New-York tribune., 1907-04-20
BAD FOR FIREN[EN.
STREETS CAUSE DELAYS.
Chief Croker Orders Great Care to
.AUOid accidents from RutS

On account Of the wretched condition % the
strests due failure compel the contractors 10
live up their agreements with the city. the tlre
Department has been compelled to issue special
orders 10 the engine house captains in every dis
ITict 10 drive slowly to fires
Borough President Ahearn. alarmed at the way
evidence is piling Up against his department
brought the necessary pressure 70 bear on the con-
tractors yesterday and last night hfty-one gangs
% repairers al work IN various parts OF the
borough The borough officials said that the re-
pair gangs would have begun the spring repair
work earlier II the winter weather had rot been
prolonged.
The discovery that the Fire Department was
hampered by the condition Of the streets was MADE
by the Automobile Club Of America. which mas
called the attention OF the City Betterlneat Socles
10 the matter, and result Fire Department
odicials have been summoned TO TESTIFY at the
Ahearn investigation. which will be resumed on
Monday.
The Automobile Club investigators have diseov-
cred an order issued by Chief Croker 10 Dallalioi
chiefs on March l.. and transmitted by them 70
commanding officers Of the drehouses. reaoihs a.
follows:
You are hereby notified that during the time 5le 5ie
streets are in the condition they are al pre,t e.
II neeeFsarg 90 @ very slowly IN proceeding through
the various streets which sre Amos. % now al the
repair shops on of broken axes S isl
etc. and large number of men are olI 's'0 The
list through being thrown FROM apparaIu5S;; 5;, 10
utmost care should be t,htL g .,r;,,s a.
Inquiry at the fire houses revealed the ia't 'H"'
she order is stil vigorously enforced
Although Chief Croker denied TO represeh'auNe
Of the club thai the streets were worse IAai 'ie.
ever had been. and said ne lid not kho" OF aug
iniuries 10 lnen apparatus from Guliies n ~"
streets members Of the rank and file told another
story They declared that the wretched street COZ
<itions causing delays in reaching ites' lea'!
damages 10 fire apparatus and serious injuries ~
snen
E-,,,o, CO. thai +, Is -, uncommon occurrence
for an engine or some piece Of apparatus TO run
snto one Of the deep holes with which the pave
rlents arc dotted while answering IN ALARM elthe!
breaking axle o: sustaining some carnage eI'o1F1
70 -ep6 il 10 the repair shois for a week or so.
Instances OF hremen being jolted on apparatus
while crossing rut or hole Al fun speed are ol
almost daily occurrence. they say.
The fremen ia houses the upper West Side
End the lower East Side had the most complaint
90 make against the street conditions. They s2ld
that in their districts conditions worse than
sn any other part Of the city The men on me
upper West Side declared that Eighth avenue was
she most dangerous street in the city The East
Side men said that there was not one street IN
their section that was not had.
James ". Howard, a paving expert, who was
examined Thursday. was recalled yesterday by
she Commissioners Of Accounts and John PurToy
Mitchell. the special assistant corporation counsel
81 charge Of the inquiry.
In answer 10 tho question 10 what caused the
defects IN the payements. lac said mostly ordinary
Uf the elements and in occasional cases a fire. He
estimated that only about 10 per cent Of the de-
Sects he observed had been caused by the wear
and tear Of the winters traffic The other 50 per
cent be said might be attributed 10 wear and tear
prior 20 that time Many Of the defects. he said
were more than year ole.
He said the system OF repairing IN New York
seemed 20 be unsysIemstic and sporadic. He
thought a system OF prompt reports could be
ganized in this city. there excellent and
taVOIably working system n operation IN Brook
lyn Washington and other cities.
As the witness was excused Mr.. Ldttleton, as on
Thursday. asked permission 70 cross-eXamne and
was denied the request and denial going on the
record
Marvin Scudder. an accountant. with offices
10 50 Wall street, was next called as witness
by Nr. Mitchell.
He said he had studied street openings and paw
ing contracts. lie explained the nature Of these
contracts and told OF the manner Of making per-
manenL repairs. He ssid the city always had
pay for repairs made necessary by fire and by
known causes. When a street is Torn up for
water or sewer pipes the contractor doing the work
pays for the repairs. For vault permits the vault
owner pays. For corporation openings the coTpo-
TatiOn Is supposed 10 pay.
The witness said he had taken transcripts from
fhe records Of the Bureau OF Highways for the
years 1sg4. 1896 snd 1896 and had found that in the
frst year Jos cases Of street openings had been
ported with record OF restOrsuOns; in 1895 there
we're 1C2 openings. with orders recorded for
fheir restoration. and IN 1906 6l5 openings and no
restOTationE recorded. He explained that the num-
ber might have been actually less IN 1896. there
being some confusion IN taking the transcript
from the records OF that year, and the number
not certain.