New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-06-06
WHAT CAPTAIN WILLIAMS is DOING,

WORKINGS OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM FOR CLEANING
THE STREETS
A TRIBUNE reporter called upon Captain,
Williams Superintendent of the Street Cleaning Bureau
day or inquire about the present condition OF
the bureau In NewYork" said the Captain. there arc
9qn rnres OF paved Streets many CT which cleaned
three times week: come In the downtown districts
and In the negnborhood Of the markets nightly aud
others In the best OF the uptown regions, only once
ep ar lees as hey do not require cleaning OfteneE In
the streets about the Market in dozen hours from the
time they are cleaned would neverjudge from their
appearance that any such operation had ever
been accomplished, and 1t Is the sam
IN many OF the districts in the poorer
portions city The people In such places are care
less and absolutely appear to thrive on fth Many OF
them throw Stops ashes ana garbage out into inc street
ne though that we're the proper place for such things
city ordinances 10 the contrary NOTWITHSTANDING Then
many of the streets are poorly paved and very badly
drained CObblestone pavements arc abundant In The
older parts Of the city, and they are the greatest NUS
aaces that we have to deal with Portions Of such pave
nents becO sunken, other portions break up ana o
appear and the result lot OF dirty pools OF stagnant
water settling in the depressOns, from which arises
stencil bad enough to originate disease in single day.
Ofcourse It is impossible TO keep even with such 10
catcs ard person who walks through one OF them ut
midday or In afternoon must expect 10 ma u urY
To clean the streets about $50 sweepers are employed
and abouS1 so men to load and unload the carts or
295 lireQ ana % DefOnk Clty' INV
men are not employed for any given me but are put at
work when wanted and paid at the rate 81 20 cents
per hour In the whole department. from the Onlclais
down 70 the sweepers about 1000 men arc employed
considerable reform has been accomplished In the
dispOsltOu the city refuse All Of Is now taken out
IN sea and dropped beyond buoy No. 4, of Sandy Hook
at ebb tide 80 that Is carried out into the ocean and
cannot uossibly be swept back toward the city. No
damage con then result the harbor ard consequently
the pilot the Street Cleaning Bureau
arc upon most amiablc terms"
"Aud Ia no garbage dropped anywhere elFef
"None whatever neither garbage, ashes nor street
refuse In the early part Of the month Of May some
loads OF ashes and swOepnRs were dumped ut Jersey
Cy and some at the foot Of Sxtyeighth-st. but now
everything is taken ont 20 the ocean. Lighthouse Com
missioner Cz agreed TO place can buoy In Graves
end Bay where tho scows may be anchored until the
tides and wind may be suitable for going out Wien the
ureaent Board charge Of the Bureau the city
hiring rwentytbree at from 81 to $40 each per
day. These we discharged and purchased instead
eleven new sc0ws Of from 315 10 415 tons each thus
making saving Of somethtns Ike $4,000 per month 70
at $40 day instead OF which one tnsoat ns Dee1
6o0Ght and a91Sher one ~ Sg p OF economy Oh
Isut let me give you Statistics for the month OF
Nay" saa G sSd BEEN "G OSs In The month Of
MAY 66S miles OF streets wereeeaned O2,o61 loads OF
saa N TGuS We d work eqavsen 70 going
over every mile OF street IN tine cry twice dnIng me
and untowu streets that rarely need caro-, the down
tawu street, may no 10 have had fair show OF at
seVttaTa were our appropriation larger would like
10 40 the equivalent OF cleaning the whole city four
fiuea onth instead only twice, for though We do
nof FEEL esamed Of tho condition OF things they
we would like 70 have them much better: The apprvpT
aon far street oleanuR for this " f84OOOO wleA
eertatnIy a low Why in 1872. when there were only
$50 mills on streets 20 Do cleaned the appropriation
100000 for mOlshs. We DO not rex TOT se nke
fbat Cor we car do the work much better than u wac
done then for ees money. However. the authorities do
NOT seem TO take tutO consideration the fact inst cue
population namber Of house, and number o. stFeees q
yhs ey inerease year by year our ~ no
80 eSpecsea 10 bees sis6n for WhOic year