New-York tribune., 1907-06-30
STREETS REEK In RAIN.
NO STRIKE SETTLEMENT.
Situation GrO1es Worse, Despite Eff
forts of Health Department.

Macdonough Craven. Meanwhile the garbage
has been accommodating in the streets. and under
last nights rain the odors became more
repugnant than ever. The Health Department.
which the Mayor put In charge of removing the
refuse, did yeOman's duty yesterday. with every
man. from Commissioner Darlington down, hard
at work But in some districts the task made
the Augean stable job look like cleaning a hall
bedroom.
The danger to the city. especially In the East
Side tenement district, has been emphasized,
despite the declaration OF DIR. Darlington yes
terday that the worst part of the situation was
the odOr thereof. DR.. Timothy Lehane coro-
ners physician, expressed himself strongly as
been sounded all over the city, both by physl-
clans and laymen when he said:
The garbage left in the streets to rot will
breed germs. which will infect the crowded tene-
nent houses. and unless the strike is stopped
quickly We Will have a plague on our hands
Infants will become stricken with diseases which
under ordinary conditions could be easily cured
but with the decaying garbage lying around
rotting in the streets the air in the tenernents
will become SO bad that 1t viii be impossible to
cope successfully with the sickness
For twelve years prior to my appointment as
coroners physician 1 worked among the poor
OF the East Side, and am IN position TO know
the conditions prevailing there. The Health De-
partnent may be able to mitigate the evil by
the use Of disinfectants but It will not be able
to prevent large number OF deaths. I advocate
strike is settled
DIR. DARLINGTON CONFIDENT
DIR. Darlington. the other hand. said: You
can inform the public for me that there is no
immediate DANGER" When asked whether he
meant there was no danger Of an epidemic. he
added: Il would not say that. but will say
there Is no tmmmediate danger"
The health officials associated with DR.. Oar
Hngton in his work were Russell Raynor and
nr ErvOTv, until Ta+a IN v
evening Commissioner Darlington busy
travelling about town IN mis- automobile. He
visited the Mayor and Police Commissioner
Bingham His brief conferences with them
seemed to be encouraging. and he remarked that
garbage. collectors would be even moro care
fully protected by policemen to-day. DR.. Bensel
spent most OF the day at Station A OF the Street
Cleaning Department. at 18th street and Ave-
nue. c, while Mr.. Raynor was at Station c, in
Hamilton street Yet. with all the energy law
ished on the work, only 269 carts were out yes
terday whereas the full number should have
been T55 AS IL was. there were numerous fights
and exhibitions Of brick throwing that ended
in arrests and IN the soaring away OF several
strike breaking drivers who thought a broken
pate no fit reconnpense for job
Despite the appearance Of things. CommiS-
sloner Darlington became enthusiastic after his
automobile inspection trip. and exclaimed on
leaving Stable A: 1.-THE strike is broken Here in
the very hotbed OF disorder we have had thirty
five carts working While the streets are stiI
in a disgraceful condition we have removed
much OF the filth. We viii continue removing
1t until every street is in normal shape" And
vet at Stable A there would, under ordinary
conditions. have been 126 carts at work
The conference between Commissioner Craven
of the Street Cleaning Department and the
strikers was arranged by Tecumseh Sherman.
Commissioner of Labor. His deputy. John j.
Bealin met the strikers representatives at their
headquarters yesterday and obtained list OF
their grievances. He presented the case 10
obtained
TO meet a committee. This committee, which
called on the Commissioner late In the a1ter-
noon was made up of John Hargett and Ed
ward Corcoran. Of the Street Cleaning Drivers
Union and George W. Prescott and Robert ~
Vaughn of the United Transfers Of America
The executive committee of the striking dr1v-
ers held meeting last night and heard the re-
port of the committee which called on COM
missioner Craven. According 10 the report, the
tearnsters' committee told that it would
have to go further up, meaning TO Mayor NC
CIellan. After last nights meeting the follow
ing statement was made by George W. Pres
cott of the committee:
I'VE will call out the drivers In Brooklyn to-
morrow On Monday will try &c see Mayor
Mcclellan. and if he refuses to see US the swssv'
ers who are ready TO strike, Will quit work "a
sympathy.
DEMANDS OF THE STRIKERS.
The men asked for the following conditions:
That forty-eight hours constitute a weeks work
and that overtime DO paid for at the rate of 25
cents an hour: that fines be imposed without
the opportunity of a hearing; that the schedule
of fines be reduced. or a system of suspension be
substituted. and, finally. that the badges that
have been taken from the men shall be restored
to them.
These terms were approved by the strikers At
two meetings yesterday afternoon So confident
were the members OF the committee that before
they saw Commissioner Craven they said the
strike virtually settled. II was very diff
ferent, however, after the conference.
The conference lasted nearly two hours. and
then the Commissioner told the waiting report
ers that he could not discuss what had take'I
place except to say the meeting failed He said
that there would be no other conference befO,e
10 o'clock this morning. By his tone he left il
to be understood that at that time delegation
would return perhaps with demands that had
been toned down When asked to - cCnten-
ton that the strikers, having been absent five
days without leave. ceased to be members OF
the department. Commissioner Craven said:
According TO the law they cut at rollcalI
to-day As Commissioner. however. 1 have the
power to reinstate the men. even under these
circumstances. 1 can do any time within
wear but you may bet that I'm not going to
renstate any man next December who's been
engaged in this strike. I'm going right ahead
to get all the men 1 can. and hope To hire
large number tonight and tomorrow. don't
expect any of the strikers to come back They
probably think they ought 10 remain loyal To
their fellows. and I know if 1 were IN their
position | would feel that / should stick 10 my
own crowd.
In regard 10 refusing their demands the Corn
missioner said that working week of forty
eight hours would mean eight-hour day and
that the eight-hour law did not apply to the
department ownS 10 the exigencIes of preserv-
ing the public health. The Commissioner said
further that although mans fine might be-
taken out of his pay now before a hearing he