New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-02
City TO DO SPRNkLING.
mAYOR WILL FAVOR B1hA'
Nuisqaoe of Sloppy Streets Is
4bdted in Part.

,,.- Of The street sprinkling proplen anu
- - ,,,e resultant danger and nuisance
,,.,-,. pavornents, which are uhsale l0'
- outonobIcs and pedestrians was ou'-
g., ,,esterday by Mayor Mcclellan II III
-. tbe massage Of a bill by the legislature
..,ns full coErizance and control OF the spiinN
i,,e end sanding Of the streets OF the ehllre
.,,r 70 the Department Of Street Cleaning. Inc
- declared that il was preposterous and
ridiculous that these important duties shouIu ho1
he IN the hands OF & city department
In the mean tin7e Hnderbrant & Bayer' who
snrinkle the streets under contract or permit
from the Department Of Water Supply, Gas and
1-reotriirv seem to have given heed TO the storm
~ nrotest aroused by the slippery streets and
hronpbt 10 public attention by The Tribune.
T-ifth-ave. was dry as a bone most Of yesterday.
and sixth-ave and Broadway were not stopped
over. The drivers Of the sprinkling carts had
orders 10 put on as little water as possible and
on many Of the streets the afternoon round of
the carts was omitted
AS q result the police did not report a single
accident either of falling horses or skidding
automobiles. Drivers gave thanks for a dry
street, and traffic moved much more rapidly. 1t
was a windy day, but the dust was no more
troublesome than when the streets are stopped
over.
u; is ridiculous and preposterous that street
tprinkling should not be under the direct con-
troll Of city department" said Mayor Mcclellan
10 g Tribune reporter yesterday. "A bill giving
this datv into the hands of the Street Cleaning
Department was introduced at the last session
Of the legislature While favored city control
Of street sprinkling and believe that it should
be done by the Department of Street Cleaning.
: was unable to approve OF the bill in the form
IN which il was introduced.
When I came into Office announced that 1
would not approve Of any bills which involved
mandatory increases Of salary. The street
sprinkling bill contained clause increasing the
salaries Of the foremen Of the Street Cleaning
Department and provided for a special police
for that department I was forced TO send WORD
10 Albany that ] could not approve the bill in
that form. The bill was introduced late IN
the session. and It seems that there was not
time TO prepare new one dealing with sprlnk-
ling and sanding alone
The matter Of sanding is one that also needs
legislation II there should be a light snow
fall tonight. followed by a thaw and then by
freezing weather. the streets might be as slip
perry as glass in the morning but, no matter
how slippery. I doubt if there is a city depart
nent that has authority TO sand the streets
There is some provision for sanding the as
phalted streets in the contracts of the compa-
Gies that laid them. hut Belg-4n block and
other pavements also need sanding.
II understand that the present arrangement
for sprinkIing the streets has but a few days
rOnaer run IN
sat.- for Immediate action It is likely that a
bin viii be introduced at the next legislature
which VIII give control of both spr!nkling and
sanding 10 the Department Of Street Cleaning
While ! cannot commit myself to sign any future
bill. ! hope that it VIII be drawn in such a way
that can approve of it.
i believe that a certain amount OF street
Eprinkling IS necessary. All Of the large cities
IN this and other countries sprinkle their asphalt
streets. The traffic over the streets forms dust
which must be laid. IN nearly all cities, how
ever, the sprinNing is done by the city and can
he controlled and regulated so as to abate all
uuisances"
They've quit sDrtnkling." declared Sergeant
John Murphy, in charge of the mounted police
squad, when Tribune reporter saw him last
night That is they've cut out one trip alto
gether, and on the morning round they drop as
little water as possible. The Tribune has rem
oered the public q great service in putting the
brakes on the sprlnkling carts. We had no acci-
dents from horses falling on Fifth-ave. and our
work was considerably lghtened."