New-York tribune., 1889-12-20
ONE MORE VAIL OYER THE STREETS

EXaggeratl0n may Olteh De PloPciiJ om-
ployed to give emphasis to truth, but there are
topics and occasions which have to get along
without rhetorical assistance for the simple
reason that an adequate statement OF the facts
eyhausts the resources of our noble mother
tongue 1t would be impossible, for instance,
to draw in words picture OF the streets OF THIS
CITY which would do them justice. Tax Com
missioner Coleman was evidently IN mood to
make the attempt at Wednesdays meeting of
the BOARD of Estimate, but he was aware that
it would inevitably fail, and so contented him
self with the modest declaration that in the
whole course of his life he had never seen the
streets in so filthy condition as at the time
when he was speaking. Undoubtedly Com
missioner Coleman, of the Street Cleaning De-
partment, would have been glad to assume an
expression of incredulity and disapproyal, but
he simply couldn't. A few moments later to
be sure he compelled his vocal organs to utter
mild protest, but neither his head nor his
heart was in it. He knew that not even the
Roman Augurs themselves could have made
such an asseveration in broad daylight without
running frghtful risk OF snickering right III
the face of the first Vestal Virgin that hap
pened to pass that way.
And vet we would not be understood as hold
ing Mr. Coleman exclusively responsible for
the conditions through which we founder We
are not conscious of any ardent and romantic
attachment for the so-called Street, Cleaner-in-
Chief to this municipality, but we want to see
him treated as well as circumstances will per-
init. He may be a sinner but he is likewise
grievousy sinned against 1t won't do for
Commissioner Giroy, for example, to point the
finger of scorn at Mr.. Coleman. The Depart
ment of Public Works hasn't as much authority
as it ought to have in respect to the ripping up
of the pavements, but it has the power to see
that they shall not Oe " restored" to condl-
ton resembling the sides of Vesuvius immedi-
ately after a prolonged and violent eruption
What is the quality of your inspectors, Mr.
Gilroy-those wel-fed loafers who emerge from
the nearest bar-roOms in the cleaning and de-
termine by means of casual glance at an eX-
panse of holes and hummocks that they are no
more numerous and conspicuous than the city
is accustomed to, and are herewith content? !?
Before Commissioner GiIroy bites his thumb at
Commissioner Coleman he would do well to
take his own shortcomings into prayerful con-
sderation.
And there, too, is the Police Department.
How often is the miscreant who waits until Il
pretence of cleaning the street before his door
has been made, and the clouds of dust and
ashes have rolled by, and then deposits his
miscellaneous refuse in the gutter and on the
sidewalk-how often is this conScienceleSs
reprobate given to know that the law has any
thing to say to him? We should certainly
| I,,t bot hot
single exception would emerge from its mSer
able solitude to confront us. The police may
be collectively " the finest" but in their indi
vidual relations to individual depositOrS of gar
bage they leave everything to be desired.
But, alas the worst Of it is that there is only
very feeble public sentiment to enforce the
ordinances against street deElement. While Il
hundred notable vandals are undoing at whole
sale the work of the Street-cleanerS, million
men, women and children are committing petty
offences of the same sort. Our esteemed fell
low-citizen, Mr.. Wouter Van Twiller never
| gdes out OF, his basement door to lay a trail
of potato parings fish bones and wornout dish
| cloths across the sidewalk but he may be seen
at all hours of the day dropping fragments of
letters newspapers, and other genteel rubbish
where they will do the least good, while his
offspring, who haven't yet learned that it is
bad form to eat bananas and peanuts on a
public thoroughfare, initiate and aggravate his
example. And so it goes, year in and year
out, and every now and then the Board of
Estimate dcspairingly acquiesces in the melan-
choly declaration of one of its members, that
never before in the whole course of his weary
pilgrimage to the tomb has he seen the streets
of New-York so filthy.