The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-20
STREET CLEANING.
Systems Adopted in the Principal
European Cities.
LARGE REVENUES DERIVED.
Value of City Refuse for Agri-
cultural Purposes.

teution the different systems adopted In the princ
pal cities OF Europe for keeping the public thorough
CLEAN and for the removal and disposal oil the
garbage ashes and refuse While there arc few cities
In the world better situated for tho carrying out OF
simple and thorough system of street cleaning than
New York, and although IL is well known fact that
no other community OF the same spends anything
like the amount that is yearly expended in
New York for this purpose. s,i, owing TO u
bad administration OF affairs the great natural
advantages OF this city not turned to account,
and New York Is to-day in spite OF tho yearly cx-
pendture of three. quarters OF million OF dollars for
cleaning purposes, OF the drties cities on
tho face OF the globe Ths city, in sanitary point
Of view has much the advantage Of all the large capt.
als OF Europe for with two mighty rivers washing its
yhores and close proximity the ocean, At would
oe almost impossible to conceive any improv in
the present location and surroundings OF New York
STREET CLEANING EUROPE
In the chit cities OF England France, Germany and
other countries, as general rule no one company or
individual does the cleaning for the entire city
As u general rule European cities divided into
many districts sections, being contracted for
separately, and the work Of cleaning in each dis
trict being entirely distinct and independent OF
the others. In London, with ITS population
Of three and half millions OF people and of
over hundred square miles, the work OF street
cleaning and the removal OF and house refuse is
lone by contract The management OF this work as
we'll as all other Improvements not directly under the
charge Of the metropolitan Board OF Public Works Is
vested in tho district boards. each board representing
one parishes, and the work OF street cleaning
let yearly the work in Instances being done by
the district boards All the refuse dirt ashes
garbage collected becomes the properly OF the District
Board unless otherwise especially agreed the
cleaning contractors liable TO fine for the
iulnlmcnt Of their contract il The work be rot
properly performed. When the immense OF
the city is considered, with It's great population,
in parts Of the city the people being crowded
together TO most unhealthy extent,
THIS work Of street cleansing is admirably
conducted In each district officer appointed
called the Inspector OF Nusances part OF his duty
being inspect the ton of the streets Of his dis
and report ali Of neglect The part OF the
district officials contractors In other country
In the world has greater attention been paid TO the
question OF public health than in England and vast
sums of money nave been expended tor this object
and TO such good purpose that To-day London has q
much lower death rate than New York, the mortality
having steadily decreased for the past twenty
owing the enforcement OF thorough sanitary rcgua-
tlons. The system OF street cleaning adopted in the
English capital simple and thorough, for 1t
would be almost ap mpossbihty for any depart
this work, owing TO the immense area Of the city.
STREET CLEANING ~ PARfs.
Paris occupies about - square miles and has q
population OF ,s5l, 1872 about l0l 10 the The
city divided into 20 districts or ACCOMPLISHMENTS,
zach OF which is suodvided INTO quarters each arron-
basement being presided over by mayor and having
lis separate administration. Paris contains 36l9
and public places, and, as IN London, The clean
ing OF these ~ done SECTIONS While tho general
supervision OF street cleaning Paris IS vested in the
Project OF the Seine SIM the WORK Is directly
under the supervision The Prcfec ire OF Police VINO
Performed.
regular inspectors arc also employed Tor this pnr-
pose The work oil street cleaning is done by
The city, and the employed for that purpose
All the work is done during the night time, no cleaning
being permitted during business hours. ono Of the
important features about The Partisan system
Of cleansing tho streets rs the very large amount rea
by the sale OF the garbage and refuse Contracts
made with individuals and companies TO remove
this refuse they paying The CITY a price for
privilege OF doing Tho refuse removed 10 outside
districts, where large reservoirs constructed Tor
receiving and storing H. These reservoirs are known
the Voirie dc Bondy, where after certain time,
the refuse collected is sold 10 farmers and market
gardeners very fair price-the street swcepings
garbage and manure making the best OF fertilizers
The exact returns OF The cost ofslrec cleaning Paris
known, but before the France prussian
war, the amount PAID by the garbage contractors
more than Tho amount expended by the authorities Tor
the work OF street cleaning. In conversation with n
Partisan familiar with the different systems employed
Tor street cleaning IN many OF the principal clues both
in Europc and IN this country he stace TO the writer
hat tho admirable results Of the system IN force In
Parts due, IN the first place. TO The entire absence
II politics in the ADMINISTRATION OF AFFAIRS and
secondly, 10 the enforcement OF the very sricest DIS
:pline among the street 5weepcrs cleaners,
being PAID for more than the work actually done
Another good feature about the Partisan system rs,
that the city being divided into crrtan number Of
DISTRICTS each being independent OF the rest the
streets swept regularly and the refuse removed as
last as IL collects.
THE GERMAN MoDus opggaxDi.
In Germany the municipal authorities OF the princi-
pal cities employ direct clean the streets aud
remove tho garbage. IN Berlin this work is done by
the city and he refuse collected tor
Ming outside the city limits According to inlorma-
ton received little attempt IS made 10 utilize the
garbage Tor agricultural purposes. In Hamburg
well Ia several other cities oi Importance Ger
many, large income Is derived rom letting the
tracts Tor street cleaning 10 Individuals In Hamburg
street cleaning is source OF revenue instead OF an
expense. In France, Germany, and, in fact, IN ali
parts OF the Continent the owners and occupants OF
dwclng and business houses have 10 keep the side
walks clean to the curbsione or pay certain tax Tor
this purpose yearly TO the CITY government.
BELGIUM
In Belgium tho utilization OF street swcepngs and
refuse carried out considerable extent aio
years In Antwerp the refuse and street filth col
cctcd is disposed OF to the Of ierlzers.
lhe Guy receives very handsome rcturn-nesrly
s250.O00 every year-irom this source Before this
plan OF utilizing the garbage and refuse adopted
the disposal oil this refuse cost the CITY considerable
amount every year In writing npon this subject
Dr. Collier quotes, in reference TO tho neglect 10 utilize
the ccanin2s oil streets the words OF debg, thai The
.comihg generation will consider those as tho
greatest Deneiactors OF mankind who devote all their
efforts and utilize the fcrtIizine material oil
the cities In Edinburgh this subject has received
considerable attention, and an effort has been 10
turn 10 account the largo amount oil refuse nltu col
cccd that city, with good result. Tho sewerage
has Also been utilized 20 very considerable extent
COMPROMISES.
From the foregoing examination some OF the
different systems a. present In Europe Tor
cleaning OF the pubic streets and thoruug hares Il VIII
strike the observer the difference there
exists between the thorouehncss ana cncapness OF
sysie adopted the Ola Word aud costly aud vet
nenicient attempt at Keeping the this city
10 "A proper sanitary condition. II the reasons thus
great difference IS sought VIII be- ouna that IL the
rest of serious defects IN the organization ana plan
OF operations OF our street cleaning department., and
tuat until compiec revolution takes pace regars
THIS department and an entirely different system 81
street ccanng Is adopted the immense OF three.
quarters OF million o dollars u year viii 20 aud
tue streets OF New York VIII be kept better
dition than they At the present time. rho great
difference between New YORK aDU European cities
portance Is that the latter effort Is ways made 10
utlze the garbage ana refuse matcral collected from
the streets thus reducing tue expense OF street clean
Ing. No attempt has been made ny the nuthorl-
ties OF this CITY accomplish thus Important result
hat on tho contrary gafbar cOttcttc