The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-19
nov TO TEAR Up 4 STREET.
In Paris They Make No Mess or Fuss md
Waste No Time.

Ono of the most marked things In European
cities to the American traveller is the FREQUENT
evidences OF the employment OF highly skilled
labor upon work which would be dono by UNI
skilled labor in this country A city official OF
New York said n short time ago it would be
impossible to keep the streets OF New York in
a state of cleanliness and repair similar 10 the
boulevards Of Paris because OF tho expense.
which the taxpayers would not stand. And he
went on to say that granting tho taxpayers
were willing to stand tho expense the needed
number Of skilled lnborers could not be found.
But in Paris such things can be done quick
ly and skilfully. because a large force. an in
definitely large force. OF highly skilled labor
ers may be hired for n small sum. The result
Is that oven the humblest work is done with
an exercise Of skill and Intelligence which
amazcs an American. When q street or build
Ing is to be repaired u great force OF trained
laborers is gathered the materials for labor
come with them. and tho work goes forward
swiftly. quietly. in an orderly manner. with SO
little muss and fuss that passersby are hardly
conscious that anything is doing
An American drinking small bottle at lit
tie tabl. in front " the uf6 de la Paix one day
last summer saw an illustration Of this. AS
feet below the level Of the asphalt. not far
Toward o o'clock IL man with spade. n ham
mer. and a chiscl appeared with m assistant.
aWn oSs and one of them II" to t%o ra
one Of tho baskets a rope and IA mum Der of iron
standards sharp at the lower end. Quickly
the men drove these standards into The as
phalt and stretched the rope around them So
that a square space oght feet by -four, was en-
closed. The assistant took from the bas ket a
big placard and leaned it against one OF the
standards and went away. The placard was
mission to take up the asphalt and repair u
The other laborcr climbed over the rope and
Il Ia n snhn NIL ct r.,,t
two and uR hail. Foownr hs mark eHe he
chiseled through theasphal9 and when he had
fully lifted il out and laid it TO one side Then
he took his snade and dug up the gravel and
Of the se tho
earth underneath and soon had his hole dug
posed. All the dirt he had taken from the hole
was in the other basket. # there had been Il
ns sftHss only schty Sls I'm
with sol and not at all injured.
haa he ss
face cleared at once and broke into as smile Of
greeting as two !aborers. armed with tools and
away They were evidently plumbers aud
understood their business. For in almost no
Gers s Were W. re- stanm outsiGs the rope ' lpokins
about them. They ala j., MT ct have long to wait.
earth and 10 ram i down with rammer ho
| had brought with him:
| Just about tho time he began to put back the
gravel a roller and engine appeared. Another
| lahorcr climbed oyer the rope and helped him
| with this last work in which hot tar was used.
They laid back the piece of asphalt which had
| been cut out and put aside, and filed in the
crack. Then they pulleL, up the stakes. and
the ots Il" ss and u sssl thY race
away leaving no dirt, no muss. and only a
the rest OF the asphalt to show that anything
| had been done. The American who was watch
| ing ali this looked at his watch. It was not
| quite II O'Clock. The work had been done in
about two hours. The street had not been
Giockaded; n" Erent ana ma IN HhnsiGhiy piles OF
| lnborers were rs clean, when they went away
as when they came. The street was as perfect
| as il it had not boon disturbed