The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-30
RUBBISH OF A GREAT CITY.
Experiments In London to Find Cses for
All Waste.


All Waste.
Ashes, paper, scraps, shop sweep
lngs and all unclassi6ed rubbish is here
In England included under the generic
name of dust" Every reader of Dick
ems most powerful and fascinating
story, "Our Mutual Friend" will re-
member the description of the dust
mounds in the yard OF Boffin's Bower,
up Holloway way" and the grotesqus
figure of wooden-legged Silas Wegg.
stumping up and down them and prod
ding them here and there with long
iron rod, in search of hidden treasure.
And many visitors 20 London. as well
as all residents, are familiar with the
sight OF the great mounds In some OF
the more desolate and squalid suburbs,
as the trains rush by them, for Dickens
rarely, il ever, erred in his local color.
The removal and disposition of the
"dust" from the bins of residences and
business houses. which with you is the
work of division Of the street depart
ment, is here let out to contractors,
who are paid so much per ton for the
work. and who often make q good thing
additional. either by farming out the
privilege or sorting over the dust" 10
rag and bone pickers, OF by having il
overhauled by their own men and sell.
ing the proceeds. As with you, how
ever, the contents of the dust bins art
very largely ashes. in which are inter
mixed q good many party-consuned
straw, paper and various COM
bustible rubbish.
Each of the numerous parishes which
go to make up the metropolis CT Lon
don has it's own dust contractor, and
this item of the expenses of administra-
ton is one of the burdens to DO pro-
vided for by the vestry, which is the
governing body of the parish in matters
of local administration. And, as il is
the prerogative OF the ratepayer every
where to grumble at the expenses of
the municipality, the dust contractors
come in for their share of fault-fnd-
ing.
Just now one of the smaller and less
mentioned parishes is undertaking a
Few departure in this matter, which is
in a measure experimental,
but of the success of which no doubt
is entertained by those who have made
q careful study of the whole question,
and have for many months been MAX
ing all the preparations for putting
into operation this very important
n easure. If successful, 10 will revo-
lutionize the whole matter of the dis
position of 4 city's refuse, and turn the
grumbling into rejoicing.
is a busy manufacturing
district in the northeastern part of
London. just TO the north of the Liver
pool street and Broad street railway
and a little to the eastward
Of Finsbury, which all the "Ancients"
will remember as the location of the
'armoury" Of the "Honourable Artil-
ery Company" in which they were so
royalty entertained in July last. The
shops are chiefly stu
ated In this district, which is of rather
limited area, but has many short, mar
row streets and a dense population.
The vestry of this parish has had an
lually to dispose of over 10000 tons of
dust and ashes, for which IL has hitler
TO paid three shillings per ton, but has
ately let a new contract at an advances
IF five pence per ton This means an
of over SIS, 600 per year for
he removal of refuse, which II, Of
course, so much net outgo. Several of
he local governing bodies in other
parts of London have put up "destruc-
ors," which burn up the dcst. but
Shoreditch vestry proposes to utilize
LII this waste in providing Light, heat
Ind power. and incidentally revenue,
or the parish.
This parish is one OF several n the
which propose to light the
streets by electricity, under municipal
ownership and management To carry
out the plan the vestry has purchased |
\ suitable site in the middle Of the Dor |
,ugh, and will build an electric gen |
rating station, free baths ana wash |
,ouses and a public library upon the !
and SO secured. The furnaces and !
,oilers. which are OF the latest and !
most approved sort, are DOW being |
.rected, and will supply steam 70 en-
zines Of 2.4o0 horse power. which will |
rive the dynauos for generating the |
Electricity, which is to be distributed ell |
'ver the parish IN the forms Of both
light and power The lighting OF
lunber OF the streets will consume
'ortion Of the energy, but commercial
lights will be sold and motive power
furnished 70 tramway company end
o the many small industries In the
district, to which an easily transmitted
ower of small units is a desideratum. /
{ is in the matter of fuel for this steam
liant that the novelty of Shoreditch
Experiment. consists. This is TO be the
'arish dust, which is 20 be carted IN
nd dumped into hoppers. whence over
lead tramways will convey IL TO CIR
Trying hambers, from which 10 Is rakeh
n to the fire bars OF the furnaces and
burned uoder forced draught.
4 system of thermal storage" 4 one
2 the most interesting and remarkable
eatures Of III. new scheme. and. i. IA
laimed, viii enable the heat Of the
generated during the day 10
e stored up for use at night when the
iectric lighting plant Is running
>ondua Cor. Boston Herald.