The New York Herald

Clean Streets.—We find, in pursuance of a resolution passed in the Board of Assistant Aldermen, in relation to cleaning the streets, that the committee of that board have taken the matter up, and made a report on the 22d of May last. We are not informed whether it has been acted on or not: but if not, it ought to be taken in hand immediately by both Boards, as it seems to us to contain some excellent suggestions; indeed, the committee recommend doing away, altogether, with the present system. They very pointedly state "that the system, if system it may be called, is wrong, and that the city will never be blessed with clean streets, nor be rid of the tremendous and annually increasing expenditure to which the people are now subject, until it is abolished, and some other plan adopted."

Experience has fully proved the truth of this statement. For years the street cleaning department has been going on from bad to worse. The greater the expenditure and outlay of money, the more filthy the streets are kept. This is abundantly proved by the fact that in 1846, the expenditure for cleaning the streets was $158,439 79; while in 1847, the expenses were $180,059. Now every citizen recollects, that filthy as the city was kept in 1846, it was at least 20 per cent worse in 1847. The report contains another very remarkable statement, namely, that in 1846 the receipts for the sale of manure were $41,242 49, while in 1847 the receipts for manure sold, were only $29,687: showing, contrary to general principles, that the greater the outlay the less the returns. If this fact does not prove, it at least strengthens, the hypothesis we have above laid down, that the extravagance of this department of the city government acts as a sort of premium for keeping the streets dirty.

We cannot understand why the same system adopted in Paris and London is not pursued in this city. In both those places, contracts are entered into with persons by the year, for cleansing the streets, lanes and alleys of those capitals, and for carting it away. The contractors have large yards, or receptacles, at a convenient distance from the city, where it is dumped, until sold, and carried away by the farmers and market gardeners in the vicinity of those places. Besides, the contractors are bound to provide gangs of laborers at a certain hour every morning, and have the streets cleaned and in perfect order before the business begins: and we believe that in London and Paris, the sale of the manure pays, or nearly pays, all expenses. Indeed, we know that in London it not only pays all expenses, but leaves a handsome sum to the credit of the city treasury. It is surprising, therefore, that the Corporation does not adopt such a system in this city. We think, at least they should give it a trial; and in doing so, we would impress upon them to bind contractors to employ laborers at an early hour in the morning—say four or five o'clock—so that the city may be swept cleaned before business hours, which will greatly tend to preserve the health of the citizens.