Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-01-13
FIGHT ON
EARLY SWEEPING
OF SIDEWALKS
Many Indorse STARS Crusade
on Widespread Evil That
Menaces Health.

Expressions Of warm appreciation
effort which is being made to abate the
early morning sidewalk sweeping nui.
sance. Accompanying many OF these as
surances OF support were personal eX-
periences of victims of dust clouds
iaised by the brooms of those cleaning
sidewalks in front of the business
houses in the morning, which indicates
that the evil is more Widespread even
than was at first supposed.
AT 10 a. m. Today a large corps of
street cleaners were busy sweeping the
0irt from the dusty street directly to-
ward the sidewalks on Broad street
near the busy Four Corners. The dust
heaps were not taken up by the sweep
ers until they had been pushed almost
to the curb. so that every pedestrian
who was forced to pass that portion of
the congested corner-and there we're
many of them at that late hour-were
forced to pass through clouds Of germ
laden dust. 1t has been pointed out
that this phase of the nuisance might
four hours there are many periods more
suitable than that in the neighbor-
hood of 10 a. IN. for cleaning the streets.
When the streets are free of snow
and ice it is the custom to send the
large street sweeping machines through
the streets late at night, when very
few pedestrians are astir, and it is be-
lieved the individual sWeepers might
NaFr,r ffN I, Il nrtn hx.
feelings and the health of passersby by
choosing some such hour for their
work.
A man who is prominent in the move
ment inaugurated against the white
plague by the Anti-Tuberculosis
League told today of tuberculosis
patient who came to see him regularly
to report the progress of a course of
treatment which had been laid out
for him. He said this man often COM
planned of inflamed tissues in his nose
and throat and declared they were the
result of dust from sidewalk sWeepers
which he had been unable to avoid. On
such occasions the patient had appar-
entity suffered a serious relapse from
the state of improved health which
his treatment had induced.
Apparently no better suggestion for
a method of abating the sidewalk
sweeping nuisance had been made than
that of Health Officer David ID. Chand-
Ter. Mr. Chandler declared that the
old city ordinance discovered by Cen
eral superintendent of Works Ship
man, prohibiting store keepers from
sweeping refuse from the store build
ings on to the sidewalks. should be
amended SO that the sidewalk sweepers
for business houses be restricted as TO
the time they do their work. 1t has
been suggested that a. m. would be
the proper hour for cleaning the spaces
in front of the business houses. in that
the rush to work does not begin until
a little while after that. time
The ordinance referred to is section
626, Of the revised statutes, and reads:
mo occupant of any store. dwelling
or building of any description within
the city of Newark shall sweep or de-
posit. or permit to be swept or de-
posted any paper, dirt or rubbish of
any kind from his store. dwelling or
other building. on, into or upon the
sidewalk or gutter in front of the prem
ises occupied by him. under penalty of
$40 for each offense."
This ordinance, IL IS pointed out, is a
long step in the right direction and
might easily be made to cover the
further nuisance which arises from IN
untimely sweeping of the sidewalks.
The danger OF infection from germ
lcSen dust is of course. greatest in
summer time, but, health authorities
declare, the menace to health at the
present time is great enough to war;
rant immediate steps being taken to-
ward securing relief.