New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-31
CRAVEN:S STREETS CLEAN
CITIZENS: THEY'RE NOT.
Many Disagree scith Commissioner
NezC Methods Planned.

Commissioner Craven OF the Street Cleaning De-
partment said yesterday that the streets or this
city were as clean as they ever were az this sea-
son OF the year, and in his opinion cleaner, ana
added that any person who said they were not
clean was laboring under a mistake He contend
ed that the department was working under
increased difficulties. for which the citizens who
are most prone to criticize 1t are largely respon-
sible.
1t is becoming more difficult for the Street
Cleaning Department to satisfy the citizens OF
New York." said the commissioner. because the
people have become more exacting and at the same
time less careful to obey the laws pertaining to
the streets"
The streets were at their worst. he said. inne-
olateIy after the period being then filed with
the accumuladons Of the winter season, which had
TO be removed by a special cleaning up He said
that after the snow disappeared he put 20 work
about a thousand extra men, with eighty extra
trucks and a hundred extra horses. This force
was laid off on the 25th OF the month, as the
commissioner said he did not think IL was needed
any longer.
There are very few complaints coming in now"
continued the commissioner. although during the
snow season there were a good many. The last
winter the department had the heaviest work in
Its history in the matter Of snow removal. 1t was
So per cent heavier than that OF the previous heavy
record. twelve years ago.
He said he could estimate the cost OF the
snow removal for this year exactly, but thought
IT would be about s. 10000
The commissioner is considering a new system
or flushing the streets by the use of flushing trucks
which he believes will be twice as effective as the
present method. These trucks are equipped with
compressed air tanks and water is sprayed from
them onto the streets under pressure in direction
at right angles 20 the direction OF the truck,
making sort OF water broom which sweeps the
street from the centre to the curb He said these
trucks had been used in many cities OF this coun-
try with success. and that two or three OF them
had been tried in this city with good results With
nVe hundred or six hundred OF these trucks. the
commissioner said. IT would possible flush all
the streets of the city often as necessary. He
said the system would be rather more expensive
than the present one. ana that he did not want
TO install it unless he could do IT thoroughly.
Colonel Alfred Wagstah. president of the Society
for the Prevention Of Cruelty 10 Animals does not
agree with Commissioner Craven's statement to
the present condition of the streets. He said yes
teruay that trey We're a disgrace to the city and
were not only uncomfortable to ride over being
full of bumps and hollows hut that they were abb
soiutely unsafe and n menace 10 horses and drivers
The colonel expressed desire 20 cooperate with
the Automobile club Of America in its fiEht for
ter conditions and It is understood that the uues-
ton of cooperation will be taken nm by n sUeciai
committee OF the club.
The Washington Square Association. which was
recently formed. Is another organization which IS
trying 10 better the condition of the streets al.
though Il Is cCnfnng its efforts NJ present to the
ton Square. IN n statement Just issued the ASSOC
citation says that che present administration Of the
streets appears TO he bad and weak.
Any resident OF Washington Square may become
a membe" and the association VIII undertake TO
press any Just complaints. The association does
confine itself 10 streets however but purposes
haps coerce. the authorities to a more vigorous en-
foTcement Of the laws and ordinances affecting the
city II announces that IL does not propose any
for the present least. ITO endeavoring TO induce
the officials 10 perform the plain duties Ia front
neglect"