The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-18
SNOW REMOVAL COMPARISON
Storm Of December a., 1917, and
Dat q February ~ and IL, 1914.
Four days figures:

The lack of perceptible progress In rid
ding the streets Of snow caused Joint
meeting last night OF the traffic com
mittees Of the Team owners Association,
representing owners OF 1000 horses, and
the Motor Truck Club OF America, repre-
senting 1000 vehicles.
The committee drew up n Joint state
ment, signed by J. Il. Pride of the Motor
Truck Club and J. X. Orr of the Team
Owners Association. in which they Bit
teriy condemned Street Cleaning Commits
sioner Fetherston for present conditions,
and said II another heavy fall of snow
occurs the trucking and teamng interests
will not attempt to use the city's streets.
This will mean that food supplies can
not be transported around the city and
will cause a shortage OF food
The committees, after an investigation
Of the streets. complain that not even
the main arteries OF traffic. either north
and south or east and west. have been
made passable for traffic forty eight hours
after the storm. except when the work
has been done by the street railway com
pAnies
Credit to Railways.
THE greatest progress" says the re-
on Broadway, but this is not due TO the
Street Cleaning Department. The rail-
ways have done the work Furthermore.
up to Monday night only parts OF Fifth
avenue had been cleared Of Saturdays
snow.
'On thoroughfares leading to the fer
ries no progress has been made at all In
some instances and in others no satisfac-
tory results have been obtained.
The thoroughfares leading to the city
markets have been almost ignored, per-
hitting only light loads and causing In
creased prices to the consumers.
THE Street Cleaning Commissioner
could have accomplished more had II not
been for the general inefiiciency and lazi-
ness OF his foremen and inspectors. 1t
was also pointed out at the meeting that
FORMER commissioners had been able to
overcome these difficulties through their
own efficiency and competency"
Traffic conditions for all vehicles are
demoralized. There are frequent blocks
at the busy crossways. the railroads
blame the city for not cleaning the streets.
tho city blames the railroads and almost
everybody has been blaming Commissioner
Hetherston.
Mayor Isn't Satisfied.
Mayor Mitchell yesterday. Afterward the
Mayor SAID he wasn't satisfied with the
way the Work had been progressing, but
that he believes the Commissioner is do
ing pretty well considering the conditions
and the available tools.
He said that present conditions are
more trying than they have been in years
the density of the snow Is twice as great
as in the average nowstorTn. which makes
II twice as hard 10 handle the freezing
weather and the small storm right on the
heels OF the big storm unite in making
the removal job difficult.
81 know that matters are not satisfac-
SDry," said the Commissioner, but the
men In my department are doing the bes,
they can. ] have no criticism to make OF
shybody; when the snow has been re-
moved I may have some suggestions to
make"
Trucks are the keynote OF the situation
The contractors can get enough men.
The IRE streets have been dug out by
the fremen. with the help OF ash carts.
commissioner Fetherston has come e
cur aid nobly," said Commissioner Adam
soa. Fortunately there were no big fire.
yesterday except the Bowery fire, and ths
apparatus was able to get there In gooc
time. The motor apparatus did grea
work In getting to fires. being able to ge
through the streets In much better tim,
Than the horse drawn apparatus"
Ash Carts at Old Jobs.
Commissioner Fetherston put most o
his ash carts back TO ash removal yes
terday. as he considers 1t as necessary Il
keep up with that work as ii IL to get rio
OF the snow.
The trolley situation In regard to tn
cars Of the Third Avenue Railway wa
still bad. Supt. 4. A. Maher. Jr. of tn
railway said last night that he woul'
have the broadway cars running by thi
morning.
The channel rails have been caked wit
ice, and he had 500 men out yesterda
freeing them. Not In ten years has
trolley line in this city been blocke
for three days, and not since the blizzar
of 1888 has any line been blocked 70
four days
Maher said that the city was to blam
for the tieup on his lines,
The city did not remove the sno'
on Broadway" he said, although "
cleared the tracks. The trucks had I
run on our tracks. and the traffic was q
heavy that there were frequent blocks
As a result We could not run our car
fast enough to keep the trolley slot fire.
OF ice. The snow drifted down Will
the cars were stalled We have 500 me
out now and we will have the lin
running during the night
The New York Railways Company ha
had all It's lines running all the tim
during the snow period. Tho cars mad
slow time because o. p,ocks, principal
due to the wagons and automobiles on III
tracks. but all the lines have run en- u
most full schedule.
The Tenth avenue line ana the Twent,
eighth and Twenty ninth street and u
10th street crosstown did not run.
Not Enough Cars Hun.
Frank Bennett, transportation expert
~ Public Service Commission. said thi
The Third avenue line had not run cnoup
cars 10 Keep the slots free. The Publ
S.rvice Commission has been getting MAJ
Complaints against the service.
Tn" New York city Railways fee
tina. II has done It's share OF cleaning Il
streets 1t the office OF the company
Sas said yesterday that II the comma,
had not hept its tracks clear there wou
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