6
cutchra ; but at the time of my visit there were four pits exposed and the stench
was excessive. No attempt is made at cultivation, and the place is covered with
wild datura and other rank vegetation.
20. As it affects the town, I must here mention that the night-soil and
cutchra from the Saddar Bazaar and one part of the Cantonment is taken out
along the Khánápur road for about 1½mile ; but as the Khánápur road lies nearly
parallel to camp, the distance in a straight line is not so far, but here too the place
of deposit has been chosen within a few yards of the public road, and. the same
unscientific method of dealing with the night-soil is pursued, and I am told that
from such a large surface being exposed to the air, the road is nearly impassable
when an easterly wind blows. The cutchra from the Saddar Bazaar and Can--
tonment is deposited near this manure yard on the side of the open road without
any kind of fence round the place. I saw cattle belonging to the town, which
were returning from grazing, eagerly feeding on it.
21. The conservancy establishment in the town consists of 17 road-sweepers
and 9 carts. This strength is manifestly insufficient. The consequence being
that nearly all the cutchra in private compounds remains there until it has decom--
posed. There are 12 masonry places of deposit for sweepings, and bamboo- baskets
and, in some instances, round open boxes made of iron, are placed in convenient
sites ; but many of the iron-boxes I saw had lost their bottoms, and the bamboo-
baskets were broken. Altogether there are about 78 of these quasi dust-boxes. Each
cart makes on the average five trips during the day ; but the cutchra never leaves
the place, as the principal part is deposited in quarry holes in the heart of the
upper part of the town near Narayen Swami's karkhana, and the remainder
is deposited in a deep pit in rear of the Local Fund dharamshalla on the north
of the town and not far from the upper road leading from camp to the Fort and
directly to the north-west of the Civil Hospital, from which it is separated by a
road and one field.
22. The road-side gutters are in the main streets covered with slabs of
stones, which form approaches to the houses ; but the filth which collects below
them is never apparently removed, as they were invariably found blocked and
choked with it. The gutter round the municipal office, a detached building, was
found in a filthy state. There are no under-ground drains in the town. The
annual expenditure on account of scavenging is Rs. 2,570.
23. The principal thoroughfares are provided with a few public lanterns,
in which kerosine oil is burnt. There are only 71 in number, and the expenditure
upon the cost of lighting is stated to have been Rs. 1,554 during 1875. The roads
are during the fair weather watered once a day by nine carts employed for that
purpose at a yearly expenditure of Rs. 650.
24. As regards offensive trades, there are 7 tanneries on the east within
municipal limits ; but there is no brick-kiln, and there are only two small tile and
two lime kilns situated on the south. Besides the above, there are 6 dyers in
indigo and two in kusamba. None of the above places are drained, and none of
the owners are annually licensed.
25. There are no private markets in Belgaum, but there are four public ones,
viz., beef, fish and mutton, which are in separate buildings but near each other,
and a large vegetable market in the centre of a square in the heart of the town.
It was erected by Mr. Grey, and is a great boon to the people. It was always
at the time of my visit thronged with customers, and brings in a revenue which
represents 8 per cent on the money expended.
26. The beef market consists of tworows of tiled buildings, each containing
five stalls, separated by a broad centre road, which is however undrained. About