The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-25
CONTRACTORS WITH A PULL
HAUGHTON Il co. PILE DIRT HIGH I'M
NINETY-SIXTH STREET

They Have tho Contract for Building tho
Electric Road on the boulevard and
Use the Streets to Store Excavnted Earth
and All Sorts of Building Material.
Henry Miller lawyer. OF A Pine street, sent
this letter to THE SUN yesterday:
As property owner and taxpayer, I beg to
call your attention to the fact that the con-
tractor having in charge the construction Of
the trolley subways on the Boulevard has as.
sumed to take possession OF Il number OF pub
lie streets fo- the storage OF building material
In particular. he has occupied Ninety-sixth
street. between West End avenue and the
boulevard, for the deposit OF excavated
material consisting OF earth and making
mound at least 10 feet high. 80 feet
wide and 400 feet in length. The sun beats
upon this all day. and the wind crculates
the deposit all over the street and into the
apartments of people living in the vicinity.
Apart from the danger to health. the nuisance
thus created. resting on such an unwarranted
usnrpation of the highway. is a source OF great
annoyance and Of positive damage. in that
tenants refuse to retain their apartments.
No one could object to slight temporary
use OF portion OF the street. but such an
abuse as this is more than people should DO
called upon to submit to-"
A, syn ii re er visited the neighborhood
pile, of dirt in Ninety-sixth street. Upon many
OF the cross streets in the vicinity building ma
terial Ia piled high. The Janitor OF an apart
ment house opposite the heap OF dirt in Nine
| ty-sixth street said that four families had
moved out because Of the stencil and dust.
when first noticed the liberal use OF
the Streets said Mr.. Miller. who owns an
apartment, house in, Ninety-sixth street.
near tho dirt heap, 81 merely thought what
pull the contractor must have. But when.
and the fivipE dirt. my tenants threatened
to leave the matter was brought home to
me. Never in my experience have known Of
such thing on such a scale The contractor
may have permit. but nevertheless ne Is
usurpinR the rights Of private citizens. Why.
he goes along dumping his material on every
street ten blocks in advance Of where he is
working. Generally the stuff is dumped OPP
posite some vacant lot. but people living across
tho street have to suffer. To block up "a street
| with ordinary building material is bad enough.
is dug IN and deposited near a citizens prop
| erty positive menace to health exists The
dirt IL full OF all sorts OF germs, which car-
| ried by the wind into the windows of all in the
| neiGhborhOod. Any other contractor would
| have to keen his material on boats in the river
until 1t was needed but this one evidently
does not"
| Bernard Naughton Of the firm of Naughton b
| Co. which has the Boulevard Railroad con-
| tract said:
The annoyance complained OF is purely
TEMPORARY. 1t is necessary for us to keep that
| heap ri earth in Nincty-sXth street to use for
| the backhll. There is no other place to keep 1t.
| We are doing nothing to inJure the streets.
| and within short time will restore them to
| their former condition. We hope to complete
| the road within three weeks