New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-03
NO EXCUSE NOW FOR DIRTY STREETS
THE NEW SWEEPING BRIGADE STARTED WITH
FINE UNIFORMS AND LOTS OF MONEY
BEHIND 1T.

"NOw we will have clean Streets said Commissioner
Thomas Brennan yesterday. when he starol ont tho
first battalion If his uniformed force. 1hrycne went
to lower Broadway and 1i0 to other streets lu the
lower part Of The city. The all dressed In
blouse aud trousers ot heavy sec-gray cotton duck.
with collar Of brown material, and curs trimmed
with brown canvas. The hat was OF the same stuff a.
the blouse and Bmss buttons with the letters
"D. 3 c. decorated the blOuscs. and the bands Of
the hats the same Initials were stamped. Each sweeper
and driver will wear also shield bearing his number
the department rolls. All the uniforms except the
Broadway sounds were ready -madc. While the uni
forms were being distributed one man. Antoine Vets
key. Of No. 5S3 Sixthavc, refused to accept his.
Commissioner Brennan asked his reason.
4" Because am an American citizen,' he replied
stoutly, and do not propose To 10 dsgraced BY
wearing n livery
Mr.. Brennan tried to convince him that II was not
q livery but uniform. like that worn by policemen
and frcmen. But Wetskey declined TO bc convinced
and discharged.
The uniform Of the superintendent and his assistant
the district superfntcndenis, the forcmen and other
outdoor supervising officials, is OF blue CLOTH with
brass but and helmet In each Of the fifty eight
districts Il foreman will have a force Of twenty to
thirty five men. The space each man must keep clean
Is Gxed By the character OF the paving and the width
Of the street The basis for each sweeper is coo
OF roadway thirty five feet wide In the residence
part Of the city But where the trafic is heavy and
the roadway IS thirty five, forty forty five feet
wide, aud the paving IS not Ia good repair, less space
Is assigned. 1t Is held that sweeper can keep
1000 200 fcct OF asphalt paving clean. but In
e Tough ncghborhoods. on the East side and else
where. 400 or 500 feet Of roadway will lie much
Will be expected TO sweep.
Commissioner Brcnnnn made Il speech TO each
SOUND II started ont yesterday. He toll the men
that they must keep their uniforms clean. take good
care OF them and always have their bnttons and
shields polished. Any employe reporting for duty
without his uniform would be suspended. and II ho
was caught giving away his shield, letting any one
else his uniform, he wonld be prosecuted by tho
ID, parme1t. Every mile Of street must be keIt
clean, so TINT there Will be no complaints from any
body" said the Commissioner. and TO do this every
man must keep his section clean II will be my
business to that he does. and II he cannUt do
II. some one Will be- put In his place who can
Mr. Brennan told the reporters that every one OF
tlr 400 miles of the streets Of this city would be
swept once every twenty four hours. ard that he
would mike q dean city OF NrwYork II IT could be
done. As Mr.. brennan has about 81 100000 10 do
this with on Increase OF S557 900 over last years
appropriation. II would seem that there Is nothing In
the WY OF his fulfilling his promise. II the I'm
mense sum allowed Is expended In te legitimate
work Of STREET cleaning. the city can bc kept clean
bnt ~ II IL to BE spent hercofore for the main
tcnance OF rnmmany Hall aud It's myriad Of lazy and
worthless lrelcrs New York viii continue b. have
dirty and filthy thoruuginarcs. II all depends upon
how the vas, amounts which the people willingly
rz,y Ia ins,lr. hoelth and dr-ncy are used.
Thrr Of the eleven district superintendent WIRE
appointed by the Commissioner Yesterday John
Mct ormack, No. 4j6 WEST Thirty hrst ST.: Edwhid
Campbell No 33d West Forty eight i-st., and owen
llcay. 30 80 Third ave.