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The Vestry, however, did not deem it expedient to take any
action in this direction, or of closing the premises, feeling the importance
and difficulty of the question involved, viz.: the displacement
of the poor, they therefore made special provision in their Scavenging
Contracts for the daily cleansing of these courts which has ever
since been rigidly carried out.
In 1858, the Sanitary Committee, after a special inspection, again
reported:—
"That whilst deploring the filthy state of these courts and alleys,
"this Committee deem it impracticable to effect any material
"improvement therein beyond the daily cleansing and scavenging
"already in practice, the nuisance so often complained of arising
"from the filthy habits of the inhabitants, rather than from the
"defective state of the premises."
In 1861, complaints having been made of insufficient water
supply, the Sanitary Committee examined same, and directed that a
water supply be laid on to each house, or that sufficient cisterns be
fixed in the yards for the purpose, which has since been done, and
with which the inhabitants, at least of Frying Pan Alley and Bitt
Alley, have expressed themselves perfectly satisfied.
The "filthy habits" herein referred to have reference more
particularly to the use, or rather the misuse, of the water-closets by the
people, who, instead of using them as such, render them totally unfit
for use, by invariably covering the seats and floors with the contents
of their chamber and other utensils, thereby creating a "state of
things," in the words of the Memorialists, "revolting to a more
refined condition of society."
This being the prevailing practice, the Committee have not
thought it expedient to enforce compliance with their order to pan
and trap, and lay water on to such privies, feeling convinced, from
experience, that to pan and trap would only be to increase the
nuisance by obstruction, and to lay water on would be utterly useless.
They have also felt, that to increase the number of privies where
they are so used, would only be to increase the number of nuisances.
The owners have therefore been prevailed upon by the Committee to
appoint and pay persons to flush and cleanse these privies, daily,
which is done, but no sooner it is done, than they are as bad again
as ever, and the people seem to delight and exult in so doing.
Since the receipt of the Order in Council of July last, with
reference to the approach of Cholera, the Sanitary Committee having
been instructed by the Vestry to carry out its provisions to the
utmost, have been meeting every other day, (till just lately,) and have
been unremitting in their efforts, in conjunction with the Medical
Officer of Health and "Medical Visitors" under the Order, to adopt
all precautionary sanitary measures in their power, and among other