New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-15
GONE KIND OF STREET CLEANING"

Mayor Van Wyck's industrious Commission
ers Of Accounts ought TO read the annual report
Of the University Settlement Society, and then
in the light of its remarks again turn their
attention TO the Street Cleaning Department.
They might thus do more real good TO the city
than by making vicious attacks upon the ad-
mjnstration Of the late Colonel Waring.
Colonel Warnings reputation with the people OF
this CITY is much higher than theirs, and no
amount of carplng by them will make citizens
forget that he cleaned streets and kept them
clean or shake their belief that the only forces
that have kept Mr.. Mccartney from making
merely a comparative failure are those as
sistants of Colonel Warlng remaining in the
Department whose presence is so offensive to
the Commissioners Of Accounts But II they
want to know something about actual abuses
in the Department. let them consult the Uni
versity Settlement workers.
Anybody who watched Mr.. McCartneys pre-
tence of removing snow last winter must have
been mystfed at the things he saw. The
amount Of pillng and repiling was subject or
frequent comment by persons walking on the
streets. Nobody could explain just why 1t was
necessary TO shovel half Of a pile into wagon
and then move the wagon along TO another pie,
leaving wOrkmen to carry the snow remaining
in the first pile along to the second either 10 be
nut into the same wagon or carefully placed Tor
a later collection. That was common slght
along Fifth-ave. and Broadway last winter
while Mr. Mccartney was loudly protesting
that he ard his men were doing all that human
skill and industry could do to clear the streets.
Mr.. ]. Robertson Smith throws light Oh the
mystery AS Settlement worker he was inter
ested to know something about the persons who
did the snow -shovelling. and find how much OF
a resource that work was TO the unemployed.
So he put on old clothes after snowstorm and
sought work. At $50 o'clock he found a fore
man who would hire him, though the foreman
insisted on cheating him out Of an hour and n
half's time by marking his card for IL o'clock.
He went to work with a will, much TO the
disgust Of his companions who told him he
set bad example. He was to "lle by just as
much as possible" Among the shovellers he
was determined to do as the snovelers did. so
no became more deliberate, stopping long be-
tween each shovelful. But this did not suit, and
his fellow-shoveller, Dennis, gave him lnstruc-
tons
Dennis told me that did not do il right. and
that I must watch him. He would go the maxi
mum distance, scrape together a minimum
amount Of snow. and carry It slowly TO the cart.
Thus he gave the appearance OF activity when
the head foreman came around and this was all
the overseeing foreman cared about, for. as he
said to US. You fellows know I don't give a
damn how many carts you fll"
Having spent seven and a half hours at the
work. Mr. Smith received ticket for six hours
pay and went TO the stables. as he was in
structed 10 get his money. There he was told
TO return the next Saturday. ON that day men
spent from a. m. til evening in line before
they were paid by the clumsy If not intention
ally slow officials As he had called In the
afternoon. he did not reach the head Of the
line at ALL and two weeks and repea ted calls
We're required to get his - cents. Mean
while. II he had been in actual poverty he
might have starved and he concluded that the
relief offered by street labor was not Of great
value TO the poor, owing TO the long and I'm.
reasonable delay in payment. He also dlscov-
cred that great encouragement was given to
1.-THE men to sell their tickets at n discount TO
spectators. as many Of them did; mlslead-
'ing sign was over the door, and many men
were turned away because their tickets had
mot been marked by their foremen."
All this makes picture sharply in contras n
with the discipline and efficiency Of Colonel
Warnings day. II explains the unkempt condl
ton Of our streets compared with their
former neatness. and it suggests n possible in
quiry into petty fraud. Who are the spectators