The record-union., 1894-12-14
A WORD TO CITIZENS.

The street cleaning experiment was
tried yesterday (by few public-spirited
men who paid the piper on several
blocks. and though the machinery was
rude, constructed inside of four hours,
and not what it should be, and but two
horses were employed when there should
have been four, and two men instead
OF three, it was a success; far
more so than the experimenters antici-
pated who put up the money to convince
taxpayers that to expend from 500 to
$500 a block to clean up the streets is
idiocy, when it can be done for less than
S. block.
We assert on the authority of trust
worthy city official that this city has paid
as high as $500 block year to have the
residence streets cleaned twice in one
year. With this fact staring them in the
face what will the city officials do about
1t? There is no politics in the new sys-
from mud in the winter season and
dust in the summer. We aver, and
can substantiate it, that under the new
System the street sprinkling itself will
cost measurebly less if the mud is re-
moved when in plastic condition.
The experiment of yesterday was a sue
cess despite the most unfavorable condi-
tions, because it was under the direction
OF a road engineer who understood his
business. How long will Sacramento go
on with the stone in one end of the sack?
Shall we continue to wallow in the mud
all winter when it can be cleaned off at
the rate of a mile day for one-twentieth
the cost to the taxpayer that it involves
TO do it after the old fashion, and after
having it lie upon the streets for months.
If it is said that the angular scraper can
be used only after rains, we reply that
with our plentiful hydrants at command
the mud can be reduced to the right con-
sistency for economic removal at any
time. If it is said that the cost will be
great to haul off the accumulation of the
scraper, we reply that that cost is in
volved just the same in the one as in the
other system. Men are paying for sand
and hauling it in every day at this sea-
son-why not give them the better soil
and filling that the street scraper will
heap up? We will thus conserve low lot
filling and benefit the teamsters and the
property-owners alike.
No matter who the question is looked
at, the economy, comfort, decency and
credit is all on the side of those who hold
that the time to clean the residence streets
is when the surface accumulations are
most easily handled. If it is said there is
no fund with which to do the work now,
we reply transfer; or, anticipate the one
twentieth of the outlay that the city
would be put to if the pick and shovel
brigade were turned out as heretofore.
It has been suggested that this work
should be done by the unemployed and
reserved to meet their necessity. We
think we have as deep sympathy and our
bowels of compassion are as tender for
the poor as the most kindly and big
hearted; but municipal government is
not charity; it is created not for the
benefit of class but for the benefit of the
whole. There is no legal warrant for in
curing unnecessary expense to relieve
the distress of any one. The city officers
have no more right to use public funds
for private relief. even indirectly, than
they have for their own personal needs,
nor do we for moment believe that any
one of them think they have. The one
and only question for the administrators
of our city government is, "How can we
best conserve economy and advance the
interests of the community as whole ?''
TWAS well said in the Press Conven-
ton this week, that the way to advance
the State is for each and every community
to do its level best to make its
own condition most attractive, economic
tnd conservative of human comfort
and prosperity. Let us apply this to
our own town, and show our Eastern
guests and our legislators who are to be
with US next month that We fully ap-