New-York tribune., 1901-08-10
4 COMMISSIONER AT HIS BEST.

In his first annual report Of the Street Clean
ing Department. issued yesterday. Commissioner
Nagle has supplied the city government and the
general public with considerable amount Of
interesting reading. Moreover. until an official
statement 10 the contrary appears we shall be
lieve that Mr. Nagle wrote it himself for no.
body employed 70 perform tie task would have
been at all likely 10 give just such a document
10 the world. Tne language though a trife
queer IN spots. yields its full meaning AT n
glance. and the whole il is fair TO say that
the form is not much inferior 70 the substance.
We never thought the commissioner was good
street cleaner. but he possesses a vocabulary
which is sufficiently cogent and copious for all
practical purposes, and he knows how it should
be used 10 produce an impression.
The most striking. and perhaps the most
pleasing. thing about this unexpected report is
that il rakes almost the entire municipal ad-
ministration fore and aft. The Assembly.
which should have granted Mr.. Nagle's request
for a bond account 10 renew and enlarge his
plant. postponed. deferred. put off action" for
nearly year. and thus brought unjust censure
and contempt upon the head of the department,
who was in nowise responsible for the run
down and dilapidated" condition Of parts of its
equipment The commissioner wants IL dis
tinctly understood that he does not intend TO
submit tamely 10 such treatment hereafter. but
will put the responsibility just exactly where
Il belongs" In that particular matter the
Board of Estimate behaved well enough. but it
has some serious sins 10 answer for. It would
not let him have new dumps. which are an i'm
perstive necessity. unless vile stuff is 70 he left
on the sidewalks TO breed a pestilence. and
when be had diverted little money from Man
haitian and Brooklyn for the benefit of long
suffering Queens the board cut down his appro-
priation 10 the same amount. He does not di-
rectly comment on that performance. but the
implication Is thar IL was exceedingly ridiculous
As for the Finance Department it has been a
trial 70 him. and he advises Mr.. Coler 10 pay
more respect 70 Section 541 of the charter. which
enables the Commissioner of Street Cleaning 10
30 many convenient things. provided the Con
troIler does not interfere.
Coming 10 the Police Department and his
friend the commissioner, bfr. Nagle enters Wig
orous complaint because police officers are no
longer detailed 20 enforce the law concerning
the separation Of various kinds Of refuse. v nen
the law first went into effect there was little
trouble on that score. the police compelling peo-
ple 70 be careful; but for more than three years
the separation Of garbage from other material
has been steadily going backward" and the
first thing we know the Board Of Health will
prohibit all land dumping greatly TO the an
noyance and expense OF the Street Cleaning De-
partment The commissioner continues, not
with excessive Indignation. in our opinion
I protest that the requirement Of the observ-
OF the law IN respect 10 the proper separa-
ffon OF these materials is just as much police
duty as is any other violation or infraction Of