London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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St Mary (Islington) 1890

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington, Parish of St. Mary ]

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32
much as 18 inches. The pitched roads were cleared by melting the
snow, with the aid of salt and running it down the gullies into the
sewers. Snow fell again on the night of the 10th and in the early
hours of the 11th to a depth of three inches when the same proceedings were adopted.

The cost of the work was as follows:-

£s.d.
Labour41994
Horses and drivers for sweeping machines and water vans, melting snow6370
Salt, including carting and spreading161150
Total£644114

During this exceptional continuance of frost and snow the Vestry
realised to some extent the experience of the old man and the ass in the
fable. Complaints were first made of the non-removal of snow from the
streets. The snow was cleared from the centres foot-paths and channels,
and stacked along the sides. It was immediately pointed out that
this latter practice interfered with trade. The Vestry directed that
it should be carted away from the main thoroughfares and stacked
round the sides of squares and open spaces, it being pecuniarily
impossible to remove it out of the parish. It was thereupon sought
to make the Vestry the subject of proceedings at the Clerkenwell
Police Court for causing a nuisance; and, although the common-sense
of the magistrate prevented any process issuing, indirectly pressure
was put upon the Vestry to make another departure by salting the
snow and running it down the sewers. This process was succesrfullv
carried out, but not without risk of a protest from the London County
Council against the use made of their sewers, and remonstrances in the
public press against the cruelty to horses of using salt on the roads of
the parish.
SANDING ROADS.
The long and severe frost also necessitated a great amount of
work upon the roads in order to render them safe for traffic; and
during six weeks 3,025 cubic yards of sand and other material
were spread, which, together with the labour for spreading, cost
£536. 12s, 10d.