The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-04-16
Says German Cities Provide
Model For Americans.
STREET CLEANING SCIENCE.
No Refuse Should BE Placed on Side
waIk-The Sweeping Process Should
Be Started When No Traffic Is on
street-EarIy Morning Best Time.
BY FRANK ROOSTER.

The lack of system and want Of tech
nicai 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 dlsagreeable, 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 az
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 q systematic and thorough
manner. The cleaners should proceed
in crews with Ehe necessary apparatus
both to clean the streets and the. side
walks as we'll, IL necessary, and the lay
out of the work should be such that no
member OF the crew needs to wait 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
piecemeal street cleaning, with the
householder sweeping dirt into the
street, the street cleaner sweeping 1t
into piles and 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
MI dr., T.
ual stirring up OF dust to the great dis
comfort and inconvenience OF all con-
cerned, while the street never really
gets cleaned
The number of men in the cleaning
crew depends on the kind Of machinery
used. AS no 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 30 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 a crew also
handicaps traffic and rs the public pre-
fers to see the streets clean, rather
than to see them being cleaned. it is
essential to select suitable hour for
cleaning. German citiesehave conduct
ed numerous tests for finding out the
most favorable hour. The city Of Dres-
den adopted the practice of cleaning
the main streets in the early morning
hours, beginning about o'clock and
finishing the business sections by 6
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 8 n. m.
Tho 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 ne!ghbors.
AS the street cleaning crews may BIO
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