New-York tribune., 1880-02-29
OPINIONS OF CITY OFFICERS.


1o:3o a. m yesterday in the chamber OF the Boaru OF
Aldermen to continue its investigation into the pes'
mode Of cleaning the streets OF this city There was
larger attendance than the previous DAY. A COIN
unication was read from the Dock Commissioners say
ing that the Department had set ASIDE twenty p"ces'
as required by law along the water Ion' ioi u" 0'
tiOn Of street dirt in scOws.
The c,tv loses a considerable amount Of reveDne In
he,ng Obliged in this TO occupy large space OF
It's water fox other than commercial purposes Inc
most serious damage to the channels OF the port VIII
follow If the present practices are mnch longer con
1pued The system OF depositng street sweepings ana
ashes in the Lower Bay requires proper ana sate
u4atner for the towing of the scows Good ulhhe1n
material should be separated from garbage and other
street dirt and used by the city for widening us river
streets and grading sunken lots and marsh ahds a"
useless garbage and combusbie matter should be de-
stroyed by nre some approved furnace or oven
system Dumping boards should be so constructed as
10 admit of the scOw being completely enclosed while
being loaded which be done at comparatively little
cost to the city.
Edgar KeIchum, president Of the House OF Refuge,
was the first person examined " II would be
bad thing" he said, from sanitary point OF view TO
make Little Hell place OF deposit for the cify's
dirt and garbage. 1t would be extremely injurious TO
the health Of the children confined In the House OF
Rsfuge."
GENERAL NEwToNs OPINIONS.
General Newton was the next witness He was asked
by Mr.. varDum:
"wil you tell what you think OF the action of the
Police Commissioners in allowing the bay be filed
upf
So far as l have learned" General Newton replied.
the harbor of New-YOrk is being very much Injured
most materially injured, by this system OF dumping
street refuse and garbage in the bay How long can he
allowed to continue without permanently barring tho
harbor a question into which have not gone Know
however, by examining the maps OF the coast sur
vey and others that large shoals nave oeen l0r9ea 10
channel and that these are growing atger grauldE
In nv opinion the filling up OF Little Hell Gate wonld
have no apprecabe effect on the harbor proper The
filling up OF given in the East River would have
much less effect than the rliug up OF portion OF he
haI Dor channel in other words. the Jersey Flats
General Newton explained this at considerable length
He gave the relative velocity OF the tides In the Last
Coast Survey maps He then asked whether In his
opinion, the line out Al sea beyond which an refuse
Channel He replied
It is not. The Iine should be removed many miles
further out 10 sea Making island Of Robbins Beef
would take just much area from the harbor Of New
ming along the shores of Coney island and
sand maintains the bar. fany ashes, garbage stieet
swcepngs other material is dumped there this har Is
Se of SANDY HOOK where It is now allowed 10 be de-
posted, iniures the harbor. The law should be so
within miles Of the Hook That would DC near
Captain Ambrose Snow president Of the Board OF
Pilot Commits oners exhibited maps Of ;ee harb9r and
coast to show the harbOr had gradually shoaled IN
some places, and the channels narrowed. He added
The barber has been injured very materially; In
The present machinery owned by the Cleaning
Bureau is totally inadequate for the purpose.
plan Of barge such think should he used here.
The cost Of that secw or barge wa; G 174Oo 81 IT, would
gone up few years ago saw saw such rS barge ns
VI Was OPsTaitSah caTmea tWentyave mc. to sea-
strongly advocated such system mere on my return
be independent II 1t had these steam scows such as
have mentioned capable OF going to sea at all times 1t
would be-"
STATEMENTS OF COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL
Allan Campbell, Commissioners Of Public Works gave
his views follows:
Iu 1878 the Legislature requested the Mayor, Con
taoler and Commissioner of Public Works to present
their views on subject OF streecleaung They pre-
sented Two bills to the Assembly One provided that the
work shOul done by contracts the other thatt should
be performed by block days work system The plan
rroposed ID one divide the city into twenty
districts aud TO the streecearng by contract alter
dnly advertising IL, no contractor 10 be allowed
10 Take more than three districts. The street dirt
anIhare was to BE- contracted separately. House
holders to be compelled to keep the g1rDsge Sepa
rate the others The Work OF STRENGTHENING was
10 be under the control of a separate department
think that this is the true method q doing this WORK
Ii il the most economical and most efficient.
The bad condition OF to- pavements enhances the
tHe d partment of Public Works have endeayored TO
remedy THIS and think Wa onn some enc tnTGt e. m Geeyc
inents 1t would help inmensey have asked
eaeD year a., h i9f 1T In 77 the sum Of
was granied IL ISIS $3.50 OOOos in 1879. $4,000;
Jadge Hilton was examined to his views ard ez
He sad M rnft Pocc u Ee Rea srlg & pp 19S aS 1
pheaton for Quantity o the street s%tep"t Gnndc mne
who said the ashes and garbage conld not
possibly be divided from the sueet sweepnR6
tain then observed that something should be- paid for IT,
Judge Hilton replied that as large qTanl-
Can,an ng Gunner then agreed that he might have it,
few loads We're sent but they came 50 eguarIy that
Judge Hilton who had ears and men waiting TO receive
i found that 1t did not pay to carry out such an ar
Mr yarnum-whO the Police Commissioners at
'ua Judge Hiton-wen, don't like 10 swear to any
Tls Was IN April 1879 offered to take the whole OF
the street weepngs and the ashes and garbage OF New
oplv a1IH condition I made was that they should
not pnl the ashes and GARBAGE ogethsr 10 ny orhef
no one of other refuse. willing that they should
throw the garbage with the street sweepiugs but the
ashes wanted separate the purpose Of dock filling
SO the ashes would not create auusapce Whth uscd
IN this manner suggested that 100 pounds OF gypsum
sueh be used each carload for tue neuralzation OF
all offensive odors asked only that ne tcG|s shGu,d
be dOeked at Hunters Point and W9nid unload mem
myself received about 200 ions The difficulty was
thut the stuff came in so irTegnlary.
Mr.. Varnum-Ihe police captain we examined yester-
day that tue garbage was taken mostly fom the
Judge Hilton-I never had an ounce of garbage
taken from NY house By tne Depamen ri 6i Ine gaT6ase
inmates cannot afford TO pay & ior us fghoVa They
never take IT away Om and 59o'e Soe t pay iSc
removal of the garbage from both; and also from
about seventy or eighty boxes on the sidewalk, and
the policemen insisted upon our taking them away We
refused and indicted bat successfully pleaded
thai corporation could not punish Us fOI ODeyng ore
Of its own ordinances. The civ ought 70 remove the
whole of the refuse from stores and houses, Dut my
experience that the police captain Is not PAID IL is
not done.
Mr.. Varnum-Is II not fact that as much as SO a
month Is paid for such removalf
Judge HtOn-l never heard OF ANYBODY who didnt
Day that coud afford IT,
Mr.. varnum-In other words the city has not done
It's dutyg
Judge Hnton--Never 10 my knowledge.
Mr. Varnum-Are you prepared 10 renew the offer 10
regard to the street sweepngs and other refuse