Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-17
EDWARDS PRAISES
STREET CLEANERS
Ex-Head of New York Street
Cleaning Department Speaks
to Local Men.
APPEALS FOR PENSIONS
FOR THE AGED WORKERS
Annual Inspection of Men and
Equipment Made by Com
missioner GiIIen.

Big BIZ EDWARDS, former New
York commissioner in charge of the
street cleaning department, and Hill
ton Kennedy. connected with Joseph
Marrone, who holds the city contract
for the removal of garbage. were the
guests of Commissioner Charles p.
Gillen, chairman of the streets and
highways committee of the Board of
Works at the first inspection of men
and equipment of the department yes
terday afternoon at the Factory street
stables
In all there were over 800 white
wings" inspected, with all of the city S
wagons. sprinklers, machine sweep
ers and other apparatus used in the
street cleaning work. At the conclu-
sion of the inspection big Bill'
turned to Commissioner Gillen and
complimented him on the appearance
Of his men and apparatus.
Immediately after the inspection
Commissioner Gillen made a brief ad-
dress to the men and told them he
had invited former Commissioner Ed
wards to the inspection, and had
asked him to talk to them and give
them the benefit of his experience
while at the head of the New York
city street cleaning department.
Commissioner GilIen Speaks.
"I have brought you men here this
afternoon mainly to talk to you on
the question of street cleaning for
the coming year." Commissioners Gill
len said. you have done splendid
work during the past year. but I re-
alize that If the householders continue
to sweep refuse and throw papers
into the streets 1t is a hard task for
us to keep them clean.
81 propose to start q vigorous cam
paign to interest all school children,
Improvement associations and other
civic bodies in a plan to prevent
householders from littering the streets
with papers and refuse. l intend to
personally interest Chief of Police
Long with view to having the po-
lice force enforce the ordinance In
regard to the separation of garbage
and the use of proper receptacles.
Many improper receptacles are
now used for ashes and garbage from
which a great amount of the con-
tents are spilled. The police force
more than any other department can
help us. I wish to take this occasion
to thank the Board of Health for its
partment. A citizen who takes pride
IN a clean home should take pride in
clean street. The city is growing.
Miles of pavements are being added
annually. In the near future large
force of street cleaners will be re-
quired. If you do your work well and
faithfully the city will appreciate it
and reward you"
Commissioner Glllen then turned to
big Bill Edwards and said: "I
have invited Mr.. Edwards to speak to
You on this subject. There is no man
who knows the subject of street clean
ing better than he. He will give you
rnucb valuable advice on this matter,
and / wish that all of you sweepers
and forenen will carefully consider
thiA advice"
Talk by Edwards.
"E fficient street cleaning" said
'Big BILL" sis the result of the hearty
eo-opt Fation of the health, police and
street cleaning departments working
togeth6 IT. The taxpayers of this city
can hare just as clean a city as they
aesire, but there must be keen de-
sire on the part OF every person to
,ella do his or her part in the general
,leasuing up. There must be a. hearty
,o-ollerat ION on the part of the citi-
.ens to see that the city ordinances
ire lived up to. The throwing of rub
,ish into The streets by lazy persons
makes a lot of extra work for the
sweeper on his route. A certain
amount Of neighborhood cry Is neces-
sary to make eLean streets possible.
s'It is indeed a pleasure for one to
look into, the faces of so many
lard working men employed in the
department Of street cleaning of the
IL I 70 wi
Commissioner Gillep for inviting me
% address the men. l have the high
st regards for those who sweep a
,itv street, the position is an honor
able one, ard men do a great amount
If service in The cause of sanitary
1t is easy for people to
,riticise the. work of the street clean
ng department. IF they should only
try to push the broom on the city
street all day or lift the heavy ash
cans from morning until night they
would find out how difficult was the
task
81 want to say "a few works in par
ticular to the foremen:
"NeVer ask a sweeper 20 do any
thing that you would not do YOUR
self. If they do not do their WORK
take off your coat and show
them how to do it. Be strict with
them but do not pound them. Be
always on the job and put in sixty
minutes to the hour. If you are a
good officer the men under you can
not help but be efficient. If you are
not on the job, if you are not doing
our work, the men under you will
grow careless and the work will be of
q very low grade.
II see many old men before me to-
day. I trust before long it will be
POSSIBLE for the city of Newark to
pension off some of the old men here
today. If a pension fund is possible
those men who have worked for
twenty years with a good record will
be able to retire. Many # the men
here today have given the best years
OF their lives to make the streets
cleaner. You are paid by the city to
render efficient service. See that you