Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-05-13
The Streets of New York.


States. 1t Was bad enough when the
snow and ice blocksdet all our thor.
onghfares. and made it next to impos-
sihle for man or beast to get about; but
the thaw that followed aggravated the
evil, and to-day the city lies ankle
deep in liquid filth, through which
pedt strians are obliged to wa3e and
ii )uAder. There is no such thing AZ
picking ones way, for, with few excep-
tons, one spot is as bad as another,
and everybody plusges in and plows
through it without regard to conse-
qHences. At many of the crossings
the icy mounds have not entirely dis
appeared, and they are used as stepping
stones across the pools of alush; but
they are treacherous to the footing, aud
not few nimble walkers have come to
grief in attempting to spring from one
Of these olippery hills to another. The
ape ctacle Of u citizen lying on his face
or back in one Of these inky holes was
not uncommon, and many, besides be-.
ing soaked, were Injured more or less
by the fall. Nor was this all, for in
addition to having to walk through the
mire at the risk OF a tumble, the trav-
eler was liable at any moment to be
spattered from head to foot by passing
vehicles.
A number Of incidents OF mishap to
luckless pedestrians have appeared in
the daily newspapers. A man crossing
West street, near Washington Market,
in trying to avoid deep pool of black
mud and water, slipped and fell into it.
As he drew himself out, and was walk
ing sadly away amid the merrimsnt and
laus liter Of the bystander, he was
seized by u truckman, who demanded q
dollar for damage done to the harness
of bis horse, which had been vainly
clutched and broken by tho man in his
endeayors to save himself from fall.
With dire imprecations on the condi-
ton OF the streets, and the greed Of
truckmsn, he paid the money, and
walked away with look of disgust on
his face.
An exquisitely dressed gentleman,
getting out Of stage in front Of the
Aetor House, fell full length on his
face, aud was pasted from head to foot
with mud. HIS overcoat was open ut
the time, and every outer garment had
it's share of the vile stuff. His silk hat
fell off as matter OF course, and his
forehead was so dirty that he didn't
dare put the hat on again. Both hands
we're dripping, and his shirt front was
covered with filth. When he reached
the sidewalk. he stood there in an atti-
tude OF perfect helplessness, with cane in
one hand and hat in the other, aud an
expression of despair and woebegone-
ness on what little could be seen Of his
face, that beggars all description. 1t
WAS the noon hour, when many we're
passing, and some good Samaritans
among them managed. by dint of much
scrapiug and wiping and rubbing, to
get 1.-The worst of it off," and the unfor-
tunste man resumed his journey. To
his credit be it said, he never spoke An
angry word from first to last that is,
from the time he got up until the rub
bling Was over-but there is no knowing
what he said when he got away from
the crowd.
But there is something even worse
than having to wade through the slush,
or getting ones clothes ruined by the
mud. Filth is breeder OF disease,
and unless the streets of New York are
cleaned. the mortality bills will tell
frightful story. The piles Of mud and
refuse matter which cover the east-sids
thoroughfares seem to be more noisome
than ever. In Baxter, Mott and Null
berry streets, heaps Of garbage and
ashes nearly six feet high have OBJ.
structed the sidewalks for weeks.
While the cold weather lasted, these
filthy masses had the effect only Of de.
laying traffic and obstructing foot
passengers. But since the thaw has set
in, the melting snow and ice have made
the matter putrid, and have rendered
1t as offensive to the nose as to the eye.
The doctor and the undertaken may
we'll thank the Health Board and the
Street Commissioner for the pecuniary
profit that is sure to be rsaped from
their official neglect.
With an appropriation Of $500, 600
year, the streets Of New York ought to
be cleaned, or the people should know
the reason why they are not. Things
have come to u tine pass when the mer
chants, who have sui I'd the loss of
hundred thousand dollars day by the
ice blockade, have now to turn ont with
shovel and broom and sweep the
streets themselves. II is high time that
the present inefficient Bureau WAS re-
formed or abolished, and some more
eff ctive means employed to insure the
public weitare.-I Harpers.
EDUCATIONAL. President Eliot SAYS
in has new report that the recitation
considered rs an opportunity of exam.
lining student to see whether he has
learned the lesson of the day and to
give him o mark of merit or demerit
has well-nigh disappeared from Har-
ward. 1t has become for the teacher an
opportunity to give conversational III
structiou by asking questions, ad-
DIRE ssed either to an individual or to the
class, with view to correct misappre
tensions and to bring out the main
points of the subject clear of tho de-
tails, by explaining tho author in hand,
or by contravening, reinforcing or
illustrating his statements; for the
Student it has become an opportunity to
ask questions, 10 receive, either in crit
icI or in iocile spirit, the explanations
and opinions OF the instructor; to re-
view the lesson or re- examine the subject
of the day; and to test occasionally his
own nOwar pf frupsIatiup ~ afat,pu a