New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-27
srprorS NUISANCE IN BRoADWAY

A SERIO US NOISANcE Nv p"o"D"
II the philosophical observer OF metropolitan
life should desire TO 500 delightful example
Of stately dignity, placid deiibcrahon ana I'M
ruaIed leisure he should watch the men who
a,e no,v employed on the subways in Broad
UNIV Few things more entertaining can be
-, :. o,,- e4roets than the manner in which
these pampered sons of luxury are carrying on
their operations in our most Important Unor-
oucbfore Many of the so-called " laborers'
IooI, rs if they were political " heelers' and
bangers-on who had been put on the payrolls
% ,oward for partisan services of some sort.
II NAV he that they are, although they are not
omnloved bv the city, but by the subway CON
Struct;on company. But the affiliations of that
company with politics have been IN themselves
suhtcranean, mysterious and devious, and II
may well be that some OF the oiilceholders ana
nolticians who have been useful to the subway
contractors have succeeded in stuiiing the pay
,,oIls If the company with idle ard inefficient
mon. whose employment hitherto has been IN
the line of stufing ward meetings, bnbmg re-
,oators and doing all the filthiest work OF the
dirtiest district politics
Whatever may have been the history and
the records Of the men who are handling the
shade the pick and other tools in the broadway
excavation, il is certain that it would be hard
to match any of them anywhere for deliberate
effectiveness and profound meditation in then
onno;nted task Few more comical sights can
10 coon than tho manner in which some Of these
fellows handle spade. They first look up 10
the sky, and take note of the weather Next
they make careful and prolonged observations
of the appearance of all the neighboring build
inrs. Then they look up and down. the street
IN 500 II ANYTHING of interest to them is going
On within view, and finally they slowly push
the shade a fraction of an inch into the soil
and take up something like teaSpoonful OF
earth. which Is raised with extreme slowness
and care and deposited with much gravity and
an evident weight of responsibility upon the
heap at the side Of the ditch.
Well if the contractors can stand this kind
Of work, the citizens might be able to tolerate
il il the idleness and inefficiency OF these So
called workmen did not extend unduIy the
time during which the greatest business thoe-
ouchfare of the New World is broken ur,
traffic is seriously impeded, and all sorts OF de-
laws and distractions are thrown in the way
of progress in Broadway. An enterprise of this
sort should be laid hold of swiftly, and pushed
through to completion at the highest possible
speed consistent with thoroughncss and excel
lence of work. 1t is the duty of the city au-
thorities in the public interest to require this
and no such contemplate shufling no such
miserable dallying with so important an under
taking as may now be seen daily in Broadway
should be tolerated. The members Of the
Beard of Electrical Control appear to have sub
sided into a sponge-lile Indifference to public
opinion and to the requirements of the public
welfare They ought to be stirred up. Mayor
Grant should prod them still further with the
sharpest of his sticks. And every municipal
official who can stimulate the operations in
Broadway and force the contractors TO display
more energy in conducting them should be
prompt in applying such vigorous impulse as
he can command.