New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-14
ANKLE DEEP IN SLUSH.
THE CITY AT THE MERCY OF THE STORM.

| SIDEWALKS WERE BROOKS AND RoADwAYs
RIVERS BUT THE STREET CLEANING DE-
PARrMENT CAME NOT TO THE
AID OF THE CITIZENS.
| The intensely disagreeable mixture Of snow
sleet and rain tlmt stOrmcd this city yesterday
| had ts origin off the coast of North Carolina on
Sunday. After spreading itself all over the South
Atlantic States, it took its course norhward, over
ran the Middle Atlantic States one after the
other. and finally subusatcd New-Yorl. The
first sign Of its coming observed yesterday
morning at 80 o'clock 1t was gentle fall OK
soft snow. which gradually changed to STEADY
rain. About daylight cool northwest wind ar
rived from the lower lake region, accompanied oy
snow and scet, and the collision Of the two cur
rents made this immediate neighhorhood storm
centre.
The worst Of the visitation was over at IL
| a. m, and by that hour So inches OF snow aEo
slcct had fallen in the city. This, together with
the rain that fell up to p M, represented pro-
! cipitation of 81 of an inch of water. The wind
from the South gradually overcome by that
from the lake region, and nor wester blew across
the city during the greater part of the day at the
rate of forty miles an hour, heating the snow aud
sleet into every nook and crevice, rendering UNI
hrcas practically useless and drenching from
head 10 foot those who were obliged to be out
of doors.
Further to the eastward, in the Ncw-England
States there were strong northeast winds, with
snow and rain. Along the entire Atlantic coast,
from Maine to Florida dense fog prevailed, rem
dering navigation dangerous.
West of the Aleghanies, as far as the Mississippi
River. generally fair weather was reported In
Wyoming and the Dallotas it was showing all
day. but the temperature in the Upper Mississippi
Valley was growing warmer owing TO a storm
forming in Nebraska and along the border OF
South Dakota.
Sergeant Dunn viewed the situation hopefully;
and predicted that the weather was likely to
b., colder here to-day, with possibly clearing skies
J in the afternoon The warm weather in the North
west would turn cold in day or two.
The bungling incapacity of the Street Cleaning
! Department is again made manifest by this storm
Mr. Brcnnan's 1000 laborers including l,400
men with mops and brooms and 500 loading
| carts to haul off the snow utterly worth
less in so far as they gave relief to the street
traffic. The condition of the city was deplorable.
| One would have thought that New-York never
had sewer in all its length and breadth. Not
| only were tie cutters filled with snow and sleet,
| hut water stood in them ankle deep. Even many
Of the principal crossings were impossible except
| TO those who waded. Men were Obliged 10 take
the chances Of brusing breaking limb ip
|
II was a rum Jump and a scramble to avoid
drenching and ducking Nobody would have
minded tlt rain if only the walking had been
| good But il was frghtfu in its badness.
Mr. Brennan's plea We doing AL
that could he expected Of u.s. With that de-
liverance (which has become stereotyped he ever
seems TO be thoroughly satisfied II is simply
a euphemi,m for the familiar ani offensive phrase
of Tweed: What are You going 10 do about it p
The annual revenue Of this city from all sources
ia not less than S41, ,OO0, 900, all Of which Tam
many disburses The appropriation for street
cleaning is S2,2OO,OOO. The streets sre never
| clean. The people Of this city can draw their
| own conclusions from this statement.
An incident or two will serve 10 show how
disc,aceful was the condition OF the streets YES
terlay At the Park Place crossing of Broad.
way a man made stepping-stones OF DoAes ana
small pieces Of planling. and did thriving
business for hours charging pedestrians cents
apiece for the privilege of using them IN ge''ihg
from one side to the other. In some places 'ie
slush was kneedcep 1t was no day for women
10 he ont but they We're out and they gladiy
poid the . cents Passing vehicles continuously
disarranced the walk, but the proprietor was
.,v,vs on hand TO replace box and plank.
FINALLY a sergeant of police obliged him to re-
move what he characterized As the obstrucuons,
and after that people were forced 10 wale anu
struqglr through tie drifts as best they couiu
Opposite tile Broadway Central Hotel z wei.
dressed man, while struggling through TN Ihe @ ga
Of slush TO catch surface ear, fcll ana was Vas
sr,o.t drowned before lookerS-on could go TO nus
rcscne. lie was buried deep that ali thought
he must have fallen into nanhole. =.
4 rlcrchant in attempting to cross Beekman,si;
AZ Parl; Row. jumped to avoid wadn2 through
deep puddle at the cOr1er f slRpe1a on lie s
brrke nis umbrella, ruined his hat and soiled his
| clothes. .. ,,as ,bor.
Yes the condition of the streets was as fmO,' nn,'
ouobly disqraceful 1t is an outrage on the coni-
mnnity that il should he So ...,.,,
The attempt 70 open City Hall ParE 70 trase, sn.a
was infantilc. lIouse-owners are required u ke.p
| ,In Sidewalks clean in front OF their ooors
Why. then. should the city not clean the snow on
thr Park walks? Yesterday Mr.. Brennan con-
tented himself with plougling narrow furrow or
two in the slush. and leaving the paDiic I"