New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-26

against those criminals who threate, 49, ~
property. In proportion to the population !, \.
city, fewer crimes Of violence, fewer ~ 40
and burglaries have been committed c,~ess
vice are under better control in New-v...s ~
than ever before. and life and nron...> Wy
safer. The arrests for all Offences ~
the Detective Bureau in he year end,. -.
1895. numbered 1884: in 1899, 2.527 NY
Der Of felons convicted in the year ena,.. asA
1. 1895, was 269: in 1896, 365 The con.s'.,V
for misdemeanor In 1895 were 1O5 IN ,eoe ss ~
Under q political administration N. ~
courts constituted q stronghold Of co-- s~0
and political influence. The great power !, :.
police justices over large and defenceIe.' -.
Of the community was used to pro,.,. ~
friends and to punish the enemies Of N. ~
ization Of which the justices were the ac,,.' e.%
resentatives; the best advocate OF ,h,'.
raigned in these courts. and the one mos, -
ly sought, was pull" The new citv
trates. appointed by Mayor Strong. in 49,
the police justices, have made radical -"
and the fact is now generally recorn,,oa 80
whatever mistakes and whatever inhrmits. J:
temper may be charged against any Of them ~
magistrates strive conscientiously and imam.
gently to mete out substantial justice ''
STREET CLEANING
In its declaration OF principles and ,,,.-.
the Citizens Union points to New-York.s 49,
streets as a conspicuous example OF tho Biz
work that should be done by the rover,..N.
of the city for Its inhabitants. Under the ~.
tenn Of partisan and spoils goyernmer, -.
streets were not cleaned except whore -.
thoroughfares in the wealthy section ~ n. 49,
were kept clean at private expense p,, a.,
great body OF streets were lined with uo,;.,
vehicles day and night, cutters were tho 1870
ing places OK rotting garbage slimv noo,. !.
water and heaps of litter, and the entrances :.
sewer culverts were choked with refuse =.
the tenement-house districts these condt,...
were intensified. 1t was impossible in many Of
the streets to tell whether the real surface MA.
asphalt or stone, so thick at times was IA.
coating OF mud and filth.
A REVOLUTION FOR CLEANLINESS
Until 1881 street cleaning was conducted a..
branch Of the work of the Police Department
From 1881 until Commissioner waring tool
charge ION January IL, 1859 except under Com.
missioner Coleman's brief administration N.
record OF the Street Cleaning Department "a.
one Of shameless corruption and extrayaearo.
and wretched inef'iciency. When Colonel Wa,
ing became Commissioner he took command
OF a force OF men who had become demor.
allied by the meificiency and corruption Of theb
superiors. His first task was 10 make thor.
ough reorganization OF the force This was pa
Lx b,I. L. Il lob b,,,
ing the employees of the Department into wllps
and efficient workers. Colonel Warng found
two thousand men who felt no pride In their
work; who followed the example OF their s
periors in giving the least possible return FOR
their wages; who without uniforms, undrlled
were skilfIl only In avoiding labor. He hu
made an army Of twenty-five hundred men, Just
Iy proud Of their work; earning their wage
by honest labor; untaxed by political boaa
and sure Of their positions so long as they d
their work properly. Not the least among III
good results OF an honest and businessiA
administration Of the Department IL the fad
that every one Of its employees is just as proud
of his work and Is now az highly respected By
the public as are the members Of the Fire al
Police departments. Between Commissioner and
laborers harmony has been maintained BY
system OF labor arbitration introduced b
Colonel Warlng. which secures to every ma
q fair hearing and just treatment by those b
Chief point Of all. the streets N
without possibility Of contradiction. diligently
and thoroughly cleaned.
FAIR COMPARISON.
While this latter fact is undsputed, those Vi
wish to break Up the system now In vogue hW
a good deal to say about its cost In estimating
this two or three considerations not genenIH
taken into account must be borne in mind ID |
the first place. sweepers are now receiving ~ |
per year, being the rate Of wages fixed by lesiat
Ion, instead Of the $500 per year paid under n
previous system, or at least up to July, lA
Then. a fair comparison Of the cost Of the pro
,nt system with that OF it's predecessors VI
Id h. % xl.r, kiaAvX