The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-01
STREET FILTH PILES GROW
LITTLE CHANGE FOR THE BETTER
IN THE DRIVERS STRIKE.

nAst~soc Ssioon -ncp from HERMAN.
There was little actual change yesterday
in the strike situation in the Street Cleaning
Department. the bulk Of whose drivers
! quit work several days ago because their
demands for an eight hour day and the
modification Of the rules concerning fpes
were not granted. The day. however.
incidents.
In the first place, a handful of men we're
able TO continue to hold up practically
all the garbage removal from the most.
consested district in point Of population
in the world. And yet there was not the
first sign of disorder in the East Side, the
district most affected by the accumulation
OF Nth and garbage.
II is not to be understood by this state
ment that no work was lone yesterday
in removing the refuse, for the Health De-
partment, under the immediate direction
OF Sanitary Superintendent Bensel, and the
Street Cleaning Department. under Conn
missioner Craven and his deputy. Bill
Edwards. worked with might and main
to lessen the increasing mountains Of Alth
The greatest difficulty was the inability
to get men. To the mind Of the Mayor,
who was on duty all day in the City Hall.
this seemed a remarkable demonstration
OF the prosperity hereabouts in these days.
The a. Of a driver for nine hours work
is s2.5I, or more h a school teacher gets
when she first begins work. The task Ia q
simple one, and in other large cities, where
the garbage is removed by contract, the
pay is rarely higher than 81 so a day for
ten hours. Naturally il was expected by
the city authorities that there would be o
rush for these jobs. but comparatively few
men applied for them and the force was
not greatly increased yesterday.
Deputy COMMISSIONS Edwards had made
a bargain with q Philadelphia firm Of con-
tractors for 800 men, who were to come
here over the Pennsylvania Railroad. Ar
rangements were made to meet them &C
Jersey City and to take them on a tug iron,
there around the Battery and up to the
foot OF East Seventeenth street. which 10
within hailing OF Stable A. and thence 10
march them into the building before the
strikers and their friends could make an
attack on them.
But alas for Edwards's dream! Not q
solitary man from Philadelphia showed
up at the appointed time. Later Mr..
Edwards said that he expected 100 OF the
men to arrive some time In the night "a
that they could go TO work in the morning.
He said the contracting firm had promised
to supply him with 1900 men II he needed
them.
BY some Of the officials the fact that
there we're 80 few applications for jobs
for men without trade which would pay
them $40 a year-the extra forty being
for the average Sunday work throughout
the year-was that il was Sunday n
that men did not like TO work on hat day
Then too. IL was said, there is sie custom-
airy widespread sympathy in labor circles
for men on strike in spite Of the fact hat
in this case there could be no strike In the
ordinary sense as the drivers were working
under rules and conditions imposed by tbs
law.
No one in the Administration directly
connected with the strike will admit
that it is anything but INSTRUMENTATION
on the part Of these drivers, and they re-
fuse absolutely to consider their grievances
until they return to work. Many OF them
have worked for twelve and fourteen
years in the department n are said 20
he perfectly satisfied with their jobs. They
were contented until the agitators cams
along and talked union to them. As Sun
day in the summer time Ia day on for the
drivers It is hoped that a large number OF
the old men will return to-day.
About twenty Of these old employees
returned to work in Stable G yesterday.
stable @ is in Hamilton street and it con.
N~AI. . IN NLA u,N~Ir - .k~ A-o~t - 49, r.
Side. where the garbage situation is at its
worst. Up to yesterday the strikers had
succeeded in tying up this stable COM
pletely. but excellent work toward clearing
the mass away was instituted yesterday,
when lt2 loads were carted to the dump
at the foot of Clinton street. The work
was continued last night. There was no
trouble Of any kind.
A tour OF the East Side streets yesterday
afternoon showed that conditions have
not been exaggerated. All through the
ghetto the streets we're piled o high with
garbage that there was scarce room for
the cars to pass The streets as usual
swsrmed with children. who we're Obliged
to play on the garbage heaps and the stencil
avenue car would convince any one Of the
hhiio oiNO ohN N"aeoA W Wv oitbohtOh
But there are streets that can't be seen
from these cars where conditions are even
worse. According 20 the reports Of the
health inspectors the very worst oondi.
tons prevail in Elizabeth street from Primes
to Houston. This thoroughfare 10 well
nigh impossible so great Is the amount OF
garbage. Other streets which are in an
especially bad way are Orchard from Riv-
ington to Houston, Ludlow from Rivington
to Houston. Ridge from Delaney TO HouA.
ton, Pitt from Delaney TO Broome, Flew
enth. from Avenue A to Second avenue
and First avenue from Eleventh to Twelfth.
In these ~thoroughfares the conditions
are understandable. Piles Of decayed fruit.
vegetables, meat and other household refuse
rear themselves everywhere. while the air is
poisoned with the odor. The rain on Sat.
urday night and the GOODNESS OF the air
yesterday helped to keep down the danger
of contagion. but it was asserted hat N tbs
temperature rises no one can tell what tn,