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99
REFUSE AND MANURE DEPOTS.
The improvement mentioned in the Annual Report for 1899,
in connection with the condition of the various refuse and manure
depots, has been continued during 1900, and this satisfactory
state of affairs is due to their more regular and systematic inspection
by the Sanitary Inspectors—daily during the hot summer
months. No single complaint has been received in connection
with the Heme Hill Siding Manure Depot during 1900, and in
the case of the Nine Elms Siding the manure traffic was carefully
supervised, with the result that, at no time, was there a nuisance
with which the late Vestry could have dealt, at least with any
propect of success, remembering the provisoes mentioned in the
Public Health Act and the London County Council's Bye-laws.
Commercial Road (at the north of the Parish) contains three
Dust Depots belonging to neighbouring Sanitary Authorities, viz.,
Lett's Wharf (City of London), Shot Tower Wharf (Strand District
Board), and Phoenix Wharf (Clerkenwell Vestry), and these
have been kept under special observation so as to prevent, or at
least minimise as far as possible any nuisance connected therewith.
Such dust-yards, unless carefully attended to from day to
day, become sooner or later a nuisance.
In connection with Lett's and Phoenix Wharves, the house refuse
is hand-sorted by men and boys, women and girls, and a more
disgusting occupation it would be difficult to find—the workpeople
at times standing waist-deep in offensive matters of all
sorts. At Lett's Wharf, the City of London Corporation employ
60 women (and girls) and 40 men (and boys), the wages of the
former being 12s. to 14s. per week, and the latter 12s. to 26s. per
week, with sick pay in addition. At Phoenix Wharf, the Clerkenwell
Vestry employs 12 women (and girls) and 9 men (and boys),
the wages of the former being 3d. per hour (making an average of
2s. per day), and of the latter from 13s. to 26s. per week (with
sick pay in addition).
The refuse, consisting of household dust, ashes and cinders from
fires, scraps of waste food and other refuse matters, is sorted and
separated into—(1) breeze, consisting of cinders and small par-
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