Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-04-14

WAS secured, showing positively that fhe
business men of the city and our citizens
were IN favor of a proper street cleaning
| system.
During the past year we have been spend
ing two dollars for every dollar spent ten
years ago. and vet we cannot pride oitf-
selves on the condition of our streets.
Ten Years ago the number of mites Of
~paveinents in Newark was Ito. we now
have a1. We had ten years ago 115 miles
of unpaved streets, today we have abon
eighty-fiye miles. Ten years ago 1t was
claimed that the nnpaved mileage of streets
added materially to the cost of street
| cleaning, therefore, street cleaning costs
should be materially less with the reduction
. n the miles Of unpaved thoroughfares.
| The question here presents itself to your
| committee. has the necessary executive
ability been put forth TO complete a salts
factory system for the Keeping of the
streets and avenues of the city at leasi
sary acc1mnlations and litter.
Il IS shown in the city records for 1906
that The total number of cubic yards OF
material removes by the street cleaning
force was 1852, and that the mileage
cleaned totaled 1904, which would repre-.
sent an actual cleaning of the entire area
OF paved streets at hat time forty-three
times during the year, at an average cost
per mile Of s21.17, applying the whole OF
the appropriation to this area.
The records for 1863 show that the num-
her of cubic yards OF material removed was
zoo. 614. and the mileage of pavements
cleaned 4, 53s. representing an actual clean
lD2 OF the pDIlFG area OF DHVtu streets
eighty-seven times during the year, at au
averag &c cost per mile of S21 %.
These figures would indicate that the
| street cleaning department covered more
than double the mileage of paved area last
year rs compared with 1905, but as regards
the quantity Of material removed the
was 1926 . cubic yards. while Tint for $50!
was. 302.614 cubic yards. only 1882 cubic
yards more than 1906.
On the basis of cost the foregoing figures
would indicate that the paved area of the
city was cleaned once every four days. not
taking into consideration any work what.
ever upon the unpaved area, or We may
assume that an effort was made to clean
the paved streets of the city twice eacl
/ week. except during the winter months,
and that some reasonable effort was ap-
piled TO cleaning up the unpayed area
during the year.
The committee submits that politics plays
too prominent a part in the street cleaning
department. a claim which Is substantiated
and admitted by members of the Board OF
Works and by city officials connected with
this department, and that the work will
never return the benefit it should for the
outlay of money until the department is
placed upon L business system under the
direction of one man. with q free hand to
act and direct without fear or favor. The
| game of politics Is responsible for the
wretched condition OF our streets in the
past. for a waste of public moneys and the
| consequent ANNOYANCE resulting from dirty
/ streets and for the reflection upon the good
name of the city accustomed thereby.
IT seems evident that money Is not thc
cure for this trouble. and it also seems
to be evident that too large an appropria-
ton leads to e-xtrayaganc and to an in.
crease of party politics in the department
! making the problem of establishing an
effective system all the more difficult.
There is no gain-saying the truth Of ~.
criticism directed against this department
from all quarters that it has been made
the pasture for political worker from ali
sections of the city. and that political. in
- n mama 4 RI la u-ftlA fha arr - y
ment of men. particularly inspectors and
~foreInen and broken-down teams. tina
would be the case If Common Connci
would reduce the appropriation Ny at leas,
one-third.
1t is the unanimous Judgment of voul
committee that unless business methods
are at once adopted. a business system
huence regarding the employment of work
men in the street department the duty Of
this Board Of Trade is to exert every in
nuence at its control with the finance
committee OF Common Council and with
His Honor the Mayor to. cut off the appro,
priation. because we believe that no boar
Of works would dare permit the streets
Of this city to become more of a reproach
to party management: or would place
themselves in a position where more
drastic measures might be invoked thar
the mere criticism and suggestion which
his Board of Trade tries to offer in a
spirit of helpfulness and cooperation.
The department. We know for a Ger
tainty, is overloaded with men holding
positions paying the largest salaries fol
the least return in labor. and we do no
look with favor upon the creating of &
number of districts. to which such mel
must be assigned. and we want to voice
onr disapproval of creating districts tc
give employment to unnecessary supervist
ors and foremen.
The cost must be reduced materially anc
moneys appropriated must be spent fol
actual work performed. and this money
in our judgment, must give employment to
a~blebodied men and for the hiring of trucks
capable of earning an equivalent to what
they are paid-not because the owner con
trolls one or more votes.
A law has just been created by the sig
nature of the Governor empowering the
Board of Works to establish stations al
various points, where street sweepings anc
ashes can be loaded upon cars and taker
to designated points for dumping, and un.
der the provisions of this act 1t would