Evening star., 1936-12-27
Clearing of Streets and Highways
REQUIRES Advance Winter Plans
Sweebers often Prove
to Be Heroes in
EMERGENCIES
By Seth Harmon.

When snow flies, most Of us greet 1t
with rousing cheers. because for US II
brings endless fun on sleds, skis and
ice skates. But for the faithful crews
Of men who must keep our city streets
and highways clean and free from ice,
every snowstorm is Just one more
headache.
Few Of us realize what a tremendous
job q city street cleaning department
has ON its hands even after a light
snow. A 1-inch snowfall on New York
City's streets, for example, leaves
3.160, 900 cubic yards of the white stun
to be removed-quite an order when
you realize that q cubic yard is big
steam shovel's mouthful.
The 14-inch snowfall last Winter
gave the big city's street sweepers
twice as large load to haul away as q
whole years sweepings Of dirt and rub
bish. And. Of course, snow must often
be removed under the greatest handi-
caps-tied-up trafnc, subzero weather
or thaws followed by freeze-ups which
turn the sltlsh to ice.
WHO. then, tackles these problems
w as part of his days work? Can
just anybody get q street sweeper's
job? No, indeedl In every large city
applicants must pass q rigid physical
examination and prove that they can
lift certain specified weights. Then,
usually. they must attend classes. Here
they learn not only how to handle
broom and shovel: If the city owns
machinery for cleaning the streets and
removing snow, as most cities do, the
rockies learn the mechanics of oper-
ating it.
Besides. street sweepers must learn
how to meet emergencies and help
protect city property. Street sweep
ers have turned grave-diggers in more
than one locality during an epidemic.
When power lines fail, leaving sections
OF the city in darkness, they may be
called to illuminate dark areas with
headlights and searchlights. Their
sprinkler tanks have often hauled
water to frantic housewives when water
mains have frozen and burst. They
have been called on to carry passen-
gers in place of rubbish when a city's
transportation system has failed.
THERE are many individual heroes
among the men who clean our
streets. Because they often work at
night in order to avoid daytime trafic
many q would-be bandit or burglar
has been caught by them and turned
over to the police. They have "smellet
smoke" frequently In time to save &
building, and often many lives, from
being destroyed by fire. And the mum.
Der of children, blind persons and ole
people our street sweepers have helped
cross crowded streets safely must rur
into the millions.
Keeping our streets free from snow
then, is only part of the street sweep
er's job, though it IS a big part and
one they must prepare for far in ad.
vance. During the Spring and Sum.
mer all the mechanical equipment fol
snow removal is repaired and put ir
working order. Men are trained tc
operate 1t and learn my new tricks
Of the trade passed on from other
city departments. Lists of additional
helpers are lined up so that the mo-
ment the first snowflakes fly a we'll
organized, thoroughly equipped army
is ready to swoop down and clear
them away before we have chance
to run our sleds over them!
NOR must we be too harsh with oul
friends, the street sweepers, fol
destroying our fun. Everything tina
moves over the ground has to clear {
thoroughfare for itself after q snow
storm. Big rotary plows whisk 10
foot drifts aside for the locomotives
Whirling brushes clear trolley tracks
Even the airports must clear thei
landing fields with specially con
structed scrapers. But the sidewalks
and streets we walk on usually mus
wait until husky crews Of sweeper
come along with shovels, stiff broom
and motor trucks.