The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-15
What 1t Would Cost
the City to Do
the Work.
MONEY TO BE SAVED
What Some Of the Prominent
Men of the City Have
to Say About 1t,

of necessary horses, harness and wag-
ons for the equipment of a municipal
ash collecting system, would be in the
neighborhood of $1,000, providing 20 sin
gle outfits were equipped.
Good draught horses can be pur-
chased at the present time for about
s15G each. This figure is more than
might be necessary, although expert
ence has taught that a good horse is
worth more in the long run than one
that may cost little less. Single har-
ness is figured at $S5 set, single carts
at about $75 each, making the cost of
one outfit complete about $3.50.
Figuring 20 horses and wagons as the
number desired, the first cost would
amount to about $4,000. The estimated
cost of keeping one horse per year is
figured by the street department at
$110. The drivers care for their horses
at the present time, so that care could
be included in the wages paid a driver.
The cost of keeping 20 horses per year,
according to these figures, would be in
the neighborhood of $780, The wages
/ of 20 men receiving Sis per day. the
amount paid men in the street depart
ment at the present time, would ap-
proximate $11, 900. After adding the
cost of labor, the cost of maintenance
for one year may be reckoned at
| little over $4,000. OF course an allow
ance must be made for wear and tear,
but an additional $4,000 should cover this
expense, at the outside.
| Another very important feature pre-
sents itself at this time, however, and
| that is the question of stable room, in
case such an addition is made to the
stock now owned by the city.
! The city stable is overcrowded
at the present time, and the mat
ter of securing additional land to be
used for storage purposes by the street
department is at present under consld-
Grafton of the municipal authorities.
At present the city owns % horses in
the work looked after by the street de-
partment and with the animals used
! by heads of departments, there is a
| total of 80 animals stabbed in the city
! barn on Salem street. The street com
missioner says that more horses and
carts would be absolutely necessary in
case a system of the sort contemplated
| is established. The street department
could use more horses and wagons to
good advantage at the present time, If
the facilities for keeping them were to
be had.
A new stable is one of the things that
| Superintendent Prior considers is need
/ ed. and will have to be built by the
city in the near future, whether the
| formation of another department is
carried through or not.
I AS regards the feasibility of mu-
nicipal collection of ashes, Superlntend-
ent Prior expresses himself as of the
opinion that some sort of system for
taking care of the city's ashes and rub
bish will have to be devised in the very
near future. The present mode OF
handling rubbish by the truckmen OF
the city is anything but satisfactory
AS the city grows, dumping grounds
other than those considerable distance
out. are comparatively few.
| While there are exceptions Of course
la majority of the truckmen are looking
for the nearest dumping ground, but
in many cases after finding such place
/ where they are allowed to dump rub
| Dish, due care is not employed in de-
| posting it within the limits prescribed.
| A good example of this was furnished
this spring on Hampden street between
! West and Fruit streets. where the
privilege of dumping ashes on low land
was allowed. The first deposits were
made where they should be, but SUISSE
quent contributions were left nearer
and nearer the street line until with
| the disappearance of the snow, the
street department is confronted with
the fact that some 200 or 300 loads OF
ashes have been dumped over the
street line and will have to be moved
at the citys expense.
/ Truckmen are careless in loading, in
some instances, and the manner in
which material with which their carts
are loaded is distributed along the
streets as a result of lack of care does
not improve the condition of the
streets.
/ Mr. Prior's idea is that if a system
( of this sort was put in operation, 1t
should be thoroughly systemized and
so managed as to give the best of sat
! isfaction possible to residents Of the
city and with a view to improving all
conditions involved.
In other cities of about the same size
as Worcester this branch of the work
/ is either controlled by the street or
4 health department, and in case of its
establishment here one or the other of
rect its working.
+ Henry Brannon, president of the
board of aldermen, said there is no
doubt but that thousands of dollars
might be saved each year with sys-
tenn of this sort, from the standpoint
of obViating possible danger from fire.
1T have given the matter very little
consideration. aside from what l have
read in The Spy, but l am inclined to
the belief that it would be a good thing
for the city. The system might be tried
in small way at first and if the re-
suits were satisfactory could be gone
into on a larger scale.
In case such a system was establish
ed it should be taken charge of by some
department, and l think the degree of
success attained would depend prinei-
pally on the man at the head of it, but
properly managed, I don't see why
such a system would not be good
thing for the city of Worcester"
Mayor Dodge considers that the prin-
cipal benefit to be derived from mu-
nicipal collection of ashes and rubbish
would be in lessening the chances of
fire. He thinks that some such system
might be operated to good advantage
in the business section. but in case that
such system is inaugurated the bus
mess houses should pay for the service.
So far as operating such a system in
the residence district is concerned.
Mayor Dodge is not in sympathy. He
does not believe that the city should
take a mans ashes away from his
house any more than they should draw
his coal and put it in his cellar He
would also oppose any plan that allow
ed ash cans to stand on the sidewalk
as they do in some sections of Boston
where their contents is more Of a nui-
sance than anything else.
Neither would the mayor favor re-
moving the ashes from factories or
other large buildings where several
boilers are in use.
Regarding the movement for a mu-
nicipal system of ash collection, Supt
H. r. Williamson of the Fire Patrol
has this to say:
Il am most heartily in favor of some