New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-14
DIFFICULT NAVIGATION DOWNTOWN.
PEDESTRIANS WISHED THEY HAD sTlLIe-ooN
MISSIONER BRENNAN EXAsPERATINGLY



PHILOSOPHICAL.
The state Of the streets IL New-York was unspeak
able yesterday, but nowhere was the SITUATION OI'
outrageous and exaspcrating thon In Champers s''
Park Row and Mast.. especially In and about Tue
City Hall Park. nnd; the noses OF COMMISSIONER
Brennan and his chief officials OF The central street
cleaning ofices. The entire department appeared 10
be paraly zed. Tie rain and melting snow haa hieu
the crossings and cutters with slush, water ana SHINY
mud In Broadway and IN all the streets contiguous
to City Hall Park, yet late In the day no eho'' 'u
been made to open tho eulverts and sewer cohhcc
lions TO let the water drain on. Pedestrians a'e"pF
ing to cross the street anywhere about Printing honse
Square found themselves struggling In the nuo anu
Storm often knee deep In slushy water. II a man
missed his footing In the slippery pavement anu le
he was In imminent danger OF drowning NO a'"h
ton was paid the snow and ice which covered TIE
walks Of City Hall Park except u run snow pIoush
over them once twice in the day HE water s'oou
In pools In the park walks during the entre uaN'
making 1t necessary 70: persons to take long cir
c,itos route TO get around them Many were Obliged
{, 90 blocks out OF their way TO the streets about
the park.
Commissioner Brennan, TO whom is allowed about
$1,000 day by the Board OF Estimate for Keeping
the city habitabe, assured inqnircrs at the Sree'
Cleaning Department that he was doing all IN MS
poryer, but the weather was against hirl
al am very soTy.7 he said. "but what can any
man DO IN such Infamous weather as this "
@They must be taking good care not to get Their
skins wet today" replied "Not one OF them
Is now to be within mile Of tic City Hail. ana
none has been visible since noon
"Oh yes answered the Commissioner, WIN Ills
usual Jolly expression, they out keeping the
crossings clear and the culvcrts and cutters OPEN
"Then why is 1t that the culvcrts are all cloggcd
up In lower Broadway that the cutters are running
curb-bgh with slush and waerl"
The commissioner sent for the Broadway contractor
xsitv hiC
neglected The contractor denied that this was the
case but anyway he said that lie was not required
to keep the culverts open. But superintendent hop
bins on q statement Of the situation by n Tribune
reporter ordered that an inspection be MADE an"
afterwards telephoned for force OF men 10 60 TO
work on tho crossings and culverts IN the neishoor
hood OF tho municipal Offices. The superintendent
went out himself and oversaw their operations. and
the result was q pleasant change for people WIG
were obliged to 60 out into the storm. III 'he
proper system observed In the street Ciehii'E
Department this necessary work would have been
attended to early In the day. There Is not the sleh'
est excuse for the manner in which the openings I"
the sewers and the crossings were neglected.
Yesterday The force Of sweepers at the disposal
of the department is abundant and the discomfort
visited upon thousands OF citizens who went ABOUT
with soaking feet all day might have been avOiaea
II the simplest precautions had been taken by the
Street Cleaning officials.
The downtown sueets were Ill "o'''''
Nassaust. Is hard enough at any time. but Win inc
Space between the curbS mass Of snow ana muu
and winter which was thrown In great sheets on the
sidewalks and over pedestrians every time wagon
struggled through the slush the situation was eA-
aspernting to q degree. No attempt was made, eX-
cent for a block two at waiist.. 10 Keep cross
raibs clear The of stores and the rain had
combined heep the sidewalks free from snow, and
: the rain would have doue more than the Ihmmahy
street cleaners II It had had half chance. As II
fha
mirabe culture medium for pneumonia. OvershOcs
were no protection. one would have wanted rubber
boots to keep dry frct.
Early in the morning when Il thin coating OF Ice
was over the walks. many fall occurred which sent
the victim sprawling in a foot two Of water when
the choked UP cutters held.
Battery Park field Of slash Yesterday bounded
nv streets running with muddy water. cOutfi-st
was almost impassabe. and In some OF the thorough
fares near the water front pedestrians waded through
six inches OF slush and mud