The New York herald., 1879-07-15

mercury was hugging the nineties TO
IN what manner the dense population OF that
district cared for in the shape OF clean streets
tidy looking cutters and sweet smelling surronnc-
ings coming under the surveillance OF the street
Cleaning Department. of which Commissioner Mac
Lean has charge the city in general and oiicer
Reiliey. OF the seventeenth, in particular. Oa ap
proashing the precinct from the West sue ohs - ap
the streets and to imagine that the millennium mas
come at last for the good residents of New
York after years of suffering. novice woiid
be apt to fall into rhapsodies about the
cleany swept cutters bordering the sidewalks
along Second avenue. for instance. in the
vicinity of St. Marks Church and the New York
Historical Society building all hanked by resi-
dences OF we'll to do people. who apt to look
after their own proper surroundings The picture
changes at once. however, and with marked con-
trast the moment an eastward turn is taken Within
few steps OF the Seventeenth precinct station.
along First avenue there was yesterday afternoon
pool OF stagnant water that emitted foul
odor sickening enough to give malaria, II !.
nothing worse. 10 the numerous children that hap
penei to play in its immediate vicinity. In order
to watch well the system which controls the Street
Cleaning department OF New YORK city the
porter seeing Police Department cart approach
silently, watched its operations rather those of
the man i'll charge o. the cart. The pool OF stag
nant water in front No. l39, and the TT pre-
viously accumulated by the sweepers taken up
leisurely into the cart few handfus falling back
into tne street every time the cartman lifted his
dilaptated shovel to his vehicle. SO tar. so good,
however. The dirt pretty well covered over with
sand, aud emitted sickening smell. but the pool
OF siagnant water. decorated it was with cabbane
leaves and banana skins. left undisturbed. In
fact, it smeed worse after the cartman had made
his visit than before. While endeayorng to get
away from that spot grocer who lived in the
neighborhood, mistaking the reporter for ''an in
spector. accosted him and sad:-"Now, why cant
your men clean this hole out and take away this
dirty water. See how green it looks. That dirt the
fellow has taken away is not half as bad as this dirty
water.
AFRAID OF THE POLICE.
Moving still further to the eastward the re-
porter found ample evidence to impeach the entire
streat Cleaning Department. He was urged by the
citizens the Seventeenth ward TO visit East Eev-
enth street. thoroughfare crowded with tenements
from First avenue to avenues and B. He had ncf
proceeded far before tearfu attack made
his olfactories by the filthy, rocking garbage bar
res % & which n Ers, aws,na ard axs,na %na
only they standing there with hot July sun
pouring its fierce rays upon the mass OF putrid
matter packed these barrels but the cutters
around filled with the rel use of stuff that was
owing from the vessels containing the garbage.
The this exhibition in 'front.' OF No. 4Ot
East Eleventh street. ana upon inquiry at the store
OF neghboring traeesman the latter said. This
s,uff has there saturday and all day yes
tarday we suffered from this nasty smell"
Awoman, apparently his wife. here interrupted
him by telling him. Don't be TOOL to speak
against the police"
The reporter said, "I am not asking your husband
to speak against the police; all l ask is to give me
facts about this street cleaning business
The husband here said My vie Is partly right.
This a fearful neighDorhood. The moment we
should speak against the police We will have whole
avalanche OF young scoundrels upon us. against
whom we wou then have no protection The
police here protect these fellows if they knew say
any thing against them. but you. sr the
street cleaning Lere is miseraby done. We are get
ting sick 1t and suffering owing the long
tervals between the periods fixed for the removal of
the garbage Now that have told you the police
win let those young scoundres throw bricks in my
store and rob me- but thank the HERALD at least,
for doing it's best to give us clean Streets
DEAD CATS.
Moving q little up the street the reporter found
in front of No. AIS bevy of children sixteen
OF them dancing around dead cat. surrounded by
mass of vile stuff that was overhowipg from adioin-
ing garbage barrels The stencil enough to
knock down horse. v hen the reporter called the
attention of neghbor to it he was intorms ID that
he "a
have found in the adjoining block the remains
dead cat that had been there for three weeks.
1t had been over. carted over. kicked an1
stamped upon. so that nothing left OF the AMI
NAL but the internal stencil that still hovered
around. And SO 1t was in the block between avenues
A and b.
In front of No. 434 East Eleventh st.eet a large
mass OF garbage lying in the gutter. The pro-
prietor Of the store said that he had
the street cleaners there during the day; but II
from Fourth avenue to avenue was cleaned by
single man. who did the work all alone. sprnkling.
sweeping and ALL and he was diiapidated man af
twice week. that is ALL and when he does come it
is pity to look at him. He hardly seems able to
move himself. not to speak of the waterpot ana
brooms he must carry along. But. then it Is not
only the garbage question We complain Of. The
smell or the sewer gas in this vicinity is the very
worst plague we have to contend with. Give
decent around here and If the Police Depart
ment cannot will not sweep the streets properly
will do 1t ourselves to save the lives OF our young
ones
All along East Twelfth street. between avenues
A and B. only the cutters and pavement. but
also the sidewalks were one mass or fifth. To de-
scribe this dirt would require the careful analysis or
q first class chemist. Decayed vegetables formed
the bulk of it; but lying closely around were lam
shells, dirty STRAW pigs feet. all piled into various
heaps, ana some Of these surmounted by cast-oT
straw and felt hats; others by old boots and
never failed to add color. II not flavor. to
the pile. but disgusting as were these heaps they
sns mot 50 the
dreds of women and children were perambulatins
and inhang the foul gases that were constantly
rising from them. A most offensive pile OF this
dirt was found front of No. 504 East Twelfth
street. and MIR. Grau. u neghbor. assured the re-
porter that the street got cleaned only once week.
round every day and clean it. it being
impossible Tor one man to clean three or four
blocks every day. The garbage men were regular
in their rounds, but their work done neligentiy.
They ssrew sronnd more n,th along .he pavsnish. ,.
HERALD call especial attention to- however. he said.
'ls the state OF our cutters here We get here the
refuse dirt from the next block and IL remains
here, owing the collective state of the gutter.
have expended considerable money not only in clean
ing this place. but i'll having the gutter repaired bat
IL is q bigger job than can attend to. The II Is
now We are all suffering from foul water that be-
surprised that here the side have not had
An epidemic long ago.
THE GERMS OF DISEASE.
most foul accumulation Of stagnant water was
also with in irontof No. Sls last Twelfth street
The smell enough to drive the reporter to the
other side of the street and still there we're At least
twenty children. ranging from i've to ten years. play
ing all around IL. inhaing the foul gases with an
'unconcern showing the imperative necessity
ot interference the part OF the authorities
A druggist residing in the vicinity said
snow. you see. you folks wonder how sometimes
dphtheria smallpox prevail here TO some extent.
You viii find the germ of these diseases ht there
in that pool of WATER The reporter caring
particularly to have his lungs inpregna.ed with IN,
germ moved on. not, however. without casting
pitiful look that poor humanity which
virtually lowering around death. simply because
the officials charged with keeping that street cleai.
and having ample money therefor appropriated did
not attend to their duties.
To make matters still worse-ss IL to pile the
agony-the reporter. on passing around the corner
.of avenue A. happened to u number OF empty
Police Department carts. which at one time other
when the MacLe,n brooms perhaps
pressed into the street cleaning service They we're
to all intents purposes not by the depart
:ment. the iatng OF the ycinsty
had made thciu by dumping their garbage and
filth In them, taking advantage OF Temporary lnil
.ia,fh fheir fia1ns l1n. Ia