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8
I wish to draw the attention of the Board to a nuisance continually occurring in
Some of the confined neighbourhoods, from the want of public dust-bins. The poor people, not
having a yard attached to their house, in which to place a dust-bin, throw the dust and house
refuse into the streets; which, in wet weather, add to the filth of the locality, and obstruct the
flow of water down the channels and gullies; and, in dry weather, the dust is blown into the
houses of the neighbouring inhabitants, producing thereby great annoyance and discomfort. If
public dnst-bins were erected in convenient places, and the scavengers were to remove
their contents every other day, before putrefaction commenced, not only would the poor be
benefited, but the public generally would be relieved from much inconvenience. If the Board
desire it, the Inspectors will point out a few placcs where public dust-bins might be advantageously
placed.
During the prevalence of the hot weather, it would be very conducive to the health
of the inhabitants, if the scavengers were to cleanse the narrow and densely populated localities
every day; for no person, unless he has experienced it, can form an idea of the horrible stench
that arises in them, where a large quantity of decaying animal and vegetable refuse is being
swept up by the scavengers. If a copious and powerful stream of water were applied to the
surface of some of these filthy localities, after the scavengers had removed the solid refuse, a
refreshing coolness would be imparted to the atmosphere, instead of the sickening effect now
produced by the emanations of stirred-up filth.
Two parties, carrying on businesses of a disgusting and offensive character, have
removed from the district, after notices had been served by the Inspectors. One of the parties
lived in Green Street, Whitechapel, where he stored fat and other similar refuse, which he
occasionally melted in the back kitchen, and causcd great annoyance to the neighbourhood. The
other lived in Grey Eagle Street, Spitalfields, where the entrails and bladders of bullocks were
prepared and diied.
Many of the houses in the district are without any water supply, and many more
are without an adequate supply. I regret that the powers of your Board are not at present
sufficient to compel the owners of small house property to provide an adequate supply of water
for their tenants. The meaning of the term "adequate supply," should not be determined by
the opinion of the tenants, but by a committee of the Board, or by its officers ; for, the more
dirty are the habits of the people, the less is their desire for the means of cleanliness, or in other
words, the greater is the necessity for an adequate supply of water, the less is the demand
for it.
I have the honour to be,
Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
JOHN LIDDLE.
15, Great Alie Street.