The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-07

The condition OF the paved streets
in the central city and West Scranton
during the past few days has been de-
plorable. All day yesterday, owing to
the high winds, the dirt and dust was
blown in the faces of pedestrians un-
til it was unbearable, and mant took
refuge in street cars and stores at diff
ferent intervals to avoid the dust
AS soon as the street sweepers would
stir the dirt the wind would carry it
along in perfect cloud for blocks, and
only when the wind subsidized would
there be any relief from the disagree
able experience. Something must be
done to abate this nuisance.
Street Commissioner Thomas Is han
dioapped by lack of funds and insult
| ficient men to cope with this nuisance,
and cannot be blamed for existing con-
ditions when the councils have his
| hands tied. Tn an interview with n
| Tribune man, the street commissioner
says:
II do not propose to make any con-
| tracts for private sweeping, but eN-
pect to do all the cleaning by men
, hired by the day. ] expect to adopt the
block system, where each man Is ex-
pected to keep the street clean all the
time"
USED IN LARGE CITIES.
| This system is in use I'm all the larg-
er cities and has proven the most sue
cessful experiment of them all. Each
| man is assigned to a limited number
of blocks, is furnished a push cart, at
tached to which is a can or bag. into
which the dirt is loaded and carted
| away by the teansters in the employ
of the department The men are also
provided with a hand sprinkler, broom,
scraper and shovel and are thus fully
equipped for carrying On the work On
each cart there are several cans, which
are made small at the bottom and
large at the top, that several can be
carried on the cart at once, and as
soon as the top one is filled it Is taken
away.
What is needed at once is the thor
ough flushing of every paved street in
the city. and if this cannot be done,
| they should be sprinkled and men put
to work to clean up the dirt. 1t is use
less to sweep the dirt in piles along
the curb lines, without first sprinkling
the street, as it is only scattered over
the pavement again by vehicles and
blown away by the wind.
When the dirt is shovelled into the
wagons dry a large part of it is again
scattered over the pavement before 1t
is deposited in refuse heap. The best
Illustration of the block system given
In this city was in force last year on
Wyoming avenue, between Spruce
street and Lackawanna avenue, where
one man was employed by the mer-
chants 10 keep the pavement clean
The residents of jefferson avenue also
adopted this method.
WANTS PRACTICE STOPPED.
| Commissioner Thomas has directed
a communication to the Scranton Rail
way company in which he requests
that their employees remove the dirt
which lodges in the curve rails al
street corners. and instead of shovel
ling it onto the pavement. carry II
away in carts or wagons. Heretofore
the dirt has been left on the pavement
and invariably found it's way back in
the tracks again.
Another notification has been served
on business men and occupants ol
dwelling houses to discontinue the
practice of sweeping the refuse from
= stores and houses into the street. H.
expects them to take care of the dir
and paper in the same way ashes anc
garbage is cared for
To best accomplish that end and en-
able people to comply with the order
paper receptacles should be furnished
and stationed along the principa
streets. The public would soon recog
nize the purpose for which they are
intended. and instead of throwins
papers and other waste materials OF
the street. they would deposit the sam'
in the receptacIes.
Specially constructed covered wag
ons should also be used in carting ava,
the dirt, and the police force should b'
instructed to arrest the owners %
wagons, which permit their content'
to be strewn along the street. !
striking example of this was seen il
Ben Johnson's vehicle, which has fo
years roamed about the principa
streets, leaving trail of ashes ant