New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-14
THE DIRT MUST GO.
CITIZENS IN EARNEST ABOUT THE STREETS.
A LARGE NUMBER OF THEM URGE THE MAYOR
TO TAKE THE ADVICE OF HIS Ap-

TO TAKE THE ADVICE oF ~" "
vIsoRY COMMITTEE
A number OF prominent citizens VINO arc ni'0leo'
in the cleanliness Of this city's streets, hsVo
movement which has for Its oD'eo'9 t"o P.Oo S .t
priyate enterprise In streetcleamng maV.ers ",u "o
on.,or M much Of the litter on the streets that Is
- .ao These citizens believe that II Individual
care IA shown in these regards the city authorities sec
Ing that they have the cooperation OF the puDho WIZ
seeJ encouraged in their work. Inc movement -
largely due the nature OF tne reporO Vi "lo In
,,tee recently appointed by the Mayor to CONSIDER
.Ieonina matters In that committees report
q, - totaa that II the laws and ordinances regulating
az. nd,ct Of householders and citizens In regard "
cleanliness were duly Observed the WORK Oh the oO'0'
cleaning Department would be greatly essenen
The movement started by this statement has reSu'cu
in tho street Cleaning Aid Society, which from piee'
,ndcatons will soon become large and hourisnins
organization. A. -.... ,.os Tho
presentation to the Mayor yesterday afternoon oi 'o
following letter: ... ,os,re N
sr; the methods OF street cleaning In this city,
n3 sISo the value OF the service which the aav".5
committee receH ws beg Tspec to submit to
The following plan Should IL receive yUuI 1perraon
d we have confidence that we shall be able 70 inter
est the public sufficiently for the pyrp9sSb, ot ~
the city a bureau Of information concerhme al msU
tiers street ceanlness The report o Td S reS
latiug the conduct Of householders ana cuzehS VIII
respect TO cleanliness were duly oDserTSo' 'n1 o
urhtened Realizing the truth Of this statement ana
also the responsibility which II imposes on nnye
citizens in 1.-THE matter, our first endeaV0r VIII Dc 70
co-operate with the city authorities In keeping me
streets clean after they have been swept and % make
ne many individuals as possible realize how mucn uey
can promote the public good by habits Of observation
and cleanliness In front of their own doors we truSy
| that our efforts may help to stmuate, among al
cises Of citizens some of that general interest In the
working Of the local government without Wcn ~ ~
dlfcut for any officers however Jealous TO execute
| municipal regulations efficiently
| This letter had about 200 signatures. of both men
and women. The committee that presented 1t to the
Mayor consisted Of Samuel ID. Babcock, John crosby
Brown Jesse Seigman, william Ii. Tlllnghurst, joseph
w oCden Charles S. Fairchild John "A. Stewart VIII
lam E. Dodge and John c. Calhoun. The plans OF the
society have been printed in English, German and
| italian and will be widely circulated. There are no
membership dues, but each joining must agree TO
| tho following regulations
To keep clean the sidewalk in front OF his residence
or place OF business and TO sweep no fuDDis1 lhVo
the street. to put ash barrels out at proper nonIs.
W sprnhe water over ashes in barrels in order to
prevent dust and never to fill barrels so full as 70
ashes or garbage throw them into the street not
to throw fruit peellngs OF any kind upon the sde
condition Of the Streets, and to report negligence
carciessness of any kind to the society's Office.
The Mayors Office was filed with citizens Of more
or less prominence composing the delegation to wait
IN There were present Charles S. FaIrchild, Joseph
II Choate Cornelius ~ Bliss, Charles stewart Smith,
| James A. Roosevelt, the Rev. DR.. Charles H. ParK-
hurst, Dr. f. p. Kinnicutt, William E. Dodge, H. o..
| Hayemeyer A. r. Whitney, X. NJ. Galloway, Frederic
| r. Coudert, John S. Kennedy, Samuel D. BaococK'
| Henry CIews, Edmund G.. stanton, and many DINERS
| Of the slgners Of the letter. Another purpose OF
their visit was to urge the Mayor to take immediate
| action upon the recommendations OF MS AdVlsOfy
Committee, and to this end to secure from the Legs
latre before 1t adourns the passage OF an act which
will permit the Board OF Estimate to open Its oudSet
for the present year and make such additions as may
DO required to enlarge the appropriation for street
| cleaning and secure such other legislation as VIII
enable the authorities TO place the StreetCeanlne
| Department on the footing desired by the committee
Frederic r. Coudert, looking around upon the solid
looking representation for which he was the spokes-
man. addressed Mayo Grant, who stood near his table,
4 upon the subject OF the visit. lie passed glowing
eulosy upon the report Of the Mayors Advisory Com
| mittee and hoped that the good impression 1t had
made would not be allowed to die out. Referring 10
the suggestions Of the Advisory Committee MIR. Cou-
dert said that the question Of labor vas the most I'M
| porant. To get the streets cleaned as they ought
to b. the system of precarlous employment must be
changed 30 one Of permanently 1t was not question
of money with the taxpayers. They wanted clean
streets and were willing to pay for them. The failure
10 clean them not much the fault Of the agents
as Of the system. II it cost more to give men per
manent employment the people were ready to assume
| the responsibility A system which would pay the
laborers $40 per month, but insure them from being
removed or laid OFF at the dictum of political boss,
| was far preferable to the present system.
He thought that under the present civil service law
the steecleaners might be registered and permanent
employ ment warranted Mr.. COudert urged the Mayor
| to Immediate action and hoped that he would not
wait until the heat Of summer made the tenement
house districts ree1 again with disease and peslence
| the euIt of
could the Mayor so distinguish his administration as
by adopting plans which would remove from New York
the stigma Of having such badly kept thorOughares.
With his immense official power and his great influence
as man, the Mayor could accomplish the desires OF
| the people. 1t most inviting opportunity to
send his down to posterity. " II you will give
me your place for twenty -four hours" said Mr.. Cou-
dert, Il win pay you the salary and thank you be
Sides Mr. Couderps remarks were warmly ap-
me Mayor IN reply thanked the gentlemen who who
warm interest evnced i the subject Of street cleaning
They were mistaken, however, If they imagined that
he AGT,oy VSSsn So lie had
them when they presented It and took occasion now
a great and faF-rcaohlng Unfortunately In the
first attempt OF the Board OF Estimate 10 act upon the
| recommendations they had been met with lnlunc-
ton. There were other difficulties to be surmOunted.
| Mr. Grant said That his disposition was to meet tho
presence In every practicable way AS to the suggee.
ton OF Mr. COudert regarding the power to classify
|
was great difference OF opinion.
Although Everett z. Wheeler drew the law there
good lawyers who thought he erred in giving 10
the inte' pretaton that aboTerS could be classified
| The Mayor did not think $40 a month could be re
garded as sufficient. The city paid it, aborcrs q a
day, which was not an eAorbitant sum. The Mayor
said that ne was s giving the question Of improved
| to be able TO make an announcement which would
come nearer TO what his callers would like to hear
lie sure that improvement had been made In the
Ctys streets within the hast few months he looked
for still greater improvement. Every possible effort
| should be put forth to this end.
william II. Dodge assuVed the Mayor that the people
who paid the taxes begrudgcd money that would
be expended In street cleaTlg If properly spent New