New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-10-29
10 ACT ON SPRINKLING.
EPCA. JOINS THE FIGHT.
No Relief from Slippery Streets By
Officials, Says Mr. HGines.

On behalf OF the Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty 10 Animals"
This statement was made 70 a Tribune re-
porter yesterday afternoon by John P. Haines,
president Of the society, after he had told how
his protests against the endangering Of the life
and limb OF man and beast had been shunted
from one department TO another. He has about
reached the conclusion. he says, that no city
Official has any authority in the case. and that
some special ard drastic action is necessary.
This unnecessary and utterly uncaIled for
sprinkling is a nuisance and an outrage" con-
tinued President Haines. ''I don't know of an
other American city that would turn such an
important work over 10 the absolute control Of
q private corporation"
He took The reporter TO a window looking out
on Madison-ave a sprinkling cart had passed
that way several hours before. but the street
was still sloppy and slippery, the water in places
standing in puddles. He declared:
That street is unsafe for you or me TO cross
81 that condition. II is positively dangerous to
horses unless they are driven with the utmost
caution. am glad that The Tribune has taken
up this outrage. and hope that il viii continue
the fight against II, for il promises to be hard
one. Ten years ago, when asphalt was first
introduced / warned the city of the danger 10
horses II il was permitted to get in a slippery
condition. argued that IL was incumbent on
the city TO take proper care Of It; in freezing
weather 70 have il cleaned and sanded; in warm
weather 10 wash and flush ii thoroughly. When
ILglsleLeQ Dg 4 sudden shower or Dy Sprlnkllng
u becomes dangerous not only 10 animals, but
70 human beings as well It becomes a positive
menace TO pedestrians compelled TO walk across
Il, especially 10 women with long skirts.
When asphalt is sprinkled il becomes so slip
perry that no horse. however surefooted, is safe
IN walking over II. In trotting the horse Is
likely 10 slip al any moment, and in turning a
corner the danger IS even greater. Yet the
danger Of falling Is not the only danger Of slip
perry asphalt. The horse appreciates that dan
ger much more vividly than his master, and
the continual strain Of avoiding fall wearies
him and makes him nervous, so that a gentle
animal may often become restive Rubber
shoes. covering the frog Of q horses foot. make
one safeguard against falling. but the streets
Of g city like New-York should not be in con-
ditioa necesstating the use of mechanical
safeguard.
since the practice Of sprinkling asphalt streets
was instituted the Society for the Prevention Of
Cruelty 10 Animals has killed several thousand
horses on account Of injuries received in slip
blooded animals belonging TO well known peo-
PIE. Broken limbs are not the only accidents
that result from sprinkling. Drivers are often
unable 70 check the momentum OF VehicIes and
horses are killed by colliGing with other wagons
and by being pierced with the points IF shafts.
There are many ignorant and youthful drivers
who know nothing Of taking precautions. This
should be al the more reason for keeping the
streets IN the best possible condition
When the slipping and injuring Of horses, par
ficularly on Fifth-ave. became more pronounced
IS The weather grew colder this fall. Mr.. Haines
took up the matter with the city authorities.
he FIRST wrote L. aorough President Ahearn ask
ing that the ST .et sprinBlers be called OFF and
the nuisance abated. He was referred to Com
missioner John T. Oakley, of the Department
of Water Supply. Gas and Electricity, 10 whom
the Board OF Aldermen recently gave the power
OF issuing street sprinking license. Mr.. Oak
ley wrote that The Commissioner of Street
Cleaning had the power to abate the nuisance
II one existed Commissioner Woodbury. was
then appealed 10, and replied as follows:
that the Department Of Street Cleaning has no
cognlZance or control over the sprinkIing or
sanding OF the streets All the sprinkling done
IN the city Is done by corporation formed in
West Virginia. called the Street SprinklinE AS
ISOLATION. over whom the Department of Street
Cleaning has not The slightest command The
action Of the Board Of A lerrnen has given over
The surface Of the streets TO this corporation
n such z way that il permits them TO slop the
streets, rendering them dangerous TO the life and
limb not only OF horses but Of citizens
/ would earnestly have you push with all
Posso!e acllVlty me Board OF Health. or whom
hoeIT you can, toward The stopping Of this
nuisance, as il greatly interferes with the proper
Cleaning O. the streets. Many people in this
clty think that this work is done by the De-
partnent Of Street Cleaning. Il is not and I
wish could stop il.
Nj HatIes then made further complaint to
Commissioner Oakley. and the acting chief en-
gineer Of the Water Supply Department was
asked 70 report on il. His report seems TO
favor the sprinkling corporation and reads in
part as follows:
None Of the departments have any appropri-
al4on available Tor washing the paVements in
lAls city especially that Of asphalt. do not
zee how the trouble complained Of is TO be
opF1ated. II is absolutely necessary, especially
o9Ilng the dry and warm weather that the
street psyenents, especially that Of asphalt
oe spTinkied. From my experience as a citizen
sAu property owner ia the city Of New York,
! would recommend that under the present cir
cGinstances the parties who are engaged in
sprlrkling the streets use q sprinkler which
delivers q small quantity Of water through
small holes thus decreasing the amount Of
water used. and IN a very few minutes the
trouble Of slippery paVements would be obvi-
atec IA warm ana dry weather. If parties in a
single block in the city should complain the
Ing 10 them the privilege Of having a large
amount OF dust on their sidewalks and in their
houses
This report seems 10 lose sight Of the fact
that the Street Cleaning Department actually
fUsnes and cleans the streets in the early morn
ING hours under present appropriations
On every hand yesterday horssmen. drivers
o. automobiles. cabs and other vehicles and
citizens had words OF praise for The Tribune
action il taking up the fight against the eprink-
ling, which, unless the corporation is called off.
MI be operated until late in November. A well
known physician who owns several blooded
horses made some most emphatic statements
yesterday when he was compelled to leave Fifth
ave. al Thirty-eighth-st because Of the slip
perry condition OF the asphalt and drive on Madi-
son-aVe., where there was less grade.
! would rather ride Ia a cavalry charge
against modern army than drive my trotter
down Fifth-ave. after one Of those sprinkling
carts had passed" he declared Il would have
about as much chance OF getting out alive The
newspaper which frees New-York from this
tremendous nuisance viii have performed a
great public benefaction."
Tie methods Of the Street Sprfnkline Associa-