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27
Street Cleansing.
A staff of Street Orderlies employed by the Board has been
constantly engaged during the year in sweeping the public ways of
the District. The slop and dirt have been carted away by contract.
Two Street Sweeping Machines have been purchased by the
Board; they commenced work on the 30th September last, and have
been of great assistance in cleansing the Streets. They are drawn
by horses, hired by the Board at an agreed price, which includes all
risks to the horses, their feed, and the services of one driver.
The Board has also employed a Scavenging Foreman, whose sole
duty it is (under your Surveyor and Street Inspector) to superintend
all works of Street cleansing and watering and the removal of dust:
he commenced his duties on the 24th September last, and the results
of his supervision have been very satisfactory.
The recent winter has been an exceptionally long and severe one.
There has been a considerable amount of rain, and on twenty-one
days snow has fallen in larger or smaller quantities. On seven
occasions the snow-fall was heavy, and the badness of the season
generally rendered the Street cleansing a work of considerable
labour and difficulty.
The snow removed from the public ways as snow during the
season was as follows:—After the snow-fall on the 2nd December,
1875, 112 loads; 8th December, 1875,234 loads; 11th January,
1876,8 loads; 13th January, 1876, 229 loads; 13th February, 1876,
146 loads; 22nd March, 1876, 58 loads; or a total of 787 loads of
snow.
The total quantity of Street Sweepings and Slop (including Snow)
carted away during the half year ending 25th March, 1876, was
6,623 loads—the quantity removed during the half-year to 25th
March, 1875, was 4,489 loads—there being, therefore, nearly fifty
per cent. more stuff removed in the six months just ended than in
the corresponding period in the previous year. This gives strong
evidence of the usefulness of the Horse Sweeping Machines, and the
badness of the weather.
The whole of the snow removed was carted at once away from
the District. It was, at one time, the intention to deposit the Snow
from the main thoroughfares, in the first instance, in some of the
squares and open spaces in the District, but a magisterial decision
being given against a neighbouring Vestry for doing so in its Parish,
it was thought best to remove it at once away from your District.
This, owing to the great distance at which shoots could only be
obtained, much retarded the cleansing of the Public ways.
The additional cost incurred during the season in the snow
removal, including all labour, cartage, &c., was £214 12s. 6d.
Application was made to your Board by The London General
Omnibus Company for permission to sprinkle salt on the main lines
of thoroughfare. Permission was granted, subject to your Surveyor's
supervision, but the Company only availed itself of it on one