“This for some time gave an easy access to the market dry-shod; but the rest of the street, not being paved, whenever a carriage came out of the mud upon this pavement, it shook off and left dirt upon it, and the pavement was soon covered with mire, which was not removed, the city as yet having no street-cleaners.
“After some inquiry I found a poor, industrious man who was willing to undertake to keep the pavement clean by sweeping it twice a week, carrying off the dirt from before all the neighbor’s doors, for the sum of sixpence per month, to be paid by each house.”
The people soon saw how much better it was to have clean streets. Franklin’s arrangement for sweeping them finally led to the paving and regular cleaning of the principal streets.
Does it not seem strange that the great cities of the country once had the same troubles that any little village in the United States has to-day?
Why is the rubbish in this cellar a source of danger to the people who live in the house?
To-day it is a common sight to see the street cleaners. Many men are at work from sunrise to sunset, cleaning away the dirt and helping to make our city healthful and pleasant to live in.
From whom does the money come to pay these men? It is not from the mayor or those who are in charge of the work. The money really is paid by the people who own property in the city. The men working for the city are public servants. They are working for every man and woman, for every boy and girl in the city.
There is a word much in use nowadays. It is “coöperation.” It means working together. Have you ever seen a group of men help push a heavily loaded wagon? They all push together in the same direction, and the horses pull at the same time, and so they get the wagon started on its way. This is coöperation, or working together.
Everybody should want clean streets and well-kept sidewalks. They mean a more beautiful city, and what is better, a more healthful city.
We know there must be a successful coöperation if we ever are to have a clean city. Now, coöperation means that every one must do his or her share.
Hundreds of boys and girls used the streets this morning on their way to school. Many of them will play on these same streets this afternoon.