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93
market refuse, being allowed to accumulate and remain
deposited on their wharves for a longer time than was
necessary. Attention was drawn, too, by the Medical
Officer to the old-fashioned, but disgusting and degrading
method of human beings sorting and sifting the rubbish —
the workers standing waist-deep for several hours at a time
—both at the City of London and the Clerkenwell dust
yards in the Commercial Road, Lambeth. Cautionary
letters were written to the Sanitary Authorities in question,
with the result that considerable improvement has taken
place in the condition of the depot yards in question, and
fortunately, no further (legal) proceedings have had to be
taken, for the present at least. The City of London depot
yard is now under the jurisdiction of the Public Health
Department of the Common Council of the City of London,
having been transferred from the old Commissioners of
Sewers, who ceased to exist on January 10th, 1898.
The condition of the depot yards used by the Strand
and the St. Giles, Holborn, districts has been satisfactory
during the past year.
Two Railway Sidings are also used in the Parish as
outlets for offensive matters, chiefly manure, and in connection
with these (especially in the summer), complaints
have been from time to time received.
Written memorials * were also presented to the Vestry
in respect of these sidings—one belonging to the L. C. & D.
Railway Company, at Herne Hill, and the other to the
L. & S. W. Railway Company, at Nine Elms—complaints
being made in both cases as to the effluvia arising from the
manure, etc., when being loaded and unloaded. Manure is
* In connection with the Heme Hill Siding,the first Memorial was signed
by 18, and the second by 50 persons; and in the case of Nine Elms, the
Memorial was signed by 43 persons.