The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-10
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
A big snow storm is a costly luxury,
even for city so rich as New York.
1t takes lot of thought foresight,
and hard work, and no end of money
to get rid Of it. Not only does it take
time and money to get rid of snow, but
fall of snow is considered very un-
healthy. An officer of the department.
of street cleaning with the title of snow
inspector Is charged with the duty of
removing the snow. The present in
spector Is II. S. Stidham, and he has
been with the department a number
of years. When asked about the meth
cd Of removing snow under the pres
ent contract system the inspector said:
"Rcfore the first furry of snow
comes in the fall as soon as the con-
tract for its removal Is let TO the low
est responsible bidder. a permanent
snow organization is effected. The city
is divided into eleven districts. Each
district is made a separate and distinct
basis of operations. Each is presided
over by a district superintendent, who
is directly responsible to me, and this
superintendent has absolute authority
over the contractors employees in the
matter of designating points at which
the work must be prosecuted and the
number of shovellers and carts to be
placed at those points. Again, each
district is divided into divisions and
over each division Is a foreman, who
Is responsible to his superintendent.
Each superintendent has typewriter
schedule from the snow office and ev-
cry man under him has his place and is
put in 1t in time OF storm. and this
means much when you remember he
has entire authority over the contrac-
tors men as well as the departments
READY FOR BUSINESS.
so much for our organization. Now
for the contractors. He has office room
with the snow inspector and his staff
so both organizations are in constant
touch. His force is organized by fol-
lowing the indicated lines of division
into districts, with day and night shifts.
After a snow storm sets in the contrac-
tor has ample time to get his immense
organization in readiness for the COM
missioners order to begin clearing the
streets. His subordinates collect large
numbers of unemployed men at certain
fixed meeting places and divide them
into gangs of pliers and shovellers.
carts have already been told at the be-
ginning of the season where to report
in the event of a snow storm. and at
any time during the work of removal
a man with a vehicle of the required
capacity "a one-ton coal cart is the
standard of a single load and holds one
and one-half cubic yards) is set at work
Immediately upon application Hun
np Jersey.
Long Island, and up the river every
time it SHOWS. During the last heavy
storm a pretty young girl from Jersey
came over driving her cart and said
she had come to cart snow. She was
put at work, and with the assistance of
a strapping young brother hauled eigh-
teer loads to the pier and dumped it
in the river.
The snow contract is one for the re-
moval of snow at a fixed price by the
cubic yard, and the department desig-
mates the streets to be cleaned, as we'll
as the manner and time of cleaning. 1t
is not q contract per inch-mile per
snow fall or per area cleared, as many
think, and it is to the contractors in
terest as we'll as the city's, to remove
as much snow es possible and with the
utmost speed. Last year we paid d
cents a cubic yard, while we get the
work done this year for "a.
{ THE CALL TO ARMS.
j "As the first scattering flakes of q
storm begin to fall the call to arms OF
the permanent snow organization is
given, be it day or night, but the order
to begin removal is not given until the
snow ceases, unless the storm is seer
to be heavy one. 1 have a telephone
right by my bed, and if the storm
comes on in the night / am called w
and must hurry to the Snow Office al
once. All my subordinates are aroused
and must report at their respective
posts of duty, too. Telephone mess
ages are sent in every direction and
soon the ice scrapers, snow ploughs
and special sweeping machines are
numbering out of the department
stables in various parts Of the city
bound for the important avenues which
they are to open up and keep cleaned
: The telephones in the department sta
Z tions throughout the city and in thu
\ contractors sub offices in all the sur
rounding towns, from which an import
ant part of the supply of carts il
drawn, are kept buzzing with orders
anu lHqulTltS- he SuDOi'
dinates begin TO collect their men, ant
as 1t is estimated we have 10000 un
employed in New York it is an cas-!
matter for them to secure one or tive
thousand men in two or three hours
The contractors subordinates know
where to find workers in lodging houses
and haunts on the east side. Las
year hundreds OF the men who applied
We're east side tailors, and many o
them were poor, weak things, almos
unable to lift a shovel. This year mos
of the men seem TO be laborers out O
work. Occasionally a college man or
refined chap who is in hard luck is t
be found among the shovellers or pliers
Frequently unfortunate men of com
paratively refinement apply becaus
they must do something, TO tide owe
a period of starvation, and still NOR
frequently the shovellers and pliers ar,
men who have reduced loaflng to a fin,
art or science and do this work jus
to make enough money to carry ol
their regular business of doing moth
ing. Finally the signal to begin is tele