Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-13
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RpIDAY RERRIIARY IL Ia2n
Snow Removal Problems.

much heavier snowfalls than those Q
recent days, the accumulations of whic
are now in appalling evidence In nearl.
all our streets, IL is seldom we have then
to create such nuisance in the way o
distinctions to travel. The heavy fall o
last week, driven by severe gale, drifteo
and piled up in all directions Clearing
from the sidewalks added to the obstruc-
ton and even at this time traffic is con-
Quoted under extreme difficulties.
But Wilmington is not alone IN this
snow trouble It has affected all the
cities, large and small, within the tern
tory of the snow visitation. The great
city of New York, with all its municipal
machinery, was staggered by the snow
accumulations in the streets. Trolley
traffic and service on the elevated lines
was sIseriously interrupted, an evil that we
of Wilmington escaped, thanks to the ex-
celle ent work of the traction companys
forces. The best efforts the city au-
thorities in New York could put forth
failed to clear even the most important
thoroughfares promptly, and many streets
could not even be touched. In fact, the
blockade is still on to a serious extent.
Philadelphia also suffered in like manner,
despite its ordinarily ample arrange
ments for keeping the streets clear.
The truth is that municipal admins
tration has not yet reached the point when
itcan cope successfully with heavy fall of
snow. In the face of such visitation sll
the ordinary agencies for street cleaning
fail sadly, and much time is required to
remove the obstructions. Many of our
people felt inclined to blame the street
authorities for not at least promptly
cleaning Market street of all its accumula-
tion Of snow. but this could not be done
In the first place, the cost was prohibitive,
and even if the department had been
possessed of ample funds, it would not
have been possible to secure sufficient men
and aims to do the work. Even at ex-
travagant rates of pay it was impossible
TO procure all the help that could have been
utilized.
Until science devolves some new meth
Cd of dealing with heavy visitations of
snow, the problem will have to- remain
unsolved and endured as d nuisance that
cannot be conbatted quickly. About the
onlv way to secure ordinary relief within
"a hours after a heavy snowfall ceased
would be for every man, woman and child
of working years In the entire city TO turn
out in force, assign themselves to small |
sections, and vigorously apply themselves |
TO shoyelIng the snow into all kinds of |
vehicles-and it would take about every /
thing in the city that could move on
wheels-and then convey it to the near
est dumping places. But while it might
be possible to organize a working army of |
this size and capacity, there is not the
remotest probability it could be done.
Having been tormented so greatly this
winter-and the calendar winter hardly
half gone-it is hoped we will have no
more heavy visitations of snow, or at
least none until after the masses that now
cucumber our streets shall have been
compile tely dissipated by the suns warm
rays. The situation is serious, as these
snow accumulations, with their accom-
paniments of all kinds of dirt, are highly
conducive to the spread of disease germs.
And then the people suffer.
Meanwhile, if any genius can devise
d effective plan for quickly solving the
SLOW removal problem in cities, let him
come forward at once. He could quickly
enrich himself if his plan showed any
real merit.