New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-20
FROM SNOW TOTHUNDER
R<fIN SUyEEPS STREETS.
"BM' Ed7cards, scith Big Job,
Helped by Night Storm.

Not very long after O'Clock last night there were
repeated flashes Of lightning. followed by revcr-
berating thunder. This electrical display had been
preceded by a snowstorm which began in the
morning. on Monday the storm that this
section vesterda.- making things uncomfort-
able in Montana, and Monday night il had
transferred its activity 10 South Dakota. Then
II went husting and hurting to the lake region.
whence it came down this way. The local weather
department had predicted rain II had not
pected snow.
When the flakes began TO fall there was as
much surprise where they try predict the move
ment of the elements as elsewhere Throughout the
city. And nowhere was there more surprise ana
dismay than in the Street Cleaning Department
when the white visitation began. Late last night
the drilling rain changed to heavy showers. which
did wonders in the way of cleaning the streets. Ac
cordng TO the weather bureau. these bursts Of rain
are likely 10 continue into to-day. The wind with
the moisture at no time exceeded eighteen miles
an hour.
The weather department really does the best it
possibly under the circumstance Now. sup
pose the street department had to buck up against
such an uncomfortable proposition the Gulf
Stream or wind currents Of any old kind IN its
efforts clean the streets. il cannot possibly be
Imagined that the department in its predic-
lions OF removing the snow supply, or dead cats.
dogs and incidental horses. could possibly do any
better than do the so-ealled weather sharps.
Tho weather man did not know early yesterday
morning that ms predicted rain ROulQ Turn INTO
snow almost al once He did not know that this
snow would be continued almost all day long OF
course not. any than did Commissioner Mac
donough Craven know what TO expect when he
pushed the covers from his bed yesterday and
hoped out 10 look at the frightful display in the
street. Mr. Craven is a rather cold booded man.
and he has been made more since he gathered
in Bill" Edwards as chief deputy. that invincible
football Prinoe;onian. the man who on account Of
his bulk. able TO give the Hon, Grover points
as 10 weight Well. "BiIl' Edwards has whole
lot of nerve. and he let surplus Of It loose in
Inc department. and his chief Mr.. craven. grabbed
his fun share. When he looked out Of the windows
Of his Park Row Building offices and the
beautiful. gently falling flakes yesterday. Mr..
craven called on Bill" Edwards.
When Big Bili' told his chief in the masterful
way that he used TO have when he bundozed
almost everybody as football that the
were making II warm for the snowfall Mr.. Craven
thought that It was real Princetonian bluff he-
fore the game. But later Mr.. Craven found that
Bill" telling straight story
wherever the flakes fell in the streets Of this
extensive municipality the warmth of the pave
rnents converted the fakes into deep dark. brown
slush And this slusr had its beginning some
where in The Bronx, followed the streets down and
down until the dip al the Battery. The snow dld
come down good and plenty and kept coming
until VOL toward nightfan; then it developed into
a drizzle 80 save the face Of The weather bureau
hut this drizzle was no; strong enough TO have
cleansing effect Il simply added 10 the misery
under foot.
The snowfall Of yesterday will not cost the city
a cent As Big BIZ Edwards said. the streets
were making II warm for the snowfall. and as the
fakes fell they were melted IN the most effective
manner and sent on their way TO the sewers. The
snor- beans in file city Hall Park. which resemble
snow about as much as coal heaps i'm tie land Of
pbosbA snow began 20 take on, a really white color
- about 7oontime yesterday. and then the tenn
perat,fr.. rose and the heavy heaps assumed a
st~esled appearance. the fine black lines on the
white resembling in their artistic perfection etch-
tngs from the hand OF a real artist And the black
stripes were Of the real ivory black kind. On the
lptoHn side streets the heaps assumed sepia tones
some were the true manganese brown while others
10 which the neighbors had contributed their cast
of products and possessions had a remarkable
vegetable cooring.
Mr. craven. with the help Of the mighty intel
lect Of Bill" Edwards. is going 70 apply himself
10 solution % the snow problem during the en-
suing seasons before the fakes begin 10 fall some
where around next Thanksgiving Day. He and
bill hope 10 evolve something that VIII put the
shade Of Colonel Warirg TO the blush. II shade
can blush. The price OF labor is going up. and
Mr. Craven does intend his department shall be
held up next year Mr.. Craven said that there had
been n good deal of Misrepresentation regarding
tbe OF things in mis- department. He made 1t
clear tha; p was paying fOr removal OF snow
that not being removed. In other words, the
reports that he was paying Tor snow removal on a
basis 81 snowfall were not tfue- PAYMENT was
made only for snow that was actually removed
and reported BY his inspectors The contra tors
Will have mighty little more work 10 do-ln fact:
they y III have 10 remove only heaps OF muck and
snow that they have piled up
S