New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-15
HOW TO CLEAN The STREETS.
A TALK WITH I. B. MUseRAvE.

| LONG IsLAND-PREsIDENT CHANDLER AND THE
HUNTERS POINT NuIsANCRs.
| reporter of The TRIBUNE called recently ON
Thomas B. Musgrave the banker, WHO a few years
ago was instrumental in procuring the indictments
against the members Of the New-York Board Of
Health and whose recent pamphlet on Reform in
NewYork City" has attracted attention. Mr
Musgrave has made study Of the STRENGTHENING
systems of Paris and London. In the course of the
conversation Mr.. Musgrave gave his views on the
present management of the Street Cleaning Bureau
ald his opinion as to what ought to be done tc
remedy existing evils.
In relation to the street-ceanngD said Mr.
Musgave, " it seems to me to be the plain duty OF
the Mayor to find out the exact number IF carloads
Of refuse matter which it will be necessary to
move from the city every day. The next thing
would be to find ont the best and most practicable
manner of dispOsng of this refuse Under the
present system this stuff carried out TO sea- 1t Is
about eighteen miles to Sandy Hook. and the men
say that they have taken it from ten t. twelve miles
further. The Manhattan Beach Company insists
that they shall take it twenty miles outside of Sandy
Hook. 1t takes from six to eight hours to make g
trip with the scows of the Street. Bureau to
Sandy Hook, unload them and return, and that only
when the weather is favorable II ice, fogs storms
or other causes prevent the seows from going to
and how often that will happen the present winter
has shOwn-the garbage cannot be collected in the
city the next day. there being empty seows in the
docks. The dirt accumulates very rapidly under
these circumstances, and it becomes more difficult
every day dispose of it, 1t is evident, then, that
under this system, or under any system which dis
poses of the ashes and refuse of this city by dumping
them out at sea- regularity OF service be OBJ
tanned. There are moreover, not enough dumping
grounds, and the gathering Of the many carts which
are employed in the STRENGTHENING Service around
few points is cause of much delay and waste Of
time"
"What plan would you suggest to do away with
these dificultiesp
"At Paris they have wagons carrying large boxes,
which can be opened and closed at the top. After
collecting the garbage thesesNre driven to two or
three railroad stations in different parts of the city,
and the boxes and their contents are hauled upon
platform cars. The circnlar railroads OF that city
render the delivery of the boxes very simple
matter They are then taken to a point from thirty
to forty miles from the city, and the refuse is used
by a company which owns large tracts of barren
land for filling in ground or for fertiizing pur-
poses"
us there not great objection to this plan on ac-
count of the malaria and fevers which land thus fer
tilted is said TO generator
81 looked into this matter pretty thoroughly" re.
piled Mr. Musgrave, when was at Paris, and J.
never heard complaints about malaria having been
the result of dumping the ety's refuse those bar
rem plains Moreover, think it is better that few
should suffer rather than that the health of thou
sands in the city should be endangered There - no
city in the world so favOrably situated for the pur
pose of getting rid of its dirt and garbage as
New-York. and there is no city cursed
with so impracticable way of doing it. Now my
plan would be to carry the refuse of the city. in
wagons constructed ON the same principle as those
used in Paris to FIVE or six ferries on the east side OF
thetown where they should deiverthe boxes and re-
ceve empty ones IN return. The boats should carry
them to some point designated by the Long island
| Railroad Company The ruirOad company should
| then take them to the sandy plains which ABOUND
| on Long Island If the railroad company does NOT
| wish to buy the land, other people VIII. and inc
| railroad will furnish transportation only. Ihe
managers would ind that this was profitable as the
men at Paris did and that It enhancea the value Oh
been told that the Paris Land Company paid
enormous dividends. high 80 and 40 per ceut.
This plan. in my oplnion would insure regularity IN
the col lection of the ctys garbage The trips across
the river are Short and little delay would be coca
stoned by fogs or ice. The Mayors duty would be
70 ascertain the number of carloads TO 30 removed
daily the cost of organizing an efficient service, the
equipment of q sufficient force, and the price at
Company, would be willing to furnish the necessary
number of trains daily. On this basis 1t seems TO
me that it would be simple enough to arrive at the
cost of removing the garbage and dirt OF the city,
"What do you think of the measure, now under
consideration. which takes the Sneet-Cleanng Bu"
reap ont Of the hands OF the PSSe Commissioners
al think it is q good one and that the Bureau
should be placed under responsible head though
am in favor of having the Police Department
cooperate with the STRENGTHENING Bureau"
"Do you think that the block system favored Dy
Professor Chandler, Is good oneT
That system is a Quackism OF the hrst water.
Just think of unifOrming men that have to wotk IN
dirt all day. 1t has been tried partially, but was
found to be faulty. In the Weather parts OF ing
CITY the streets are cleaned at the expense oil the
pr0pe,ty-owners which is system similar to that
PROPOSED BY Professor Chandler. The dirt isremoVed
IRON the street. il is true put NOBODY Knows whsre
n "a carried aud the people who pay for having IL
removed don't care. The contractors may dump IL
| into the river OF INTO vacant lots;
tons Of the state Board of Health into the Hunters
| Point nulsanceST n, -. .,. .. t,
rbon did those of the committee which the LegSla-
tnre appointed IN 1875 Professor Chandler has the
| newer of the law to stop these nuisances, and no
does not do 1t. His testimony, gwen the other dl,
shows that he Is IN sympathy with these nuisance
! breeders. The indictment or Mr.. Zoe, VINO man
tanned one of the most offensive places, aud VINO
| was driven out of Hunters Point by
committee of citizens, was not obtained By Pr0ies
sor Chandler until he feared he ing indicted himself
Mi Coo told me that he leased his works to Rattery
! q Williams, whose business az the foot OF East
Forty fourthst, in this city, was the most offensive
of all the nuisances on this side OF the rver ana tno
| one upon which the indictment against FroieS'or
| Chandler found. Now what hope Is thets, "a
redress so long as such men rs Professor CBShd,es
are allowed to remain at the head OF the City Health
| BOardR He is an ex-otficio member OF the e1ato
| Board of Health, and as such is investigating Jus
own mIsdeeds Can anyone expect anything IRON
| such farce q
.The death rate of this city Is greater than thas
| OF any other city 10 the United States except New
Orleans and Is constantly the increase yet no
city in the world is more fav0raby sitaSied 70 ln.
sure general health The public and the newspapers
must interest themselves more in this matl&t. 10
fact that il ls being made tue topic OF dlsea'on ~
the papers is a step toward improvement
"That IS probably the oldest piece Of farnis