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41
The place was inspected, and the following condition of things was
found:—
The actual brick-making is carried on in the centre of a large open
space, about six acres in extent, which is used as a dust-shoot for the
neighbouring parishes. The carts bring in and shoot their contents in an
appointed place. This dust, as it is called, consists of "hard core,"
"soft core," "breeze," and fine dust or "soil." The "hard core" is
composed of clinkers, broken pots and pans, and fragments of glass, &c.
The rags, portions of animal and vegetable matter, and paper, are called
" soft core."
It is the duty of the sorters—a great number of whom are women—to
sift and separate this heterogeneous collection into its component parts.
These are placed in distinctive heaps. The metal and glass are sold; the
fine dust which passes through the sieves is mixed with clay and made
into bricks; the "breeze," which consists of small coal and cinders, is
used for burning the bricks; and the "soft core," which consists of
cabbage leaves, fishes' heads and bones, poultry, offal, and the usual
kitchen refuse, is piled up in a large heap and slowly burned. The stench
given off in this process is most abominable, and really constitutes the
nuisance complained of.
After being formed and dried, the bricks are piled in large quadrangular
stacks, called "clamps." Each layer of bricks is separated from that
immediately above it by a layer of "breeze," and at the bottom of all is
placed some small coal. This is lighted, the flame extends to the breeze,
of which the bricks are partly composed, and the whole mass slowly burns
through, giving out volumes of carbonic oxide and sulphurous acid
fumes. These are undoubtedly deleterious, and clearly constitute a
nuisance.
By my advice notice was served on Mr. Palmer (A) to either discontinue
burning the animal refuse, or to construct a proper furnace for
the purpose of destroying it, at a high temperature; and (B) to discontinue
burning his bricks in clamps, and to construct proper kilns for that
purpose.
The Sanitary Committee visited the premises, and as the notices had
not been complied with, a summons was issued and an order made by the
Magistrate to abate the nuisance.
Mr. Palmer afterwards attended the Committee, and stated that he had