The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Returning DELEGATE
ENTHUSES over TRIP
z. B. Watrous Returns After Study
of European Municipal
Conditions.
LONDON CONDITIONS PRAISED

Richard B. Watrous, secretary Of the
American Civic Association, who with a
number OF civic experts sailed in July
for a tour of European cities to study
different phases Of municipal government
has returned, and is enthusiastic at the
result OF the trip.
One OF the problems given especial at
tention by the delegation frorI the United
States was the matter OF municipal nous
ing. The care OF the streets also was
studied In regard 10 the observations
OF the delegation, Mr.. Watrous said yes
terday:
1T was in London that I found the
housing that pleased me most By spe-
cial enabling acts of Parliament the
London County Council, which is one of
the most important administrative bodies
for all Of greater London, is authorized
TO conduct housing operations, and it has
been doing so for several years with
marked success. I visited one of the
best of these developments, the White
Hart Lane estates, where 1 found a most
admirable community development, with
hundreds of small houses, some detached.
others semi-detached. and still others in
rows-none OF them more than two
stories in height, and each of them pro-
vided with an attractive little front yard
and a larger back yard, and in connection
with the entire estate an erea Of severa!
acres given over to community uses for
recreation and outdoor sports
There people were given opportuni-
ty to rent small houses of three or
four rooms for from $l-5O to 50 a week.
We discovered some splendid new
ideas for the care OF streets In Berlin
We were greatly interested in a contract
that the city had Just made for the in
stallation of 1000 new street letter boxes,
which differ from those now used in that,
instead of being on and above the sur
face of the ground. they are sunk In con-
crete cases below the pavement The
street litter Is swept into these boxes,
which are sealed with a cover, similar
to the ordinary manhole covers, there to
await the arrival of the collection cart,
which is equipped with a hosting device
by which the box is lifted out of its case
to the top OF the cart. its contents dumped
and Immediately covered with metal COW
ers, so as to prevent any scattering by
wind or other agencies.
1T is a distinctly new development, in
that It removes one more surface OBJ
struction; that 1t eliminates the possibili-
ties for the-scattering of the street
sweepings by the ordinary shoveling
process, and that 1t is economical and
another step forward for the safety Of
the public health, because anythins that
reduces the scattering of the street dust
is for the public health.
i-Then, too, we conducted important in
vestigation in the disposal of the waste
of the cities, including incineration on the
one hand and on the other the distribu-
tion of garbage over low, swampy lands
and converting such lands into fertile
farm lands. We were inclined to think
the last-named method might not be
safe or wise one, but when we had inves-
tigated it thoroughly, as conducted by the
city of Munich, we were convinced that,
so far as making new land was con-
1t was a complete success. That
was possible largely, however. because
German people do not have a great deal
Of garbage"