davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01

NhoeVer believes that the East Side Is dirty
.e-ause il doesn't mind the dirt has never
-'u OF the recently organized society. popu-
~ KNOWN as the "Anti-Dir League" He
- never attended its meetings nor heard its
asois declare that the burning question OF
~ az hour is not railroad rate legislation or
-.-efai inspection Of meat. but dirt He has
-s'e listened to the new "Marseillaise" that is
.-ns east OF the Bowery, proclaiIning a revolu-
4 - against the old rule Of uncleanliness. He
'e res,:
SpF marching on to victory. with a rub-a-dub-
Rnn Water and with soap veii scrub, scrub. scrub;
stTee1 I'd me garbage that kicks around the
@e.I 1S hats and shirts. aad the stray chunks Of
PEI I clear ar, he East side up 50 neat that every
' Il Il You you dirty cur streets again well punch you
-'ost certain it IS that the sort OF person who
s1ios the East Side as irredcemahly soied has
;. watched the "Anti-Dirt League" al work
80, = Goes not realize that its members have es-
'ea new kind Of detective force which
p,,' ,sHeady almost half as large as the entire
~ department Of ire city. hat which is on
~, .e'oh nor Tor violators Of the Penal Code.
y .I Eansgressors of the laws Of sanitation
i Dss net know that they are only children.
-, =" spite OF their years, have taken a far
ss interest ii municipal affairs than the
- Of adults. Ard If he would learn more
tiese little workers he would find that
~ nave been organized as a regular part OF
bs government. wearing badges bearing
a. o. the city and making reports which
h. 'i'siiiited 10 the head Of the Street Clean
- f;tneat. Officially they are called The
c. oiunteer Aid Department Of the Street
ess department OF tie City Of New York"
ehra must be good STUFF IN the successful
ns,.s sFeet cleaner Of the East Side or he
4. soon abandon his task as a hopeless one
ar..- 7' expect rebars Iidicu,e and often
.a,,, +" bodily harm. One member of the
B'il1 League" fer example. came across a
ttsn, bartender yesterday, who, in seeking a
"a. - :" oiet from the "cannibal sandwiches"
ffs. s'ekIed eel" and the smear case" OF the
tabsa.-Hch counter. had bought a couple Of
fhe ~, ifom pushcart man He stood on
seo,s.l a. Grand street and the Bowery, and.
RRe s TO the oldtime custom oe the East
n, i Tossed the banana skin into the street.
esssslshful anti-dirt crusader asked the bar-
q urteously 10 feed the banana skins to
II his elbow. or put them IN the biey
hs 1s The street It had been piaced there.
nes, s,'ee by the Street Cleaning Depart-
I'm pscisily for anything a person wanted 90
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01

members make weekly reports ON blanks fur
nished by the department. The children re-
ported first, violations of the city ordinances:
second. misconduct of the departments en-
had been doing
some Of these reports have been preserved to
snow the child white wings OF to-day what
their predecessors were able 70 do The presl-
dent of one OF the Waring clubs FOR one week
In 1905. for example. made note OF his exper-
fences as follows:
barrels.
Fish stand. corner -- street and Avenua
-----. Throwing slOps into the street
Improper receptacle for paper in front OF
No -"
one small boy turned in the following report:
Ihank God. have not seen any sweeDer or
orlver OF the Street Cleaning Department go into
Another urchin recorded his work In this wise:
picked up some paper and banana peeIs in
18th street. Stopped bonfire in 45th street
Y
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01

and found that they were always more prolific
after warm winter than after one that was
exceedingly cold. He constructed the den
around the outside OF his chimney ON the theory
that the keeping of the chimney Immediately
back OF the fire always warm would furnish
ample heat for the snakes and with proper feed
ing he would be able to increase the propasa-
tiOn indefinitely.
He accounts for the scarcity OF the species
known as timber Tattlers by the increasing cold
winters Of the West, and says that his eNpeE1-
ence in keeping the reptiles in q warm place
during winter tuStifies the theory upon which he
started This spring he had eleven. though ho
began two years ago with only a single pair,
and last year he sold three live ones. for which
no got $40 He believes he can count on dOub-
ling his present number IN year, nOthWith-
standing the fact that expects to dispose Ot
three OF his twO-year-OldS in a few days Though
the OctOsenarian makes no professions Of being
a snake charmer, he says that dOscesticatiOu
makes a great difference in the habits Of the
rattlers. for they are In sense venOmOus
when they are raised in his den. He often opens
the door leading from the den into his cabin
and permits them TO enter the house
'I'd rather sell the skins than the live snakes"
said the eyed snake raiser, ''fOr then have the
advantage OF the meat. and It is the best I ever
ate IL tastes something like turtle but IS more
tender and has better flavor. and a big rattler
will make three meals good enough for q king
It don't cost anything to raise them and there
ought to be big demand because they are so
scarce. Yes. there's plenty OF FattIeSnaEes but
they amt timber ratt!ers. and that makes q be,
difference TO them that know"
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01

Many men who have been retired on a PEN
sion." he added i'm response to a question ''se-
cure other occupations. Many OF them are re-
tired in good physical condition They may not
be able 10 so fast as in their earlier davs.
but they are In pretty good condition. Financial
institutions like retired patrolmcn for special
officers as they especially we'll fitted for that
position. The fact Of being employed while re-
ceiving pension has no effect on the payment
OF the retiring allowance"
The three platoon SYSTEM said ex-CommIs-
sioner William McAdoo. was put in force by
me under the direction OF the administration
Before Mayor McClellan's election he had been
promising that that system would be adopted
On the stump last fall Il was favored L do not
care TO discuss the change 20 the two platoon
system. The fact whether the patrolmen like
the change or not is a minor matter / often
told the men In my talks 20 them that they
were the best paid policemen in the world and
that they had nothing TO say on that score. The
real test In system is the results secured IN the
protection of people and property, and the de-
lection OF criTninaIs''
The trouble I'm the change" said a police SER
geant, ''is not with the number Of hours off
but with the disarrangement OF meals The
NUMBER or hours off is about the same but un-
der tne three platoon system the men were able
TO go home more regularly TO their meals I'm
der the TWO platoon about so per cent OF tho
men must support themselves at restaurants
besides paying the expenses OF a home Most OF
the men live considerable distances frnrn shs
station houses. especially those attached 20 the
Manhattan precincts"
But yet there are. no destinations from, IN.
force.
WIN the exception OF the Department OF Edu-
cation no city department receives so much
money. as the Police Department. The apprO-
priations for the police this year foot. up Sf2-
tSO3oo o. The Fire Department. the branch of
the city government which ranks third I'm cost
TO the taxpayers. received an appropriation only
a little over one-half that amount.
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01
RAISING R1TILESNAKES
NoOel Industry Pursued by Indiana
Ocf0gena1ian.

Indianapolis. June so (speciaD-Joshua Flee
ner an octogenarian OF Brown County. is fol-
lowing strange occupation. and declares that
there is more money In il when time and trouble
are taken into consideration than any other busl-
ness In which he has engaged since his dis
charge after serving through the Civil War He
Is engaged in breeding timber rattlesnalSes. a
species which. he says. Is exceedingly scarce.
and In some parts OF the country extinct. and
IS selling dressed skins 20 museums 20 be
mounted. He recently sold two OF the Oldest
that he had on hand, one having nine and the
other eight rattles, for S37 80 and $50. respec-
lively.
Fleener has cabin OF two rooms In the hills
of Brown County, and has gone into the rattle
snake industry in systematic way. He has
constructed wall OF cement and stone around
the stone chimney OF his cabin. making a
chamber about 6 by feet. and this Is kept
warm In the winter by a constant fire in the
fireplace In the cabin. In this den he keeps
the snakes for breeding and feeds them reg
ularly through the winter He says he made
study of the habits OF timber rattlers for years
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01
With Such Big Pay Generous Pensions to Offer New
York Could Replace the Entire Force or Short
Notice Without Any Trouble at ALL

other city in the world The Chief of Police
used to get $4,000 year. That is more than a
origadier general in the United States Army
gets. by $500 The army officer. however. re-
celves his quarters. perhaps that evens il up.
lieutenant after having four years of physi-
cal and mental training. which is harder than
any pOlcemans apprenticeship. receives on his
appointment only S1.400 a year. The patrol
mans work is not very hard. 1t is only Occas-
lonally that he has to make an arrest"
The policeman" said Frank Moss. formerly
a. Police Commissioner and counsel for the
Lexow and Mazet investigation committees ''is
well paid public servant. When was Police
Commissioner we had the two platoon system.
There was no complaint then. 1t is human nat
ure not to want 20 go back to an old condition
of service when one has had something more
pleasant"
Doesn't nearly every policeman who IS broke
try to get back on the force again?"
"Yes, almost every police officer tries 10 get
back after he has been dismissed
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01

The imperative sentences. backed by the name
OF the Commissioner in large capital letters so
oyerawed the recacitrant banana eater that
before he could pull himself together enough to
speak he had picked up the peels from under
the feet OF an astonished truck horse and showed
them into its gaping mouth
IIalc a block further the boy came across a
woman who had stumbled out of a dark hallway
and cast a big bundle into the street.
stop" he shouted. What you doing?
You must know that it's against the law to
throw things into the street. What's in that
bundle anyway"
The woman turned haggard emotionless
face toward the speaker, and would have re-
treated without paying any further heed TO his
admonition. when he stopped her by saying
Come, pick that up and put II In the street
Cleaning Department can yonder. Help us boys
and girls to clean up the East Side"
No matter how deadenIng may be the drudgery
,,ertaI element in her-curlOsity The weary
fenegnent housewife glanced again as the poy'
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01

We'll, you've got a nerve" said the drink
mixer after he had recovered from his surprise.
What new game are you putting me next?"
The child did not notice the oaths with which
the liquor dealer followed up these remarks, but
said quietly:
Il member Of the Juvenile Volunteer Aid
Department, which is under the direction OF
Commissioner Woodbury.. There are 5000 of us
now. and hope TO have 10000 members
We organized in clubs and are trying to
keep the streets clean. Won't you help us?''
stop yer kiddin'," said the tapster. There's
no graft in this fer me. It's up to Woodbury. TO
keep the streets clean; and he must be pretty
hard up ag'ln 1t when he's got ter put the kids
ter work helping him. Here. get out er here or
I'll swat you" And at the same time that he
delivered the threat he tossed the skin Of the
second banana at the chlds face.
DOdging the missile, the young champion Of
municipal cleanliness pulled out of his pocket
white DIT OF paper and pushed it into the out
stretched fist dehantly. accompanying this act
with the words:
Careful sir. or you will have to go to the sta
tion house Read that paper, and you will see
have authority"
Considerably dazed by the boys bold stand.
The bartender glanced at the paper and read:
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01

earns as much as the patrolman. The average
for the former last year was 81 80 0S and for
the latter s1.00S GG. Few of the captains OF
the excursion steamers Of the size Of the General
Slocum receive in the course Of year as much
as the patrOlmen who are occasionally assigned
to their boats.
There ere not few clergymen in this city
whose salary is not equal to that of the patrol
man. The average sum received by the profess
sors OF the 329 American colleges is only $3.50
a year. Upon this they are obliged TO keep up
appearances" Unless they chance to be at
tached 10 some college or university which the
Carnegie Foundation has taken under its wing
there is no pension to which they may look for
r1
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01
REPORTS BY GIRLS.

The reports submitted by the girls were more
explicit and more carefully written as a rule.
than those OF the boys. Some had q phiOsoDh-
ical turn. One little girl wrote:
While going to school I saw some boys max
ing bonfire They were real mean. because
when asked them as nice as could be 10 stoD
they said such bad words I didn't know what
they meant. But just kept my temper That
Is the best way Mother says she can always Get
the best OF pa II she keeps her temper So
didn't say wee word but as quietly as
could slipped into a candy store got pail OF
water and made an end Of that fire
Then came across eight dirty people who
were sweeping garbage into the street. asked
them pleasantly 70 STOP but they got cross
Then scOlded them real hard didn't lose my
temper. Don't think that OF me- I tust talked IN
them short and quick. 20 let them know 7 meant
every word said. But IL didn't do any good I
guess wasn't big enough 20 scare them Some
times wish was grown up. just for this reo
SON. Small people don't get the same respect
from others as big ones
The boy leaders In the present crusade against
East Side dirt have taken warning from some
OF the Waring clubs which became dominated
by the girls, and We're run In open defiance OF
the masculine members. In the club connected
with the Children's Asd Society, In East 44th
street. as soon as the girls obtained enough re-
cruits 20 outvOte the boys they held what the
boys called a trump convention" With all speed
they deposed all the boy officers and elected girls
In their places.
All members Of this society took the following
pledge:
II must not throw bits OF paper or nut shells
or any other thing on the sidewalks or ln th.
mans OF e.assrooms OF The school building. and
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01
COMPARATIVE WAGES.

The New York patrolman is not only the best
paid policeman in the world. but his hours at
home as good as those of policemen in
ether cities who receive lower pay. He receives
SEQ the first year. This amount is increased
ST the rate of S10O a year for two years Then
& rises to 81 100 for the fourth year. reaching
fhe maximum. 81 400 by the end of the fifth
year. Under the two-platoon sysetm he is free
fOr at least forty-eight hours a week The
Chicago policeman would doubtless be glad to
Eabble about the streets of New York in the
shoes of Gotham cop" for he receives only
SLIGO year. and has only two DAYS in three
weeks free from all duty. Living is high in
Washington but the private of the police force
q the capital must make both ends meet on
&o for the first three years Of his service, and
sl2W al the end OF five years. Tramping the
broad streets of his city is not 50 profitable as
TatFoling the thoroughfares and byways of
greater New York The Philadelphia patrol
man sees his family cnly every other week.
One week be is on duty constantly and the
following week he can spend eleven hours day
n MS cot For this sacrifice of home life he
receives from $1,000 10 $500 year. according
70 the number OF years OF service The salary
q ne Boston patrolman, If one rated il accord
ing 10 MS mental ability, would Indicate that
me protector Of the peace in the classic shades
d lie Athens Of America is not the equal OF
me knickerbocI1er guardian. for, beginning with
ei'"" year, he rises 10 = maximum of 81 200
d lne end OF the third year. The police of Eu
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01
A LESSON IMPARTEp.

II took a long time for the boy to persuade the
woman that she could improve still further on
her housekeeping methods and finally she picked
up the ill-smelling bundle and deposited it in a
garbage can lie left with her "a card on which
printed:
1T is against the law to throw rubbish from
rags and other rubbish in the ash can or gar
bage can"
Other cards with which the street cleaning
children 30 armed bear injunctions such as
these:
You should sprinkle your sidewalk before
sweeping. Don't raise the dust. as It breeds
disease"
Cans should be close to the premises. ana not
In the middle OF the sidewalk or By the gutter
G0u are responsible"
1T against the law to mix ashes and gar
bage. They must be kept in separate cans You
are responsible and liable 10 punishment. Don't
do Il again"
The obstruction which is in front of your
premises Is against the law. Ii should he re-
moved at II It is not removed within
twenty-fOur hours the police will be notified
Don't sweep the dirt from the sidewalk into
the street. Sweep the dirt into pile on the
sidewalk. pick It ur and put II in the ash can
On one side of the CaTdS the printing is in
English; on the other in Hebrew.
In spite OF their enthusiasm and energy the
champions Of cleaner East Side occasionally
find themselves hcpelessly bafied. A girl mem
her of the juvenile League the other day ap-
preached truck driver who from his exalted
perch was squirting tobacco juice clear across
the sidewalk with considerable treDidatiOn she
handed him card. which read:
Don't spit on the sidewalk II Is against the
law, and you are liable 70 punishment Use
your handkerchief"
The first sentence caused the jehu to scowl SO
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01
PART V.
EIGHT PAGES,

In the course OF The twenty-four working DAYS
n last February approximately six thousand
men visited the rooms of the Municipal Civil
ssr,ioe Commission for enc purpose Among
,bem were scores Of horny-handed mOtOrmen
,sau,slers, laboreTs and porters dozens OF mem
hsrs OF the trade often described as the source
: a prinoely incomes, plumbers; numerous slender
shsnked clerks and statesmen butchers and fire.
/. men. from whose hands the gore and CRIME had
/. sust been scrubbed; car conductors, whose palms
and fingers still showed the marks Of the nickel:
sflk splitters. drug mixers, machinists, iron
,ro-kers sqUatty tailOrs. knotty muscled black
smiths, slightly built bank messengers, mer-
chants, engineers, plasterers, dctt fingered cleo
,dcal workers and watchmakers and writer's.
rasi week these thousands OF men were being
s4aulned as 10 their fitness for the place which
aey sought.
What is this place that so many thousands
,s men of all kinds of occupations are willing
. accept in exchange for their present source Of
livelihood?
they were all seeking the appointment of pat
,rolnan on the New York police force. the best
raid police force in the world They were all
frTing 10 enter the ranks OF the men who COM
rlslned the other day because their hours OF
duty had been changed through the return to
the two-platoon system. Apparently they were
not worried because. through the Encouragement
Of the tours Of duty and the hours Of reserve,
they might be obliged to change their meal
schedules. The fact that it was deemed essen
fial TO go back 10 a system which would put
more men on duty at night was not disconcerting
% them If all the applicants were TO secure ap-
pontnents. they would almost replace the pres
ent force, which numbers 7.190. Evidently
there are plenty OF men who do not think the
cty's exactions in the way OF service too Oner-
nns for the salaries il paNs.
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01
They Meet with Many Obstacles. but They Also Win
Many Victories A Revival of the Movement
Started by Colonel Waring.

and. wondering why he should chlde her for
what she had done often under the very
eyes Of policemen without word OF
remons-. ance from them she asked petulantly:
Veil. vat is It? Dis is mine schvill. isn't il?
Den Wy can't schuck it I wants? Achl
So! Maybe you york vOr dose Vest Side swell
vimmenS, dat trink pink tea unit year pink
schoes eh? Dey butts much into de East
Side p-etty. Come you by dem. e!l ~
TIL boy explained still more fully the purpose
OF the league to which he belonged whereupOn
the woman said with emphasis
See here, you. Don't thinks ] he nice,
clean voulans. no let mine home with bugs
gets all full. like some vinlmens / chase dem
so soon as sees dem. l lose my schvill. all
right no vate till night unit den schUcks it
vrOm de window out. l wraps it up nice, unit
comes nit it five schtores down, and den chucks
e ware YOU in II schlip. Eh2,
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01
PRIZES FOR HUsTLERs.

1t is expected that the Juvenile League Will
grow still faster when the plan proposed by Mrs
Robert Abbe. president OF the City History Club
OF giving prizes TO the most deserving children
is announced AT the present time the organiza-
tiOn has 4 membership of about thirty-sIx hun
dred, divided among a number of clubs The
average club has twenty members and is as
signed to the care OF the streets on two sides of
a block 1t is attached to some one of the six
teen Settlements the East Side. Each club
has its president and other officers the men,
bers making their reports to their president.
who turns them 80 the Settlement worker
in charge The Settlement worker transmits
the reports to the secretary Cf the league W no
forwards them TO Commissioner Woodbury. AT
the present time the Educational Alliance has
organized twenty separate clubs. the Peoples
Institute four. and on.
In one way the Juvenile League is a revival
of the movement started by Colonel Waring
when Street Cleaning Commissioner by which
the children OF the East Side helped the city's
employees The Idea is the same The methods
OF putting the idea into practice, however are
different. All the child workers at the present
tins are under the immediate direction OF a CEN
Iral committee of citizens, instead OF sOing their
duties hfphaZard. formerly. This central
committee consists OF Herbert G. Kahn presi-
dent; Bernard s. Deutsch secretary: Professor
James Hamilton and Mary j. PiersOn. The
headquarters Ot the league are at the Civic Club
No 2'l4 Grand street. Here the children meet
zen oI What tIiey dtt uoills anu ieaTn now fhey
may still better carry on their work. Addresses
are made by men prominent in municipal re-
forms. and the stereOpticOn is made to show In
great, bright pictures how beautiful are those
parts Of the city which kept clean. as COM
pared with parts that are neglected. To. stir up
the civic pride of the children Is the chief pur-
pose of these assemblages
The achievements If Colonel Warnings time
still furnish potent inspiration for those East
Side children who believe in cleanliness The
first child clubs were formed In 1895 the first
year of Colonel Warnings administration and
they were independent of another They
were linked with schools and Settlements. The
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01
GENERAL GRANTS VIEWS.

1.-THE salary paid in New York TO the police
is good" General Grant. Commander of the De-
partment OF the East, formerly a Police Com
missioner of this city, said the other day. 'I
don't see how New York City could pay any
more. 1t is much better than that paid in any
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01

darlIly that the little girl almost turned right
then and there to run away. The next minute
he burst out into a loud laugh Again he eX-
pectorated over the heads of half dozen pedes-
trians. and, Wiping his mUstache on his bare
arm he said. with a chuckle:
Use your handkerchief. eh? HO no. Say.
little one. never carried pocket rag I'm me
life Oh. no, Yer can't make gent outer me
at this stage OF the game. GOod6y. miss" And
delivering another long distance shot at a cat
skuking in the gutter he drove on
New-York tribune., 1906-07-01

I0Gs G-'OG
DEPARTMENT OF STREET CLEANING.
Ciiye "oIr banana peeis to n horse. Horses
IKE them. Orange peets, peenut SHELLS, papers
and other rubbish must 70. be thrown into the
street. keep yours and throw them into the
receptacle placed At street cnrn6Ts for that
purpose. .lf Sou do not see one Within two
blocks WIlte
JCuS MGAW WOODBURY..
Comm issioneT