New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-10
STREETS AND TRUCKS.

In the fourth instalment Of his annual mes
sage sent TO the Board of Aldermen yesterday
Mayor Strong justly commends the work OF
the Department of Street Cleaning. saying no
more in its praise than common Observation
daily demonstrates 10 be true. TO one feature
of that work the removal Of trucks from the
streets the Mayor makes This special reference
"No more marked or beneficial change in the
..appearance of the streets Of NeW-l ORR was
ever brought about than by the removal OF
these trucks" The statement IS not too EN-
phatic The change which the Mayor so de
scribes has amounted TO complete transforma
ton in the appearance and condition OF many
quarters OF the city. The period OF Obstruction
DETACHMENT and defilement is not so remote but
that vivid recollection of what used to be sur
wives though it is hard 10 understand how such
an abuse could have been tolerated so long
Doubtless ii was part OF TammaDys queer
system of counting favor which was expected
10 Weld large return in votes but the general
patience under such oppression was remarkable
And what an uproar Colonel Warnings proc
Iamation Of war against the trucks did raise
ANYBODY not familiar with the local civilization
of the time might have thought that the most
sacred and indispensable rights Of the citizen
had been invaded by ruthless despot. We be-
Neve that some ardent patriots positively de-
clared that the Palladium of our Liberties was
IN danger and that if Freedom had any breath
left then was her time TO shrek.
But Colonel Waring paid no further attention
70 the clamor than TO write one or more exceed
,ngly pungent letters to the persons who were
making ii. in which he appropriately character
lied the mpudent assumption that the con-
Yenience and the pockets OF the Few VINO en-
loved free storage in the streets were better en-
titled 10 defence than the comfort and welfare
of all the rest and faithfully promised to carry
on the crusade without fear or favor Seeing
that he meant what he said and was able TO
accomplish what he had undertaken, his adj
yersaries were reduced to the painful necessity
of making the best Of it. and before long the
more sensible ones among them came TO realize
that the necessity was not so very painful, after
all. while the multitude rejOiced that they had
lived TO see the day Truly It is a notable re-
form. and nobody in the full possession of his
faculties can imagine that the people will ami
ably consent TO the restoration Of preposterous
conditions.
We have amplifed the Mayors brief remarks
on this subject for the reason that the new char
ter seems to threaten the city with the old bond
age OF the trucks. If the original draft has not
been radically amended in this particular IL au-
fhorizes the Commissioner OF Street Cleaning 10
grant permits for the storage Of trucks in the
streets at night and on Sundays and legal holt
DAYS. with the consent of the owners or lessees
OF opposite buildings. There are some other
qualifications. including requirement that the
pavement under and around every truck so
privileged shall be kept clean; but how little this
may amount TO experience amply teaches. SO
long as Colonel Waring remains at the head Of
the Street Cleaning Department such conces-
sion can do little or no harm. but 10 say that Is
10 suggest the possibilities Of the provision 1t
may be that the charter has been amended in
this detail as II has been in others. without the
knowledge even Of public officials who atten
lively watched the process Of reconstruction, so
far as they were permitted 10 do so. We have
not heard Of any such alteration. and without
apology for possible ignorance where knowledge
Is virtually unobtainable, we urge the necessity
Of fully and explicitly protecting the people
against return of evils which they are rejoiced