New-York tribune., 1881-03-23
A DNTY FOR ALDERMEN.

A DUTY FOR ALDERMEN.
We shall probably secure some sort Of legislation
at Albany intended to give relief from the present
filthy condition of the streets of this city The inn
petus given by the indignation meeting OF Friday
evening to this movement cannot but arouse
legislators to action-that is, if they desire to con-
tnue to be legislators. They will doubtless Sc
that they must now act with and for the people,
and ignore the mere politicians or cease themselves
to be politicians and representatives IN the near
future. And not only the men at Albany out the
city officials here must take a hand in the move
ment. They are largely responsible for the filthy
and dangerous condition of the streets. and they
can do much-Mayor. Aldermen, Police Commits
sioners and ALTO help remedy the matter
The promised consolidation of the two bills affect
np the Street Cleaning Bureau introduced by Sena-
tors Astor and BKby, will give the direction OF
street cleaning to the Mayor. This is as 1t should
be. At least, it is everybody appears 10 desire
it should be, including tho Mayor himself VINO
shows his nerve in asking this additional RESPONSE
b;Iitv. and who ought TO have the opportunity to
nrovo he has the executive ability to accomplish
one of the most serious tasks which deVolves on
any local official. And the Legislature ana all
other authorities it to the people TO strengthen
his hands in every possible way. They eau do so
Inv few very simple measures. The first Of these,
the Board of Aldermen, should be to prevent the
foulinp of the streets Such regulations We believe
IN ne essential to the success of any scheme OF
srrcet-clcaniug. We have no such laws or Ordl-
nonces which are ever enforced. On the contrary,
the utmost license to obstruct and dirty the streets
;s nermitted We are q whole city full OF street.
soilers against few hundred strcet-cleaners. Not
more than one-haf the filth removed from the
streets is what might be designated as natural ac
cumulations it is largely the refuse OF our houses
stores and factories thrown reckessly into tue
cutters Our servants place barrels oil ashes upon
the sidewalk TO wait for hours at least, sometimes
for days for the scGvengers cart; and the wind
and the racpicker scatter their loose contents about
tho street. Every anitor Of n factory or store OF
fat 10 saw nothing of tho occupants of tenement
bouses finds the street tho most convenient place
70 dunn the daily refuse lie is required to get rid
Of The refuse of oveIv one OF tho thousands OF
corner stands which Aldermanic license permits to
obstruct even the narIowost streets. Is similarly
cast into the gutter to be scattered by wind or
framing feet This is constantly done, not merely
under cover of night but in tho daytime right
pnder the eyes aud noses of Health and Police
officers In any Othor city in the world this would
be an offerce punishable by fine
Rules and penalties can be established here.
First of ALL it should 10 required that ashes ana
garbage be kept in separate receptaeles, each OF
ub,cb must have n cover and neither of which
must be placed the sidewalk nutIl the scaVeu-
GERS carts arc In sight. Punish tho householder
violating such an ordinance by 20, and he VIII
soon sec that his servants obey The law. Make IL
the duty OF policemen and also OF the scavongers to
report such violation on pain of dismissal. and the
ordinance will be enforced. Watch factories and
stores in the same way, punish employers for such
nOlie other m
spectors Tor failure to report violations aud the
ctv would be astonshed at the end of year to see
the difference in its streets Stop licensing street.
booths. The sidewalks of this city were never in
tended to be WIDE enough for them at any rate they
were not made wide enough. These stands bring no
income to the city; they not Of special utility
and they ado immensely to the filth OF our streets
Stop street peddling We do not mean the huck-
sters who 90 about with horse and wagon. They
have their uses, though they need regulating; but
the hundreds Of nero pedlers with small hand
wagons or basket stands who occupy pavements
and sidewalks too They should DO forced to go 10
somo general market stand.
These appear trivial matters to urge on the
attention of our authorities; but any one of prac
tcal experience or even of ordinary observation
knows that they arc close to the root OF the whole
evil OF dirty streets The ordinances of Paris and
London are very strict in this regard and the sani
ta1v and police forces are held accountable for
their strict enforcement. Once stop this constant
and unnecessary flow Of filth to the streets, and the
removal of the natural dirt will not be the impos-
sible task" that Police Commissioners now declare
il is And this once done, then apply the common
sense principle that tho housewife does to her
parlor to keep it clean. 1t is TO be constantly
cleansing Don't let the dirt get ahead OF the scav-
enQeIs 1t will not cost nearly as much to Keep the
streets constantly clean as it now does to clean
them once week after tho filth has accumulated
in heaps. In the other great cities the scavenger
is always abroad with broom and shovel and hose
and consequently he has no occasion for the pick
| axe. which is the most formidable weapon of
| the New-York scavenger, or rather miner and
sarper And don't call in, as we do now, the whole
force when it begins to rain for fear they may get
wet. Nature does great deal for the Street Clean
ing Bureau of New-York, but there Is no evidence
that shs proposes to take the whole contract OIL its
hands, Abroad. a rainstorm IS tho signal for the
sanitary and STRENGTHENING forces to assemble for
| work. and when showers are few and far between,
| and dust threatens to accumulate, the street by
drants and hose are made to do duty.
| The local SoIon who puts these practical ideas
into the form of ordinance aud passes 1t through
| the Board Of Aldermen, may possibly offend the
street standowners and the pedleIs and Bridgets in
his district but he will render public service
| which win not be forgotten.
-
The white naples are Just beginning to bloom
But because this Is moro than full month iatei