The sun., 1895-03-01
coMMIssIoYER ANDRBWs ON COZ.
WARING.

| COMMISSIONERS ANDREWS ON COb'
WARING.
| Truth About tbe Street CIeautng Question
| Couiug 60 the Front.
To rHE EDITOR or THE SUN-Sir: For many
| years the newspapers, with few exceptions, have
| abused the Commissioner of Street Cleaning for
| not removing all tho snow from the streets
within few hours after IL fell II has always
been known that II was impossible TO do II. but
| IL served partisan purpose to charge the De-
partment Of Street Cleaning with neglect.
The cost OF removing snow is always matter
| of simple calculation. The area of streets TO be
cleaned multiplied by tho inches of snowfall
| will give the number OF cart loads, which, null
| tipled by the cost per cart load. will give the
amount necessary to be expended. In one
| storm last winter, commencing Feb. 12 and end
| ing the 1ith. there fell 14.0 inches of snow.
| which gavo 3,2Ti,957 cart loads as the amount
which fell upon the paved streets OF the city,
required by law TO bo cleaned daily. At 81
cents per cart load itwould have cost TO remove
that one snowfall Sl,S65,Ol5 while the
total appropriation for tho removal of snow and
ice for the year was only $4,000 That state
ment was reported TO the Mayor and published
at the time. but it did not save the Commits
sioner from abuse for not having tho snow
promptly removed.
The statement now made by Col. wnring con-
sttutes complete refutaton OF the charges OF
neglect mndo against Mr.. Coleman. Mr.. Beattie.
Mr.. Brennan, and the writer because of the
non-removal OF snow: and its acceptance and
approvalb by the newspapers which condemned
his predecessors amount to an admission that
the charges against them were false.
Every Commissioner of Street Cleaning. COM
mencing with Mr.. Coleman, has urged tho
necessity OF a sufficient appropriation TO pay
for the work necessary to be done to properly
clean tho streets, and each has been met by the
assertion that the amount Appropriated was
ample. while tho people have been assured that
nothing but adesire to obtain money to be cor
ruptly used for partisan ends could have
prompted the demand for more. 1t is not two
months since the Grand Jury declared the ex-
isting appropriation to be extravagant and de-
nounced the Commissioner of Street Cleaning
for failing to remove all the snow. And yet 1t
would have cost not less than half million
dollars 70 have removed the one snowfall then
referred to. To have removed all the snow that
fell on the paved streets in 1894 would have
cost, on tho basis of Col. Warnings figures, more
Col. Waring has rendered a great service to
the people in getting before them the truth re-
and oomfo OF Of ths sGh ey % .Se eaeu
tions upon which he bases his statement are not
new. that which Is new Is the attention and CON
no doubt. to the manner OF presentation, but
Y is chiefly due to the fact that. as result of
rccomme ations OF public officials. Col. Waring
such state as he desires to make with the
purpose of placing the responsibi ility for INSULT
not in any danger Of being damned, as his pred
ecessors were, for failure to do that which was
The question is now fairly presented and un-
derstood. Will the people pay the cost Of re-
moving snowa"nd Ss to what extent I is 1t neces =; %
health of the city actually affected by snow
lying and melting in the streets. As to the dis
The average snowfall during the past ten
years is given as Al . inches. The fal in 1887
year by Commissioner Coleman for tho removal
Of snow was, only sl5.O77.7O. A part, less than
and not charged separately; but the total cost
was less les than $50, 600; In iS93 the snowfall
ever
at the cost OF 500, l5oo3, being greater
than any amount therstoforc sxpendsd for
been. to date. 20.4. or less than e-third tho
fall of 1893 or 1894. and only one-half that Of
standing this fact an evening paper. somewhat
noted for its habit. Of miss siaielnent. said yes
The present winter is an exceptional one.
More snow has fallen in our streets han usually
paper speaks Of this as . an unusually severe
winter" The truth is that while the average
has been less this winter than usual; The even
ing paper referred to says: Col. Warnings |
clear ana straightforward explanation OF the |
situation puts an end to all ignorant comments |
upon it," Let us hope that 1t may.
AS to how far snow lying and melting in the |
streets affects the health of the city is ques-
ton for the Board of Health to answer. 1t is |
interesting. however. to note in this connection |
that in 1893. when the snowfall was unusually |
great, the death rate was 2352. or less than any
previous year except 1920. when 1t was 23.51; |
and hat in 1904, when the snowfall was very |
nearly great, the death rate was 81 .03, or |
2.4T less than ever before.
But however desirable 1t may be. the prompt |
removal of all the snow Is not possible. and Col. |
Warnings statement certainly shows that fact. |
Apply his figures to the snowfall of last Febru- |
AIRY. to which have referred. At that time 2O7 |
carts were employed, all that could be then OBJ |
tanned. But assume that 1t were possible TO get |
5000 carts. At ten loads each they would re- |
move 10000 loads per day. AS there were D.
2Tl,957 cart loads. sixty-five days would have |
been required for their removal.
There is. OF course, no reason why the snow
should he taken. IL II were possible to do it,
from all the streets below Forty second street
and not taken from any above. There are streets
above Forty-second street far moro important
to DO cleaned than many below Ii. And the law
provides that the snow shall be removed. rs far
as practicable from the leading thoroughfares.
And 1t is possible with sufficient money to pay
the cost. TO remove any ordinary snowfall from
the principal avenues Of traffic in two or three
days. That II is never possible to effect prompt
removal of snow from all tho streets Is demon
strated by Col. Waring's statement.
WILLIAM :. ANDREWS.
NEW YORK Feb 81. 1895.