The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-20
REMOVING THE SNOW.
A THOUSAND LABoRERs AND SIX HUNDRED CARTS

THOUSAND LABoRERs AND SIX HUNDRED CARTS
ENGAGED IN CLEARING THE STREETS.
The Street Cleaning Department buckled to it's
appointed task early yesterday morning to clear the
leading thoroughfares of the accumulated snow Of
the past week. In all the streets of the city embank
ments Of snow two four and five feet high were to
be seen. and the work of carting it away appeared
gigantic task force of 600 laborers and GOO carts
was engaged at daylight. and by six O'Clock in the
evening the whole length of Broadway from
Twenty-sixth street to the South ferry,
relieved Of its disagreeable encumbrance. Cap
tain Gunner. of the Street Cleaning Depart
ment. was up to his eyes in business
from an early hour Before five o'clock in the morn
ing eighty carts. belonging to the service sent
out, and the rest hired from their respective
owners. The programme embraced the clearing Of
Broadway. Twenty-third, Fourteenth, Grand, Canal,
Wall and Broad streets, and also Park The latter
thoroughfare cleaned from the HERALD Building
to the office of the Stats Zeiung. Altogether 1900
loads of removed, representing weight
of about two thousand tons. 1t found that
there were about hundred loads to o
block, and each block attended to by average
of fifteen carts and twenty men, Every three blocks
was in charge of police officer who to the pro-
per clearing of the street. The dumped
into the river the west side. ut pier "a. foot OF
Harrison street: pier IS. foot of franklin; pier Al.
ton and at the piers foot of Seventh and Eleventh
streets. On the east side the snow was dumped ut
pier ~ Buring slips pier 2 foot OF Beekman street;
ST. Stanton. and pier A. between Clinton and Jeier
son streets. Permission was given by the
Dock Department to dump the snow at any
wide aud convenient pier up town; aud the piers ut
the foot of Eighteenth Twenty-thrd Thirtyirst.
Thirty eighth and Forty sixth streets the side
and the piers at the foot of Canal Twelfth Twenty
first Thirty eighth and Forty-sixth streets on the
west side made use Of
nhn nf ha haU
and the iaborers and carts were kept busy till half
past nine o'clock at night of that day The work was
ously till late hour last evening. The was in
condition to be easily handled and the shovcllcrs
had a comparatively soft time of IT,
A NOVEL SIGHT.
II was quite sight to the long procession OF
carts driving down 10 the foot of Eighteenth street
on the east side. to the old market where Captain
Gunner has his headquarters, and dumping their
loads of dcsecrated snow into the river. The dump
ing quickly and easily executed. IL was simple
turn of the wrist. and the load shot down into tho
waters of the East River covering it's surface like
scum for brief space aud then disappearing for
ever. Hundreds OF the drowsy population OF that
region around to witness the scene. and won
dercd to themselves IL the carts would ever cease
coming and going.
The spectacle Broadway. along which great
thoroughfarc several hundred carts were strung
laborers. shovel in hand, to each cart, and they
seemed to work with willing heart and take delight
in the labor assigned them. High ridges of smut
covered extended all the way down the street.
and in some places mounds six and seven feet high
occurred. These were attacked with will by the
laborcrs shovcs, and In twinking they had van
ishcd. Many of the workmen were Italians,
and the chatterng among them was incessant.
People passing that way 1t ,rpei to look oil at the
work going forward and remarked 10 themselves that
the street Cleaning Department must nave recently
experienced n sudden quickcning Of conscience. Tho
driver OF each cart lent hand In loading up and
seemed rather 10 like the extra exertion.
Captain Gunner observed that the job was laborious
and expensive. bur the department was bound to 30
through with IL at any cost. and to-day IL will under
take TO clear Fulton and Wall streets "M
the present moment, said he. 1--WE must
address ourselves TO clearing the main streets,
and think shall make good job of Broadway
this evening. Tho snow Is not so much OF an OBJ
structon In the eide streets, aud can afford to watt
but in such streets as Fulton. Wall. Grand, Canal
Fourteenth and Twenty -third 10 Is serious incon
venence. and these we must relieve right away. 1t
In estimated that enough snow removed from the
streets yesterday 10 freight ocean-bound steam