The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-04
SHORT BROOMS PUT
KINKS IN CLEANERS
J. r. FctherstOn's Experiment
Brings Quick Protest From
Backache Squad.
STRANGE FEATS SEEN

Somebody recently suggested to street
Cleaning Commissioner J. r. Fetherston
that a greater degree OF efficiency might
he obtained by his white wings in the
gentle art Of keeping street pavements
clean " the long handled broom and the
long handled pan scraper gave way 10
the short handled broom and the short
handled %dustpan.
The idea cit Is understood. originated
with some members OF an improvement
association whose aesthetic natures
were sorely distressed by daily surveys
OF dirt and rubbish left In the streets
after street sweepers had passed by with
their long handled implements. 1t was
argued that the elderly gentlemen In the
service Of making the city streets pretty
were compelled 10 stand quite erect In
manipulating long Ina II d brooms and
therefore were tempted to keep their
eyes on the passing throngs instead ~
the paNements. whereas IL they bent Their
backs and got nearer 10 nature with
short handled brooms their minds
wouldn't wander. they would see more
dirt and would probably remoye II.
The Commissioner thought there might
he something In the suggestion. and hav-
ing the value OF the average house
wIfe's broom and dustpln In mind, he
gave orders that the experiment he
tried.
squads OF white wings. armed with
brooms and pan scrapers with ahbrevi-
a,ed handles. were sent to various dis
tricts in Fifth, Seventh and Eighth ave-
nues and elsewhere to start the test
Mos, OF them wee grandfathers and a
large rercentage rejoiced because their
physical ills due To winter blasts gave
evidence of disappearing IN the spring
warmth.
They hadn't worked long before many
| Of them complained Of pains In the back
as the result Of bending low. Some got
kinks in their necks and cricks In their
shoulderb,ades. and others Insisted that
the unusual exercise of bringing the pan
and the short handle broom into 1uNta-
position so near mother carth gave them
cramps in the wrists which were some
thing awful" \ few said hat leaning
over made them So dizzy in the head
thai they couldn't see to sweep.
More thar one man. stin in the JOINTS
and curved like a young moon because
Of the unusual exercise, was compelled
TO- appeal to- a ne.ghbor to straighten
him ont. This feat was accomplished
by placing both hands on the bent ones
shoulders and pressing 4 knee hrnlly nut
mistakenly against his back. Others,
who remembered the setting M exercises
they had to go through when they dd
/ enforced military duty way back hoine
I'm their early manhood. tried calls
henics as a last resort to tax" the kinks
out.
The unusual performanC" of a h'tle
gruup Of white wings limheriug up m
Fifth aycuuc after busting the pave
mont caused another little group OF
women on the sidewalk who believe
. thoroughly in preparedness to mafNe
a, the skill of the old men in keeping
themselves IN such splendid condition
10y doing c~alistheulcs AZ their work
The experimenting short broom squad
umh and ached for several dave
and then protested in - bod to thu
street cleaning heads They sad tn
work was too arduous hy far and ina
some ~ them wouldn't Toe able t.
straichten up for two weeks at least
They were sure they couldn't cover mar
ms much ground as formerly when they
pushed a long handled broom. and 'heN
wer, darucd Il they thought II was hu
mane to maze a man get down on NJ
m~.rrowbonvs and work like u chamber
maid.
Th.S;rce, cleaning COMMISSIONS wh'
IS a very reasonable man. saw IN" justice
IN tho complaint. He also realized tina
the larc. number If rubbish cans ue'ts
strv for The experiment DID not increase
the beauty ~ the side i'uoS. tie th"r"
fore gave %. derS FOR the return to th'
long handled hroonr~. aud the Whli'
WING. arc no longer n need 81 mdss"uiS