New-York tribune., 1907-07-01
APPEAL TO THE MAYOR.
CiUic Bodies 4Sk Him to Clean
Streets at Al Hazards.

Mayor Mcclellan will be asked to-day to clean
the streets The request comes in letter from tho
Streets Conference Committee, which grew out cl
meeting of twenty-five civic organizations called
by the City Club last winter. when the streets
were piled high with filthy snow melting in
thaw and threatening the city with pulmonary
diseases of all kinds as well with those whose
origin Hes in dirt
When the city to-day faces one OF the gravest of
all possible crises as the result Of the strike of
the street cleaning drivers and when many phy-
sicans say that pestilence is at any moment likely
to break out in the crowded quarters, where the
hundreds of thousands of those who dWeI IN the
fenements are packed in, with escape from the
reeking odors of the overfowing garbage cans the
report has double interest.
Clean the streets. Do il with existing forces
under present laws without red tape. without com
plants that power Is lacking. without vain appeals
for more legislation. without regard for any eA-
That is the spirit of the appeal. There is no
blame for Mayor Mcclellan h'hlseI. me 5ettS w.,
saws that for the holes in the streets ana the
wretched condition of the parements the Mayor is
in no way to blame. and that for the amehoraton
of these conditions he has already done all mat hes
in his power in ordering the investigation Of the
Office of Borough President Ahearn
But says the committee, there are things that
the AIayor can do and do once. He can order
the Police Department to enforce laws which were
nassed to prevent needless Httertng OF the streels
He can arrange that proper instructions as to these
laws and the penalties attaching to their VOCATION
he given to citizens. many of whom are now lSno-
rant of of the simplest ana most elementary
provisions of the sanitary and penal codes regard
ing health. He compel the immediate ana
complete reorganization of the working force or the
Denartplent of Street Cleaning. and he can make
that department conform to every law under which
T. is supposed to work. And he can require the
daily ana thorough flushing of the asphalt pave
These four general heads supply the COMMITTEES
with the material for exhaustive appeal 10 the
Mavor To emphasize the appeal the letter says:
Where the public health is menaced. the use OF
the streets attended with universal discomfort pfi
vate property injured to degree difhcult 10 esH-
mate. and real estate values impaired ''e sltu"Ioi
is of emergency character, and we ask you 10 deal
with il accordingly
The letter saws that the great accumulations OF
dirt and refuse in the streets are due In large
measure 10 Iaw-breaking citizens Provision IS
made by law punish almost every offence when
offenders should arrested without discrimination
OF any kind. 1t is declared.
There is severe criticism 0f the work Of the De-
partment of Street Cleaning lnef1ciency on the
part of the whole department IS indicated though
more censure is directed the district superin-
tendents than any other officials Reorganization
is absolutely necessary, It is said
OF Commissioner Craven. the letter says that the
fact of his long illness since his appointment must
be taken into account But then follows this sig
nifcant remark:
I'VE trust however that in the future organi-
zaton of the department no one Will be either ap-
pointed continued in the direction OF its work
at any point who does not measure up TO the
standards of efficiency its very great Importance re-
Criticism is made of the street sweepers, and
the comparison between the work of the depart
ment now ard under Commissioner Waring is
drawn. Appeal is made for the flushing of the
asphalt pavements by high power machines. and
II Is pointed that less than 100000 gallons OF
water day would ne needed for this work, where
as the Water Departments figures show q surplus
of 100000 gallons of the Croton supply and Of
100000 gallons OF the Long Island supply. OF the
hoped for relief from the high pressure mains the
committee is sanguine and little is said on the
subject.
The organizations participating in the conference
whose representatives formed the committee. are
as follows: The City Club. Merchants Association,
Brooklyn League, Automobile Club. Academy Of
Medicine. County Medical Society, Allied Real Es-
tate Interests Bronx Real Estate Brokers. Women s
Municipal League, West End Association West
| Side Independent Club. Washington Square Asso-
| citation. Riverside ana Morningside Association,
Charity ORGANIZATION Society. Peoples Institute.
East Side Civic Club, Civil Service Reform Associa-
| ton. City History Club Women's Health Protective
| Association, Society Of Neighborhood Workers.
University Settlement, Union Settlement, College
| Settlement, Nurses Settlement and New York
Team Owners Association.
The rennrt Is signed for the committee hy Joseph
VI. Price, its chairman and Henry c. Wright. sec