New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-05
A DISGRACE TO THE CITY.
PARK ROWS CONDITION A MENACE Tc
LIFE AND LIMB
CONTRACTS DIsREGARDED AND TRAFFIC IN TIT
STORES AND STREET At sTANDsTILL
DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING
INFORMATION

It is humilIating for a citizen Of New-York when
cudee,Ing his brains for parallel to the condition
OF some of the streets Of the metropolis 10 oe
obliged to go all the way to Bangkok IN iar-o"
Siam, for comparison. Accounts nave recently
been published Of the disgracefuh condition OF the
streets Of that big town-disgraceful, that is 20
say from an American point Of view. but' all
things peing equal there Is not thoroughiare
In that important centre as bad as PARK Row
from Broadway to the Brooklyn Bridge. IL wouio
make one OF the sacred white elephants IN the
stables of his Asatc Majesty hoist his truhS
and let fall a shower of muddy water on Tam
many Hall, reserving few gallons for the de-
voted head Of Matthew Baird the contractor II
Matthew Baird. the contractor. could be fouho
at the time BY the terms Of his contract MI.
Baird is supposed to be constantly present wnile
the work Of repairing this busy thoroughfare u
going on but a Tribune reporter tried In vain
yesterday to find him. In Bangkok, where black
teeth the refinement of distinction, 1t 10 no
surprise to find that other things also are oiack
and dirty including the streets but In New
York, where these notions Of cleanliness do NOT
prevail. would expect other and better Things
1t Is true that Contractor Bairds teeth are not
OF an ebony color but Contractor BaIrd's methods
In paving. rather In not paving, Fark ROW
most decidedly are. Any citizen can see for him
self the condition OF things In that street. TO
say that it is dsgraceful is the simple truth To
say that II would not be tolerated In any Euro
pean. the average American city, Is true
likewise. Here Is stretch OF public thorough
fare extending from Broadway to the East River
Bridge and the terminus of the elevated rail-
road through which half million Of persons
hurry to and fro each day, the sidewalks OF which
piled UP with big granite blocks which re-
duce their width fully one-half. the roadway of
which is torn up for one-half this distance, and
the crossings Of which both dirty and dan
gerous for a single pedestrian. let alone for the
hurrying thousands who are pushing and jostling
past each other every hour Of the day. 1t Is aw-
full. People want to go to the Postoffice from
the east side Of Park Row. How can they?
Every Door man cannot afford to insure his life,
and 1t is a great risk to make the journey. 1t
is true people have been known to brave the
danger, but they really carry their lives in their
hands
II peder should stand on the sidewalk when
the sidewalk was perfectly clear a big policeman
would be apt to fan his legs with his club. But
If Matthew Baird stands the sidewalk In the
form of thousands Of blocks Of stone. there is no
body to say Move on" and so Mr.. Baird decides
that the sidewalk is his. and that mild and much
enduring individual known the American citizen
let's him.
II the Postofiice had been liquor store. how
long would Park Row be permitted to remain en-
numbered as 1t is to-day? But. Of course. being
only the Postoffice, and the General Postofhce 81
that what does Tammany Hall care? An Eng