New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-04
FILTHY BROOKLYN STREETS
DIFFICULTIES IN KEEPING THEM CLEAN.

A NEW CONTRACTOR TAKING HOLD OF THE WORK
CLOUDS OF DUST.
| Clouds of dust were whirled about in Brooklyn
streets on Friday afternoon and the eyes of pedes
TRANS and of passengers in the open street ears
were nearly blinded at times Tho wind
caught up all the dust which had NOS
blown away from the city in tho
other gusty days Of the week, and many complaints
were made that the streets were not cleaner. The
STRENGTHENING system of Brooklyn is just now In
transition state from old contractor 10
one. Last year the city authorities made contract
for cleaning the streets with Seth L. Keeney the
nine months beginning with July !. for $4,000
month During the five months and half before cold
weather and snow set in the streets better
cleaned than ever before. The number OF COM
plants made to the Commissioner Of City Works
small Streets which had not been cleaned I'm
years were swept. and at the beginning OF the win
ter the city was in fairly clean condition.
In the winter month, little or nothing
done. owing 10 the quantity OF ice
and snow in the streets. Tho late spring
prevented work by the contractor until a short
time before his contract expired, aud the weather
was such that he could hardly work two consecu-
tive days. Consequently the winter dirt was not
all cleaned away by April /.
Mayor Low and City Works Commissioner Flee
man had meanwhile decided to change the system
under which the work was done. They were au-
thOrzed TO make contract for three year,
for street cleaning aud the removal Of ashes By
the old system If the weather wf such that tho
work was stopped the pay Of the contractor contin-
ued and thus the elements worked against the city.
According to the present contract the contractor
gets so much mile for what streets he cleans aud
no more. II he does not clean any streets he
gets no pay. There are about $50 miles
IS Al.
was made out according TO which 5000 miles Of
streets to be cleaned in year, streets be-
ing cleaned 800 times and Others only twice
The contract went In force April 81 the lowest
bidder being Henry Beran In the last ten DAYS
he has been busy organizing force to do the work.
aud has rot yet completed it. According to the
far out as Bedford-ave, Myrtle-ave also to Bed,
to Eeventh-st,, and FIRST and Fourth sts., from
Diyision-ave.. TO Grand-ave. Az soon as these arc
cleaned the regular schedule will be followed and
the entire city will be cleaned before the not
weather begins IL the contractor fails to clean
any street the City Works Commissioner can have
and Superintendent Of Street Cleaning are among
the employees of the City Works Department to SEQ
that the contract is complied with.
The amount appropriated for street cleaning for
the resent year is $150000. With this about a.
many miles of street can be kept clean as in New
York. where $l,00O000 is spent and thought
largely explains the difference. Tie
miserable condition of the pavements In many parts
of BROOKLYN adds largely TO the difficulty of Keeping
the streets free from dirt. Only "a small sum Is APP
pTOpriated each year for repairs and the pavements
wear out faster than they are replaced. Mayor Low
has yainly endeav0red to secure legislative action
to appropriate enough money TO put the streets i'm
good repair. A thorough putting in order
of the asphalt pavements now would cost
six times the amount available for the
purpose. Many of the streets most used for dry-
ing are full Of holes which make them unsafe for
light vehicles going at rapid rate and they ara
getting RepalfS n
some of them and will he continued until the money
is exhausted Another difficulty in the way Of
keeping the streets clean is the amount Of building
in progress, which is greater this spring than ever
| before.
The excavation of cellars leads TO the cartng Of
| dirt through the streets, more or less of which
! drops despite the city ordnance requiring tight
| carts. Then the builders monopolize part of tho
street in front of the dwellings, and they make
a great deal of dirt from their work. Every now
building as soon as 1t is occupied, also adds to the
amount of ashes to be removed.
A tour of some of the principal Brooklyn streets
! on Friday showed the necessity of sweeping in
most of them. The usual street dirt was augmented
in many places by the litter caused by the May
moving. On the streets In the lower wards, where
the residents in the habit of dumping all manner
ofrefuse street there were many considerable
heaps of filth. All of the best residence streets on
the Heights, in south Brooklyn, on the Hill and in
the Eastern District were in nearly the same condi-
tion OF half-cleanness. In some of the more inn
pOrtant thorOughfares men at work with
patent sweepers. sprnklers and carts gathering the
dirt together and Ia ing 1t away.
Deputy City Works Commissioner Whiting said
that the streets were not being cleaned as rapidly
as they should be owing to the difficulties the con-
tractor met in getting in shape for the work. The
amount appropriated for street cleaning. in his
opinion, too small to admit of the most eiliciens
work. Still, much had been done last
year to keep the streets IN a satsfac-
tory condition, and the complaints wero
few. Under the present system there was every in
ducement for the contractor TO do his work. The
chance element, that if he delayed the work hs
would not have to do it. had been eliminated. Az
ter the city had been thoroughly cleaned it would
be comparatively easy to keep il IN good condition