New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-21
TTFE-SlTING SERVICE.

There is no branch OF the pu"i' H'i'N'
which more forcibly appeals to adlhlra'ioh IMAM
tbat devoted TO the saving or HE from "rt'h>
along the coast. The romance OF inidhlsht p''
,lcs with the wind and sea ana inc heroiSih VI
risking ones own life To say" DINERS eA''''H
an Irresistible fascination upon ever! ""c '"P'
hlo of apprccating brave deeds Inc S'r''c ."
maintained at considerable cost 10 the Govern
mcnt and AT no little peril to those c'hp'o!'"
in il. But the yearly enumeration "i 'Nes
saved through its activities is ample PROOF W
i,s hnncfccnce No one would dream OF apoi-
,.hino II No rational and humane man w0uiu
onnos. tho extension and development ol II
commensrrately with the growth OF marine
commerce and travel and with the consequent
mood Of II. TO any complaint of It's cost me
answer IS always ready. II saved so man!
hurdrc1 or So many thousand lives last year.
,ro ,bo,. moi of more value than all the money
il cost:
Wall. hut therc is another ifc-saving service
, .,.,l, creator bennticence 1t is not set
down as such in the books. Men call II h'r'!
the municipal administration. Instead OF ap
plaudng It's efforts they often critlclSe HI"
scott nj them. Its agents are not hohH'" ~
horoo. \ strcet-swerpcr in mud-bespattrrc1
white duck is not an impressive ligure. 'i''"-
inc streets. pulling down ranisilackle ''"'-
mcnts and overhauling defective sewer pipes
present an gnoblc contrast I" pulling Il Memo"
through an angry winter SURF. YET. Judge" y!
the supreme criterion of achievements TINS mum
HE COMMONPLACE service outranks all others rs
n rescucr and prcscrver Of human lives
The dcath-ratc in Ncw-York city last week
was the lowest in twenty-five years II Is aver
aging pcrccpihly lower this year than las' ana
il was lower last year Than the year before. NJ
present il IS an insignificant traction more 'haH
90 10 thp thousand yearly few years aS" II
was -, or u 10 the thousand. Reckoning me
present population Of the city nj 2W"o"'' 'hr
cain effected by the reduction from - 10 :"
is 5000 There are 5000 fewer deaths year
now than there would bc al the old rate Ih"rr
are 5000 lives saved Il year which under Tor
mcr conditions would he lost. som" OF them
must. of course. he credited 10 the advance OF
surgical and medical science. Hut there II no
possible question that improved public SAM
tation is entitled to credit for a large proportion
Of them Suppose it be only one-haH. lheh
this municipal lfesaving service is saving l"oo
lives year That is as many in New-lor
CITY alone as the whole coast life-saving SER
vice of the country does Is not that achieve
mcnt worth all il costs!
Suppose we lay aside considerations of hui
mainly and come down 10 the lower cOnsdera-
lion of dollars and cents What is the value OF
n human life? Courts award various sums as
indemnity 10 the survivors OF thoS" Killed III
railroad accidents or otherwise. all he W.;
from 81 900 To $4,000 Take $1,000 as a sum
well within bounds. Then these 1000 lives
saved yearly by good municipal administration
represent S40.OOOGO0 saved 10 the community.
Before such Il sum the total cost of The work
sinks 10 bcggarly proportions. Rrckoncd on
such Il basis il must be- Impossible for any
rational man 10 doubt the bcncfcence of the
reforms wrought In the last few years or 10
favor for a moment their abandonment and Il
return 10 The old system. Not merely party
asccndenty. nor artistic notions. nor civic ;rS
thctics. are involved Human life. IN" lives of
thousands every year. are AZ stake, and depend
for security upon III" maintenance of an honest
and intelligent municipal administration.