The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-17
wc1RTyEY TO HIS CRITICS.
,r Es THE SNOW JUST
sAi ~ UiRING DID.

ApV .,,,c, rho snow Must Bo Rernotea-
Iro" ,,a,,. give u Line for Criticism.
..,ir, commissioner Mccartney
street ,a,o,t ,o the Poard Of Public I'm
MADE y nos,crdoy in reference to the criti-
pro'em.", Iovc lccn made as to his manage
cfsnS ,to acnortmcnt. The statement re-
meh' .saiouy IN tho removal OF snow. and
ietieu ,ssionc asked that the thoroughfares
inc .htoh III, snow Is TO be removed in the
ron dosignotcd by tho board and the
Ie'ui1nnl Assembly, so that the public could
un ,r,, wboi TO expect. This, Mr.. Mccartney
81, ,youId relieve the Department OF street
a,"a,,ng of a great deal OF uncalled-ior criti'
N,m. and would at the same time bring oeiore
. n. ,,,i,rus the question OF now much money
u dcsire the city to spend for the removal OF
sy from tho public streets. Mr. mccartney
sr,dently resents the manner IN whicn nns man
cement OF the department mas oeen eri.icisou'
se "TSs hi,,,.. and, as | think, unfair criticism
,h.t has been INDUCED in by some newspapers
t u'at ,ocar1 to my administration OF tho street
wi"i r n~oncr,ment," he said. WAS based
o I ,hc cro,nd that I had not done as well
.%is regard as my predecessor. in that i had
u y, cleared certain streets above Fifty-ninth
,,rset on the east and west sides.
aTtt. ,york of snow removal has been done by
aaaora contract executed last year by my
N.sanossor, and which, by its terms, will re-
~, IL force until the middle OF April next. It
- tho fact that / have cleared substantially
49, ,on,c streets Of snow as were cleared by my
..oa.cessor; that the work has been carried on
T.. Ill tho streets of the former city OF New forR
~ rreciscly the same methods as were USED by
,he former Commissioner. IL Is also O TACT that
sn,h, IN he remembered that l have employed
a., this work precisely the same force OF mon
.h,t was employ cd by my predecessor, including
~" .,mon erson in charge OF the general super.
80 of tho work. the same district superin.
,.rdonts, the same section foremen and their
assistants.
..After three days of almost continuous snow
.,orr tho main thoroughfares of the city were
.n,i-oIv clear within twcnty.foIr hours. SO that
,,oaIo yas not impeded. This storm was fol-
lowed by a cold spell lasting almost a week, and
vi,hip Eve days thereafter more than 800 ad-
d,t;onal miles of streets, which include all tho
naved streets within the boroughs of Manhattan
and the Bronx, were cleared by the department
men. This latter work was accomplished by our
regular force, who. in addition, attended to
their duties OF removing garbage, clearing
cutters and keeping the crosswalks clean. there
by entailing no extra expense To the taxpayers
Of this city.
by CONSULTING tuo ohiSioi ho IA DtASOee
cleared Of snow Feb. IL to 16, 1897. in the
pamphlet report published by Commissioner
Waripg and submitted by him to Mayor Strong
m Nav 8. 1897, it will DO observed that on the
east side, above Thirty.fourth street, tho total
number Of blocks Of paved streets cleared Of
blocks Of paved streets. MOI one Of. tho. cross
streets east Of Central Park, whore the mass OF
the people OF that portion Of the city dwell.
from Fifty.ninth street to 125th street, was
cleared Of snow by my predecessor. with tho ex-
ception Of 10th street.
5On the west side, from Fifty,ninth street
Gle street was cleared of snow. except the Bou.
feyard as far as 1l2th street, while above Cen.
tr, l1 RsSt ,, nothing asS y1 Ma dobs 9a ts atfs sids Is sxfss ops
Lee ferry. one block Of 116th street, a few blocks
Of Eighth avenue, and a portion of 124th street
sin regard TO this subject there are numer-
alton. The city OF. New York, below Fifty:ninth
ninth street, Is, during a heavy snowstorm, in
the position Of one whose house Is afire, and
when ones house is s3lEe. tho thipE to Dc L. to
the best means at hand. When a snowstorfn Of
such magnitude as to impede travel and traffic
a~srapidly as possible, and the best means avail.
ablea the time are the proper ones to.tise. In
c%onnection Herewith there are a great many
things to be considered. My predecessor says
In his pamphlet report:
III were desired to remove snow from every street
IN the lily sa;h storm would cost per inch Of snow.
VI, s6l.o4l.eO. Thus, with the ten.inch falls of
snow Just passed. the cost. exclusive Of any items ex.
e esSs Pee pee ' eubie ' ssrd. xo Dala Be ts i sn' e SSR's ssSrm ssi %.
tle: This is on the basis of the present mileage
the cost aggregate for even an ordinary winter
9l,6oo.OO0. Even were the money Forthcoming 10
street area OF the city within q reasonable time ON
sceopnt OF the limited supply of vehicles available
Tor the purpose OF snow hauling.
" IT has ham aStipoataJ shat khn oao -o, -;.
yer Tor clearing all the streets of the borough of
Manhattan OF snow would be about 81. DOC. 600.
TINS question OF snow removal was left to tho
citizens at large doubt very much If the
amount necessary to be expended by any adj
mInlstratlon for the removal OF all tho, snow
question presents itseif' A prpest nsny neonIIee
DO not understand that when a snowstorm
comes, followed by a cold snap. SO that the snow
Is frozen upon the asphalt pavement to any ex-
tGnt, the snow cannot be removed except with
tSersby w - thu more nsv or less dan ESSmaase resulting :
therefore compelled either to damage the as
pnaIt IN or wait for q thaw.
A. seems to me. therefore, that it would be
Sst ~ tho matter may know beforehand what
particular streets it is the duty Of this depart
mena 70 clear OF snow; that your board room
mend 70 the Municipal Assembly the adoption
oLsuch ordinance or resolution as shall define
Sre n streets are to be cleared and what streets
1t is also advisable. in NV INDIGNANT that
your board recommend to tho Municipal AS.
ssmniy to revise, Il necessary. the city ordi.
t n ~, so that the Police Department will see
pit lhat immediately following a snowstorm
sne occupants OF dwellings and business houses
y GGmpeiled to clear of tho snow from the side.
Mralks IN 'front.' OF their premises, thus enabling
y department to clean the streets at the frat
sstenpt. without being compelled to go over the
s sftos tsrritory three or four times. as was done
atIer the last snowstorm."
Inc request was laid over.
srm William Dalton, the Commissioner of Water
cupply, presented TO the board for ratification a
yySSnttact between the CITY and the Citizcns'
oSuSsser supply O., ,Newtown, in the borough of
TIIssuudas Tor an additional water supply for Long
oaaarnu .lty. At the same time a resolution was
Sntho requesting tho Municipal Assembly to
psnses nf "a, 900 worth of bonds to pay the ex-
M , ot laying new mains there and connect
t Z tho water system OF Long Island civ with
\" Tb nam 2i Tho Sewtown company.
dpai,F : solution asking for the bond issue was
Tor one week. '"'' was "iu o'er
~ooLLAGH TALKS TO CAPTAlyS.