New-York tribune., 1907-10-02
WANT WATER" "BENSEL
cant HAVE IT" O'BRIEN.
So the Ciy's Streets Mast Go
UnfuShed

difference. almost amounting TO a state OF
war. exists between the Street Cleaning Depart
11lent ard the Department OF Water Supply, Gas
AID Electricity. Tie question at issue IS
whether the Street Cleaning Department shall
have tie water II needs fOr the proper flushing
OF the streets. and at present hoEors are with
Commissioner C'Brien and the forces OF the
Water Department
Commissioner Bensel wants Ia be able to use,
when ne needs II, eight million gallons Of water
a Gay for flushing, with sprinklers, hose and
pressure flushing carts. Commissioner O'Brien
says he can't have a drop and has called upon,
the armed forces OF the city Of New York TO aid
in Tepelling any attacks upon the water supply
by the white uniformed forces Of the street
Cleaning Department The police have been
ordered 20 arrest on sight any employe of Com
missioner Bensels department taking water
from hydrants. Nevertheless. water is taken
nightly, and there is a sort of guerilla warfare
In which the white wings" under the general
command of Major General HOgel. have been
doing work highly pleasing. It is understood, to
Field Marshal Bensel and Lieutenant General
Big Biz Edwards. This warfare is highly ir-
ritating to General OBrien. and st is something
OF problem to determine Just what steps he
viii take TO check the successful operations Of
the enemy.
Commissioner O'Brien says there is no water
20 spare for the uses Of this department." said
Dr.. Bensel yesterday. THAT may be so But
II ii is so. why the HiIdebrand- -Byers Com
pany buy all the water II wants from the city
for It's mud-makng sprinkling carts? Those
carts are a nuisance. They simply make trou-
bic by dropping enough water on dusty streets
10 turn the dust into mud without cleansing the
streets or removing the dust I can flush the
whole city with the water ] ask for, and I should
have it. The city uses three hundred million
gallons OF water day. approximately and the
additional six 10 eight million gallons a day
ask for could hardly make much difference
r. Il do not want all that water at once. There
viii be many days when the whole system is
complete when much water as that VIII not
be needed. But ] want 10 feel that can have
the water when it IS needed. At present I am
not allowed any water at all for flushing When
Street Cleaning Department man is seen using
hose at night the spectator may know the
white wing. in doing his duty, is stealing the
water and is liable 10 arrest
Unless there is a change The department will
either have to give up trying 10 clean the streets
or else win have 10 haul every drop of water it
uses from the two rivers. That is situation
that viii involve very considerable expense over
and above what would be necessary If the varf-
Gus sprinkling and flushing devices could be
supplied properly with water. VIII cause a lot
Of delay, and viii reduce the efficiency Of the
water system Of cleaning the city"
The trouble between Commissioners O'Brien
and Beusel, if it is not very soon adjusted, will
undoubtedly arouse n great deal of interest
p. Commissioner O'Brien Is decidedly In the con-
/. fdence of the Mayor and in high favor with
NJ the administration. Commissioner Bensel is a
warm personal friend of the Mayor, and when
the situation in the Street Cleaning Department
became dangerous to health during the strike
this summer he was called from the Depart
lnent Of Health and practically put in charge
of the situation over the head Of Commissioner
Craven. whose resignation. closely following the
strike was followed Immediately by the ap-
pointnent of DR.. Bensel
Commissioner O'Brien was too busy TO have
anything to say yesterday about the trouble
with the Department of Street Cleaning, but
Deputy Commissioner Goodwin said the en-
pioyes Of The department were forbidden TO
draw city water from any hydrant. Formerly
broad permits allowed the Street Cleaning De-
partment men 10 draw water practically all
over the city, but these permits, which have
expired, have not been renewed, and there has
been constantly increasing friction all summer
between the two departments eliminating in
the present practical severance of df,lomatic
relations.
Order after order had been issued restricting
Commissioner Bensel in the use Of water for
flushing purposes One important street after
another has been removed from the zone in
which water could be used. First it was all the
district above 14th street that was put under
embargo: then the flushing zone was con-
trscted more ard more below that street. The
Commissioner and every one in the department
E felt that discrimination being employed
against it, and the feeling between the two de-
' partments became very strained.
Chief Engineer XarOna. Of Water De-
partrnent. and General OBrien's chief Of staff,
explained the reasons for the denial of water
10 the Street Cleaning Department yesterday by
saying that there had been serious danger Of
considerable depletion Of the water reserve
stored in the Croton watershed, as the result Of
an exceptionally dry month Of July.