The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-04-01
EXPERT TALKS ON
CLEANUP WORK
Says German Cities Provide
Model For Americans.
STREET CLEANING SCIENCE.
No Refuse Should Be Placed on Side
wsIk-The Sweeping Process Should
Be Started When No Traffic 10 on
etreet-Esrly Morning Best Time.
By FRANK HOLSTER.

BY FRANK HOLSTER.
The lack Of system and want Of tech
meal training on, the part of many
American officials In charge make
street cleaning unnecessarily expensive,
leave the streets In a bad condition
and cause the cleaning TO be carried
out In disagreeable, insanitary way.
In foreign cities engineers specialize
on this subject Street cleaning has
been reduced to science, and economy,
efficiency and the comfort and con-
venience OF the public are considered.
The purpose OF street cleaning is to
remove as quickly and as cheaply as
possible all foreign matter in the streets
and thus to conduce TO the health OF
the public by minimizing the circula-
ton OF germ laden dust
The cleaning of streets should be car
rled out In a systematic and thorough
manner The cleaners should proceed
In crews with the necessary apparatus
both to clean the streets and the side
walks as well. If necessary, and the lay
out Of the work should be such that no
member Of the crew needs to walt on
the progress Of the other, but all pro
coed simultaneously, and when they
have passed through the street the
work will be done. The method OF
piecemea street cleaning, with the
householder sweeping dirt into the
street. the street cleaner sweeping II
into piles aud the piles being removed
by wagons, with the occasional passing
first on one side Of the street and then
on the other of some piece of street
cleaning apparatus. results In contin-
ual stirring up of dust to the great dis
comfort ana Inconvenience of all con-
cerned. while the street never really
gets cleaned
The number of men I'm the cleaning
crew depends on the kind Of machinery
used. As ho machine Is capable OF
reaching all parts of the street, a GER
tain amount of manual sweeping Is
necessary. especially when the side
walks are cleaned In conjunction with
the machine sweeping. so that, as indi-
Gated. the whole width of the street
will be cleaned at once.
Must Be Clear Of Traffic.
In order that such cleaning may pro-
coed with efficiency and dispatch, and
consequently with economy. the streets
must be practically clear Of traffic, as
the presence of vehicles. especially
those standing at the curb, greatly de-
lays the work of the crew.
As the operation OF such crew also
handicaps traffic and as the public pre-
fers to see the streets clean, rather
than to see them being cleaned, 1t Is
essential to select a suitable hour for
cleaning. German cities have conduct
ed numerous tests for finding out the
most favorable hour. The city Of Ores
den adopted the practice of cleaning
the main streets In the early morning
hours, beginning about o'clock and
finishing the business sections by 9
o'clock. some 20 to 80 per cent of the
entire street area. The cleaning Of the
remainder OF the streets proceeds Inn
mediately after the main streets are
finished. and the whole city is cleaned
by o a. m.
The Early Morning Plan.
The advantages of the system are
that the cleaning can be carried out by
daylight and is consequently better
performed than when carried out I'M
der artificial light, that the workmen
are more efficient as day workers than
as night workers, and that during the
early morning hours the traffic is at the
minimum.
No refuse may be placed on the side
walk, but must be kept on the house
holders premises in such places as viii
not cause annoyance to the neighbors.
As the street cleaning crews may be
expected at a fixed time daily the
householders are able to make their ar
rangements accordingly. and thus the
whole proceeding is carried out In the
most expeditions and convenient man
ner.
Most Urgent Duty.
Perhaps the most urgent OF the du-
ties OF the street cleaners Is the re-
moval from the streets OF the carcasses
OF dead animals. not only on account
OF the unslghtliness OF such objects.
but also because. especially In summer.
they are a menace to health. Singu-
larry enough. In many American cities.
including those constantly exploiting
their civic Improvement plans, there Is
q lack OF cooperation between the po-
lice. 10 whose notice such matters nat
urally first fall. and the street cleaning
departments, so that the carcasses re-
main often for days before being re-
moved
II would certainly seem a necessary
preliminary to street planning to have
the streets free OF such impediments.
Street cleaning machinery consists
principally Of three classes-sprinklins.