated tho difficulty anu magnitude OF the
Board OF Police that a short time ago nunber Of
innocent portcTs, without warning or notice. were
| on broadway, whie now people allowed to sweep
all OF oul refuse uto tho streets. But then
made NJ time wncn tho Legislature, u WAS thought,
about to pas bill TAX Nc tho street cleaning suS
| oil tho hands OF tho Police Department.
UPTOWN DIRT.
Fifteenth street, between seventh aud Eighth ave.
MUGS, was also ibera'ly strcwn with refuse "Bus
the people are moving" Inspector Gunner truthiuily
| observed, ''und you they throwing ptle Of
tbs stun into the streets" 10 surc they wore;
but whore the police whose duty Was 70 arrsss
| tnemy A. TwcDueth street and Eighth avenus
there was the same old experience Hero
| small market, anu with the gracious pcrmissoa Of
The poles tho owner had thrown hts varicgstcd re.
fusc INTO the gutter Tho puddics Of dirty, stagnans
water partially caused by tho bad cobbis paw om ems
she streets, not bad tho wcst side they
Captain Gunner declared that almost IN possi.
bic TO prevent people from throwing "a little dlrty
water" into the street Ho did NOT consider ali that
s'dirt' "nth' IN the truc OF tho word. and
vigorously maintained that there was stu not dirty
street IN New York, which now tue ccaoest city
III this country Tho section systcm adopted for the
entire cay last Tuesday had greatly improved tho
cleanliness OF tho streets, aud tho Captain believed
| IL would turn out great SUCCESS.
/ now roiIcs rERYoRx THEIR DUTY.
Tho blocks, generally speaking, between Ninth aud
very diriy-noi from tho street Cleaning Dspar,
point OF vow but from that OF ordinary observer
oils The proper psco Tor stops refuse vescabiss sss
smells Old shoes As tho police regard the
stance excuse II may DO mentioned IN thelr boz
balf that undoubtedly much Old broke tn, botaee
other things into sho street by parties
| moving at this particular time. Take Wcss thirty.
second street between Ninth and Tenth avsnucs aud
many blocks IN this locality, spcctmc ns and
20 up FIFTY second street, between Tho block
TO what street cleaning accompliahss . city 10
which thoro 'not dirty streelp' Az for sweep
Ing tho tho street Captain Gunner pointed
mt No 40 Ninth avenue, where worthy scpcs
cng aged IN this lawful occupation A. fi,ty nsss
street aud Eleventh avenue = saloon keeper vaa
sweeping out has lio refuse into tho street, and ~.
4 AT IA m
with MN instead OF urrostns hun. Inspector Gunnss
officer Inc raised objection TO have 10 "takcn DOWN.
| IN tho writer's notebook
1 An "AnIsrocaAric' pwpARrnssr.
Our aristocratc Poico Hoard has a special lovo foe
Futh aud the more 'arstocrstic sido streets
| between Ff,h and sixth avenues wnere tho co0disou
/ Of things yesterday vas very lair. Tho Board Of
Health also takes special To allow dead dogs
dead rats such met plcboian localities herA
Hut tho residents OF fiith avenue and tbcrcab ,uss
nevertheless get Their share Of tho fearful ssnole
waited from tho North River lat rendering
tnDisbments BY permission OF tho Board of Health
IL pretty bo,nes throw INTO the avenue tnsy
arc very quickly picked up In tho obscure portions
OF The west side Interesting coiiccton could b
msJc OF all the Old shoes fouod la tho str0etw0msn q
shoos, baoy rbocs, mems oosts, CATERS and, IN tact
4 every Imaginable kind OF pedal cnvcripE. AZ she
police wash their hands OF tnc dry stun thrown inte
tho streets ~ " evident that tncso 10 vast nod n
operations Tor volunteer ragpsckcrs tho wcst s'd
IL " needless to add that Ia the sdo t00emeae
| house district the beld " greater stll.