New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-05
ever, moro than doubtful. Perhaps they Will
mot have to make 1t.
DELiTERIHG coal AND COLLECTING
ASHES.

In spite of the wonderful material progress that
Is Characteristic Of the present era, and especially
of the latter half of the nineteenth century
there are some respects In which we seem to be
| contented to go on perpetoaly with customs
than which nothing ruder and more primitive
could well be imagined. Take, for instance,
the two matters Of delivering coal and collecting
ashes both absolutely necessary things. The
dumping of coal from carts ON the sidewalk is q
nuisance In whatever light it is regarded. Pc
destrians are frequently driven out upon the pave
ment in order 10 get past or else must climb over
the pile Of coal, which is particularly unpleas-
ant operation. better method ought long ago
to have been put in practice. AS most OF our
houses are constructed without any eommunica-
ton with the street at the 1t seems necessary
to continue to deliver this indispensable article
from the street in front; and no better SUD-
stitute for the present system has been suggested
than that the coal should be delivered IN Sacks
which could be carried one at a time into the
house or to the chute connecting with the cellar
That would clearly be marked Improvement
upon the way this thing is now done. Some day.
perhaps, all eur cities will be supplied with nae-
ural gas or some equally effective substitute Tor
coal but for good many years probably coal
will continue to be our principal fuel, and
reform in the matter of getting it put in ought to
be instituted without needless delay.
The way in which ashes collected is, IL
anything more crude and less satisfactory than the
method of delivering coal Especially do its
horrors disclose themselves In all their ghastliness
when, as has recently happened, the work is de-
layed or entirely stopped for q few days The
sight of row of ash-barrels and other miscclla-
ncous receptacles along both curbstones Is I'M
pleasing enough at the best; even when 1t lasts
only for an hour or few hours it is sufficiently
trying to sensitive nerves. OF late, however,
this spectacle has been on exhibition In some
streets for week or longer Could anything be
more unsightly? But besides this offence to the
eve when the collecting cart goes upon Its ROUNDS
there is more or less litter left behind, and
cloud of dust is carried into peoples
eyes and upon their clothing, or into
windows and doors that happen to be
opcn If the carts were constructed with q
complete cover like furniture van, the entrance
being at the bottom of the rear portion with ladder
like steps on each side. the dust would be confined
within the vehicle itself No ash-receptace should
be brought upon the sidewalk until it is ready to
be emptied. Let the work be done by two men,
the cart being backed up to the sidewalk by
third. The two handlers would then bring out
the barrel, carry it to the rear OF the cart,
mount the steps and dump its contents into the
forward portion Of the cart. The whole business
would be out OF sight, there would be no dust,
and the barrel could be returned by one of the
men while the other made ready for bringing out
the ashes of the next house. This plan is simple
and easy: is it too simple and easy for the au-
thorities to adopt it?