The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-17
BERLIN A MODEL CITY.
system of Sprinkling and Cleaning Streets
ommond Here.

system of Sprfnkling and Cleaning Streets
Recommended Here.
Chicago Tribune.
Apropos of the incoming of q new o. stem
of street cleaning in this CITY. the Tribune
recently gave on account of the way In
which tho tnoroughfares of Paris arc ept
clean. Following ore q few statement in
regard to the methods pursued in Berlin,
which Is another of the model cities OF
Europe in the matter of external cleanli-
ness. Berlin has 9.s17. 900 square yards of
pavement to be kept clean, 40 per cent. of
which is sidewalk. The whole of this area
is brushed each day. being thus kept free
from all loose dirt. papers. ETC.. and the
streets are thoroughly washed and scraped
three times zach week on an average. !
Those which are old and narrow are treat
cd thus daily, and q very few Of the out
skirts only once per week.
Tho force consists of 74S workmen and
boys and thirty officials. including an over
seer for each of the twenty-three districts
into which the city Is divided. The eni-
plOyes all wear uniforms. A little after
midnight. when nearly all the traffic has
ceased. tho sweepers begin work on
the streets. The Belgian and the cob
blestone pavements are simply brushed
by hand or machinery. The asphalt
Dayemsnts are first brushed. then
wetted and scraped, wetted again. and
finally scrsped free from water as well as
any dirt that may have remained. The
mud and manure thus gathered up are car.
rico away Ia small iron hand carts. and
other refuse III larger carte. with closely
fitting lids. The dry surface eepin Us are
temporarily deposited in tall iron boxes
placed at intervals along the streets.
The refuse is removed from tho
city 10y . contractor, who finds
his own means for Its disposal.
He sells the. manure directly and
dIsInfeots the rest, after which it IS sold
for street tlling or other uses. The cost of
this work to the city for the year ending
with March. 1891. was 1872. 13S. In addition
to this. 1t cost S37. 0l3 to clear the streets of
snow the included winter, which was
done under the control of the department..
The snow was carted away after being
swept and shoveled M. The horse
car companies are responsible for the clean
Ing OF their tracks. but the matter 10 sim.
p%litied by having the work lone by the city
and the car companies pay two-fiftbs of the
expense. which Is ascertained by careful
estimate OF the area included Dy the tracks.
The cost OF this cleaning to the city for the
year named was S2S, 429.
DURING the six months ending with Sep
TENT er the ITO watering carts are out daily,
and the most Out-Of-the-way corners are
not neglected. The more important thor
Ougbfares are watered more than once each
dsv when the weather requires il. An OBJ
eerver says that during the hot spell in the
Summer OF last year the streets were
waterod In many places three or four
times q day. and at each watering the
a 'OAs t"O yum OE lOuT
times till the heated stones became thor.
onghly wet ard cool. In the year ending
with April. 1892, about ten thousand cubic
yards of sand were strewn on the asphalt
pavements in wet and icy weather to pre-
vent them from becoming Gangerously slip
perry. and 1918 pounds of disinfeotants.
with 1900 pounds of salt were used Tor
sanitary purposes.
The wages paid are 81 cents per day 10
each OF eighty-eight workers, 81 cents TO
each OF 49,. 90 cents TO each of seventy and
40 cents TO the boys. These payments and
the salaries of the overseers bring up the
annual wage account TO barely 500. 600. and
all the other expenses. including those for
material and repairs. only swell the
total TO $tj2.2D for the year stated.
The expense was greater last year.
as one hundred new men were
added TO the force on the first announce
ment that the cholera had broken out i'm
Hamburg: the streets. cab stands. etc.
were thoroughly disinfected% d ally. and the
whole citys was made doubly clean. The
fact that oil the workmen and even the
boys ON the force were obliged TO attend
lectures on the subject of disinfectants and
their uses shows how terribly in earnest
were the authorities in their efforts TO pre-
serve the health of the community under
their charge.