Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-04-15
The Carriage auessien-N View Arrange


TIVE OPERATIONS OF rns BOARD or HEALTH.
Next To the night soil nuisance, no sanitary
duty in any city Is more difiscult TO manage
than that connected with the removal Of gar
baee. The complaints constantly being made
IN regard to the removal OF kitchen ohA are
becoming louder and more frequent ~ the
warm season advances. Last season the matter
was discussed by our board Of health, and all
the appliances necessary for its removal were
10 be placed in operation, but the suggestions
sions so lengthy, that the season, with the spss-
modic fear Of disease and death, passed awav
together, ard but little was done toward per
fecting practical system for its removal
HOW HEALTH NJ ENDANGERED.
In spite or laws, or the prohibition Of house
keepers, servants viii put slops in vaults, in
alleys, and throw them on vacant lots, where
they decompose, ana the stencil Is the most Of
fensive that can be lima gined, eB<langcring the
health of an entire city.
The recent action of the board of health looks
nouncement was made BY the health officer
that Governor Cooke had given orders to have
contract made at once ter the construction Of
TWENTY-FIVE GARBAGE CARTS,
according to the plans and specifications sub
mitted by Mr.. X. j. Nicholson, superintendent
OF the garbage service Of the board, some two
weeks ago, and which was approved by it ana
forwarded to the Governor for his action.
These carts are to be sealed up tight during
their daily transit about our streets and ALLEYS,
doors commonly emitted from the old fashioned
open-top carts. The box or receptacle for hold
ing the Stops is 60 be six feet long, three feet
three inches wide, and twenty-six inc.les deep,
and set on the ordinary cart axle; bottom, sides
and ends of white pine, tongue and groove;
sides held together by iron bolts running acros s
near the top and at eq1al distances; top OF
white pine and white-leaded: tail gate eighteen
inches deep, full width Of box, strongly paneled,
OF live oak, hung by three hinges at top, and
tasted by strong clamps; gate-joints to be made
packing; the inside of box to be perfectly
Matei-tight by a coating of asphaltum.
The hopper two feet eight inches long, one
level of four inches outwards; a lid to project
over the whole, and a bottom valve to work up
against hanges by two levers attached to upper
per to be set on the top of the box secured by
tanges projecting from the base, and packed
so as to be perfectly air tight; the hopper and
lid to be of the best boiler iron three fourths of
an inch thick, and galvanized on the Inside
In connection with these carts, which are to be
run daily all over the city, the board have
TWO LARGE sCows
at 18th street wharf northwest and at street
wharf southeast, where the night soil is shipped
which viii receive all this garbage, and it will
soil goes-Broad Creek. These scows are about
thirty-five feet in length, twelve i'm width three
i'm depth, and covered with a strong oak deck
perfectly tight by means Of caulking. and with
an opening large enough to receive the shute
which conveys the garbage from the carts on
the wharves into the hold Of the scows When
one Is filled IT is towed down stream IN the same
manner as the night soil. The dead animals
are laid ON the deck of these scows and removed
daily to the -Four Mile Run where they are rem
dered up.
Reports have been in circulation that the en-
pioyes whose duty IL is TO remove the night-soil
and garbage, in order TO save trouble and cost
DUMP MUCH OF 1T IN THE RIVER,
and creeks and inlets, creating great nuisance,
and that the commander at Fort Washington
has threatened to fire into them il it is repeated
We have made pretty diligent inquiry in rea-
ton to these rumors, and can lind no one who
viii vouch for the truth OF them. So far as the
dumping OF the garbage or the night-soil is con-
cerned, IL does not seem feasible, from the fact
that the scOws or barges lie nearly hidden in
the water, and they have to be
empted by means of bailing out BY
hand, and there is no dumping in the case
1t may be. however, that the small carcasses of
dead animals, such as dogs, goats, Sc, are
thrown overheard down stream to save trouble
and that they float ashore, creating nuisances
If this is 80, the board of health should ascer-
tain the facts and prevent the evil. The fact
mat the night-soil and garbage was dumped I'M
der the ice for a time during the long freeze
the past winter, while it could not be shipped
away, may have given rise to these REPORTS
Much complaint has arisen because the
garbage men have heretofore been in the habit
Of hawking about such portions as could be
made use OF TO feed cows and hogs. This will
be prevented by the system proposed. Ii the
plans projected are faithfully carried out by the
hoard for the removal of garbage there is no
reason why they will not prove satisfactory