New-York tribune., 1904-08-13
ATTACK CITY'S SAHARA.
CTs7gS Rapidly Lay asphalt Under
The IIribuae,s Prodding.

For weeks F'orty-second-st- between Seventh
and Tenth aves. a veritable desert, and its
sanostorms reminded one oE those Of Sahara
An asphal..ng coapany which had the contract
for changing the pavement from coboles 20
asphalt tore Up the cobbles and filed the road
way with sand and gravel Then the city ols-
covered that the company was working It's
crews more than eight hours day The worK
stopped, the paving company asserting that on
account Of the interference OF traffic Il must
work eight and q half and nine hours TO make
anything on the 900. Meantime the sano iay
there except when the wind played with IT, me
homes and business houses were treated TO q
coating OF sand and dust. both inside anu OUT
There was an epidemic Of sore eyes ana men,
women ard children took to blue glasses anu
goggles. There were so many sore throats the
doctors could not count them and the dispeh-
saries could not give OUT gargle fast enough
In their extremity the unfortunate citizens
appealed 10 The Tribune They had heard how
efte- a long struggle. this newspaper had forced
contractors TO put down the middle or the sueet
and then made them keep It down 4 week ago
The Tribune took up the fight with the city
departments which were responsible for the de-
LAY IN asphaiting. 1t kept at it until Commis-
sioner Dalton Issued a special permit allowing
ssphaiung crews 10 work overtime.
Yesterday the first block. between Seventh
and Eighth aves., was completed. a large crew
of negroes is rushing work on the second block,
70 Ninth-ave. The entire repa wing VIII be mn
sshed BY the middle Of next week.
''The Tribune deserves the thanks OF every
person in this district" declared yesterday Su-
perintendent A. Il. Wentz, of the West Slde
German Dsspensary. Il am stlN wearing blue
syiasses as the result Of the weeks or sanolnS
which the city's contractors caused US. II Inc
Tribune had not got after them, have no oount
that we should stiu be suffering The rapldlty
with which the work is now being done SHOWS
how senseless was the delay ,.
2 Yesterdays report from Forueth-st-. Opposite
Bryant Park and the site OF the new PUBIC
IAbrAty 50 not so encouraging. An order was
given 10 the asphaltins company early IN the
week by Superintendent Scannell OF the Bureau
OF Highways tha: the street be put III COCA
order Immediately. The order must have been
tpfgeonholed somewhere, or perhaps the com
-fany which received Il has rot Yet Unwound the
red tape which the Tamnany departments man
Gge 70 wind about things
g Half q dozen children were making Inud pies
yesterday afternoon on the edge Of one OF the
Elin1y lakes which have been there Tor months
II was excellent mud for pies, the children said
The puddles were coated with an unwholesome
green slime, which made q rhubarb filling Al
most realistic enough TO eat. From the races OF
some Of the youngsters they seemed to have
been trying II.
~It's more fun here than in the park heaps
<nore.' declared little girl whose pinafore had
been white before she struck the street OF puo-
q srain't often you can find a mud puddle in
b. city" said a boy who was almost too old for
mud pies They 90 with the country"
: A few minutes later big truck came trundling
down the street. heaving in and out Of chuck
holes deep enough TO be a credit to the logging
camps about Snohomish. Wash. The children
scattered A who passing along
the pavement would have fed or even climbed
she park fence had she known what was coming.
But she did not know. and one-half Of her
lavender dress took on a decoration Of irregular
polka dots from The mud the truck spleshed.
The city has been sued for damages for less.