New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-04
DREAD THE SPRINKLER.
CITIZENS GET ANXIOUS.
Many Letters asking Woodbury.
about Sleeping Bill IN albany.

Citizens Of New-Yorl whose offices and homes
front in streets paved with asphalt are beginning
to get anxious over the prospect Of street sprink
ling and the fate OF the bill introduced in the
State Legislature in January giving cOgnizance
and control Of that important duty to the Com
missioner Of Street Cleaning. This Is shown BY
the number Of letters coming 70 Commissioners
Woodbury. each day from those who have been
forced for several years TO provide FOR the
sprinkling of the streets in front Of their prop
erty by the direct tax imposed by a private cor
pOration.
The bill which will put this important public
duty in the hands OF the Commissioner OF Street
Cleaning was introduced in the Assembly at
Albany January 10. II was read once and
referred to the Committee on Affairs OF Cities
After doing nothing with the bill for two months
the committee called public hearing in Albany
on March p. Major Woodbury. made strong
appeal for the passage Of the bill. asking the
members Of the committee to look at 1t from the
point Of view Of common sense. II was pointed
out that street sprinEling was really part OF the
Commissioners duties. but that the clause Civ
ing him that duty was left out Of the original
charter. The act is still in committee and no
one seems to know when it viii be reported.
A year ago bill giving the Commissioner OF
Street Cleaning control Of street spFinkling and
taking It out Of the hands Of HHderbrandt &
Byers. self-appointed sprinklers to the greater
city, was introduced. The mistake was made
at that time OF burdening the bill with some
sections advancing salaries and increasing the
street cleaning force. For this reason the Mayor
opposed the bill and II was not brought up.
This year the officials interested have been
careful and the objection of a year ago cannot
be entered. In the fewest possible words
twenty-three. by actual count, the act relative
to the Department Of Street Cleaning is amended
to give the Commissioner full power TO sprinkle
wash or food as may seem necessary, and to
sand the asDhalted streets when they are In q.
slippery condition. There are no frllls on the
bill this year. opposition to it appeared at
the public hearings. Hilderbrandt & Byers were
not represented and there seems to be no reason
why the bill should not be passed promptly
The Tribune took up this question late last
summer when the slippery condition Of the
streets made travel dangerous and Mrs. Russell
Sage and several well known persons narrowly
escaped serious injury. On two occasions auto
| mobiles skidded a result Of the sprinkled
asphalt and two persons were crushed to death
Scores Of valuable horses broke their legs and
had to be shot
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals took up the question and President
Haines sent protests right and left. He finally
succeeded in getting the private sprinkIing cor
pOration 20 let up on their sprinkIing. The Au-
| tomObile Club Of America. through its chief
/ officers. promised to support the bill giving
street sprinking into the hands Of the Street
Cleaning Commissioner. One Of the club mem
bers said yesterday:
There is a fear on the part Of the city officials
| that this street sprinkling amendment is going
TO be allowed TO sleep until 1t is too late for
\ passage at this session. A mighty protest 70
Albany from all individuals and associations in
tereSted should be made at once The few DAYS
1 of sunshine we have enjoyed has brought out
no end Of dust on the streets. They are in need
| Of sprtnkling to-day. but nothing can be done
| by the city Commissioner. who should be re-
| sponsible for this work. The street sprinkling
concern which has so long enjoyed this rich
monopoly is keeping very quiet but the dav it
becomes impossible for the legislature to take
action putting them out Of business. their
wagons will appear slushing up the streets and
| their contract agents and collectors will begin
| their persistent rounds.