The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-01-30
CLEANING THE STREETS
interesting Facts About the Way
the Department Works.
SAND IN GREAT QUANTITIES.
A Great Many Men and Horses and Carts
busy All the Time-An Estimate of
How Long 1t Would Take to Clean
Up All.

The heavy rain OF yesterday did a coed
deal of work which the street cleaning
| department would have had to do other
wise and did IL easier. The rain has also
loosened the frozen slush in the streets
and it will not be so hard for the work
men to get it out.
The street cleaning department has
not been Inactive; far from it, Not only
have the gutter" men been at work, but
five other gangs whose regular work is
grading and getting out gravel, have
been called into requisition ant have
lone excellent work. During seven sue
cessive days Of the cold spell seven teams
were kept drawing sand with whicl TO
cover the sidewalks and TO facilitate
travelling. Over three hundred cubic
yards of san were advantageouslv used
at that time. At other times, when fresh
snowfalls had been hardened and rem
dered CLASSY, over seven hundred loads
of sand were distributed where they were
most need d.
Some queer stories are current about
the negligence of those who own side.
walks. They are also illustrative of the
iilial regard which many cltizens enter
tain for the city fathers. Perhaps
another meaning NAV be extracted. But
TO inc pOlut. LUIS Duly may SLCth "
itself.
1.-THE other day." said the official who's,
knowledxe is accurate. "a man who con
ducts "A pro ninent public resort sent in
60 ave mis- doorNays sanded. We did it. +"
81 10 not see," he continued. "why peo-
pie will not put ashes on their sidewalks.
There il no city iua torbidding IL.
Such action would materially lessen the
work of this department aid the results
would be just as satisfactory"
There are many other causes which
combine TO increase the difficulties under
which the street cleaning department
labors, TO impede travel and traffic aud
To make DO h disa sreedble. The practices
of cleaning the railNay tracks of snow
aud leaving IL piled in little gorses oil
either side OF tue street Cur track, is not
the least unpleasant.
Recently indignant citizens, WAC found
their WY plocke by towering walls OF
snoN at Point street anu Prairie avenue,
voiced an emphatic protest which was
no. long in rea hing the department. OF
pub ic works \ force OF meu was i'm
med ately dtspaCche | to the spot. They
found that u scra)er had done the dam
age. They rep urtd IL.
liere are some OF the streets " hich the
city must clean In the winter: North
Nam, South Main, Wickenden, Mill,
Charles, Richmond, Chestnut, Eddy Ito
Henderson,, jackson, Bradford, Federal.
All OF the other streets, On which the
railroad company operates, are supposed
to be cleared by Il, the street cleaning
department assisting - henever IL Is prac-
ticable TO do So. The only day during
the 'cold Sill tp' when any of tue teams
aud men available for work could be en-.
p,oyed 10 advantage was Tuesday. Then
"a big thaw was threatened. buJ herein
lies "A tale.
Another day OF warn weather would
have carried of nearly the who c deposit
OF slush AN I 10 Is the policy If lhis de-
partment, aud it Is c early the part of
wisdom TO exercise proper economy and
discretion with The $50, 900 At It's disposal.
There have been at work under the dt-
rection Of the sup e~riuteudeut of high
ways at one time 80 men. Whenever
the occasion requires 10 the sup eriutend-
ent will put them at WORK agaln To clear
the streets. The normal force Of street
cleaning consists OF sixty iuel aud eigu-
teen teams to do day work. Twenty men
aud twelve teams constitute the niuht
force. These men clean the cutters and
sweep the streets.
But little sweeping has been lone this
winter for obvious reasons. In addition
to these relays there ~ a reserve force
comprising the five gangs OF men. who.
with forty.hve teams. are grading Butler
avenue aud Erutss street and taking out
gravel from the banks at Norfolk street.
New York aud Mauton avenues. Tn
FOUNDERS. payer., block LAYERS aud Others.
who are Kept iu this department the year
round, swell the total force 10 adcquit
proportions.
The railroad company also has teams
A. work aud these add their quoia of
strength To the effective street cleaning
force.
The work has been thoroughly sys.
tented so that a fOrce oi twenty men
aud twelve teams can start at India
street aud clean AL OF the streets within
thirty DAYS. In fact, this feat J., accomp-
lished every sSrIng, sun uer and autumi.
There were times last year when lCy