It is, of course, not possible to lay down any hard and fast line as to the cost of scavenging in any city or town, as it must necessarily vary considerably1 according to circumstances; much depends upon whether the district to be scavenged is an urban one, consisting of houses closely packed together, or whether it is suburban2, with scattered3 villas4 and mansions5 standing6 in their own grounds; the question, also, of the distance of the dep?ts to which the material has to be carted, considerably affects the result of any estimate, as also does the cost of horse hire, the rate of wages, and whether the district is of a hilly or flat nature, and, as I have before shown, the manner in which the streets are formed and[91] paved, the habits of the people, and last, but not least, the manner of the eventual7 disposal of the rubbish after removal; all these points must bear with great weight upon any question of cost, and make the results widely different.
On referring to the returns to which I have more than once alluded8, it is found that the cost of removing the house refuse and cleansing9 and sweeping10 the streets combined, varies considerably in different localities, in one case the sum amounts only to the rate of one half-penny per annum per head of the population of the town, whereas in another case the amount is at the rate of three shillings and sixpence per head. On calculating the average cost per head of population per annum of the ninety towns from which I received replies on this point, I find that it amounts to about tenpence half-penny, after giving credit for any sum of money realised by the sale of the refuse to farmers and others; so that if this work is costing the ratepayers of a town or city anything under a shilling per head of the whole population every year they have no cause to grumble11, as they are so frequently found to do that their rates are higher, and what they have to show for them less than any other town in England.
I have discussed the question of "contracts" or[92] "administration" in a former chapter, but there is still another question which is also closely connected and intermingled with the question of cost, and that is when the Sanitary12 Authority carry out the collection and removal of the house refuse and cleanse13 the streets with their own staff, whether it is better and more economical for them to keep their own stud of horses or to hire them.
To do thorough justice to the work I am of opinion that both the horses and carts should be the property of the Sanitary Authority for the following reasons:—
(1.) The horses and their drivers should be under the control of the town surveyor or superintendent14, in the same manner as the scavengers who accompany the cart. This is not the case if the horses are hired.
(2.) The carts can be started on their rounds and leave work at such time as may be found most convenient, and all the horses being kept in one stable greatly facilitates this arrangement.
(3.) The horses hired for this kind of service are frequently quite unfit to draw the bulky loads in the lofty carts behind them, and opprobrium16 is thrown upon the Sanitary Authority and the officials in consequence.
(4.) Economy in working is secured, for not only[93] will good horses properly kept do a much better day's work than bad ones ill kept, but there is no one making a profit out of them as is the case when the horses are hired.
With regard to the question as to the comparative cost of scavenging where a stud of horses is kept and where they are hired, the figures that I am about to give can only be speculative17, as the conditions of each town are so widely different, but the figures may serve as a guide for forming an estimate of the kind, and they may be altered to suit the requirements of any city or town.
I will, therefore, assume that a town with a population of about 35,000 inhabitants will require at least seven scavengers' carts constantly at work, without reckoning those which will be required after a fall of snow or in exceptionally muddy weather, and for which purposes auxiliary18 horses and carts must be hired, as also those which are engaged in hauling stones and other materials used for roads or public works.
I have already stated that the value of an ordinary dust cart is about ￡18, so I will retain that figure for my estimate.
The value of a new set of cart harness, including a loin cloth, should not exceed ￡7.
[94]
To work seven carts properly, eight horses will be required, which may be estimated to cost about ￡50 each.
The first cost of the necessary stabling for eight horses, including purchase of land, erection of buildings with a foreman's house, corn and hay lofts19 and machinery20 and tools, may be reckoned at about ￡1,500.
With regard to the wages to be paid to the scavengers and the carters, it may be reasonably assumed that their rate of wages may be much lower than that paid to navvies, or what are known as "pick and shovel21" men, for the following reasons:—
In all house refuse there is always present a quantity of such materials as rags, bones, pieces of iron, and other articles, which have a commercial value, and behind each scavenger15's cart hangs a sack, into which all such articles are placed by the men engaged in the removal of the house refuse, and are subsequently sold, and the spoil divided between them as perquisites22. I have been credibly23 informed that in some localities the amount thus realised averages more than four shillings a week throughout the year.
It is also a notable fact that although the householders are most particularly requested not to give[95] gratuities24 to the men employed by the Sanitary Authority in this work, yet a considerable number of them constantly give the men a gratuity25 or bribe26 to ensure the dustbin being regularly and properly cleared, although the less generous, or poorer members of the community probably suffer in consequence; again at Christmas the scavenger feels himself entitled to demand and receive a handsome present in the form of a Christmas-box, which, in a rich neighbourhood, amounts in the aggregate27 to no inconsiderable sum.
For these reasons I put the wages both of the scavenger and the carter at 16s. each per week, and adding a guinea a week for the foreman, who has in addition to this a house to live in rent free, and a stableman at 18s. a week, the total expenses are accounted for except those of the keep of the horses, shoeing, veterinary attendance, lighting28 the stable, &c.
This also is a sum very difficult to estimate, as fodder29, bedding, &c., varies so widely in different districts, but for the purposes of this calculation it may be estimated that 17s. per horse per week should be sufficient to cover all expenses under these heads.
For the purposes of this calculation it will be necessary to assume that the ￡1,500 has been borrowed at 4? per cent. in perpetuity, although as a[96] matter of fact any monies borrowed for such a purpose as this would probably carry a sinking fund, so as to liberate30 the debt at the end of thirty or perhaps fifty years, but if I were to reckon the interest in this way in my estimate, it would complicate31 it unnecessarily.
I have assumed that to meet the depreciation32 of horse flesh it will be necessary to put aside the value of one horse each year, without reckoning anything per contra for the sale of those worn out or injured in the work, as I think this will be found to be what would be necessary.
I have allowed ￡50 per annum for repairs and depreciation of the buildings and machinery, as I consider this should be quite sufficient for a well-managed and cared-for property.
I have allowed 15 per cent. per annum for repairs and depreciation of the harness, and 12 per cent. for the carts.
The estimate will consequently stand thus:—
[97]
Specimen33 Estimate of the cost per annum involved by any Urban Sanitary Authority of a town of 35,000 inhabitants, in executing the work of collection of house refuse and the cleansing of streets, with their own staff of men and horses and carts.
Annual Cost.
￡ s. d.
Capital borrowed ￡1,500, yearly interest at 4? per cent 67 10 0
Do. do. for 8 horses at ￡50 ￡400
Do. do. for 7 carts at ￡18 ￡126
Do. do. for 7 sets of harness
at ￡7 ￡49
——
￡575 at 4? per cent. 25 17 6
Repairs to buildings, machinery, &c. 50 0 0
Depreciation of horse flesh, say 50 0 0
Do. of 7 carts, costing ￡126, at 12 per cent. 15 2 2
Do. of 7 sets of harness, costing ￡49, at 15 per cent. 7 7 0
Wages of 7 carters at 16s. each per week 291 4 0
Do. of 7 scavengers at do. do. 291 4 0
Do. of 7 sweepers of roads at do. do. 291 4 0
Do. of 1 foreman at 21s. per week 54 12 0
Do. of 1 stablekeeper at 18s. do. 46 16 0
Keep, &c., of 8 horses at 17s. per week each 353 12 0
——————
Total estimated cost ￡1,544 8 11
============
If the foregoing estimate is compared with the standard of one shilling per head of the population per annum, which I have fixed34 as a fair average cost[98] of such work, it is found to be less by ￡205 than that of a town of 35,000 inhabitants, for this latter case amounts to ￡1,750, and nothing has been allowed for the possible sale of the house refuse thus collected, but, on the other hand, I have allowed nothing for any emergency, such as a very rainy season or a deep fall of snow.
If the horses and drivers had been hired the estimate might stand thus:—
Annual Cost.
￡ s. d.
Hire of 7 horses and drivers at 8s. per diem for six days a week 873 12 0
Hire of 4 horses and drivers on Sunday, half-a-day each 41 12 0
Foreman to superintend (no free house rent as in former case) 65 0 0
Wages of scavengers as before 291 4 0
Do. of sweepers do. 291 4 0
——————
￡1,562 12 0
============
This shows that the cost of hiring would be slightly in excess of that of keeping a stud of horses, and when we consider the unquestionable benefit to be derived35 by adopting this method, I think most Urban Authorities who are now hiring their team labour would do well to consider the question of purchasing and keeping their own stud.
Great care, however, would have to be exercised in[99] the supervision36, or the expenditure37 would speedily increase, as in all stable establishments without such supervision, grave abuses, and even fraud, may go undetected for a considerable period.
The figures that I have given in my estimates must not be criticised, for they are not intended to fix the value of such work, but simply to act as a guide to anyone interested in making an estimate of the kind, in which case prices more in accordance with the district could be inserted.
The following table, however, gives the actual cost of collecting house refuse and cleansing and watering streets in fourteen large English towns:—
Name of Town. Annual cost of collecting house refuse and cleansing and watering streets and courts. This amounts to the following:—
Per 1,000 of population. Per mile of streets.
￡ ￡ ￡
Bedford 900 45.0 45.9
Bristol 13,005 63.1 108.3
Cambridge 2,350 67.1 83.9
Cardiff 5,545 65.2 95.6
Carlisle 2,261 64.6 113.0
Exeter 2,100 52.5 60.0
Gloucester 1,478 36.9 49.3
Liverpool 82,284 151.2 316.2
Northampton 2,820 51.3 104.4
Oxford 2,750 63.9 85.9
Portsmouth 5,276 39.0 101.4
Southampton 1,999 33.3 45.4
Southport 4,077 119.9 97.0
Swansea 4,200 60.0 76.3
These figures are taken from a return prepared by Mr. Williams, C.E., Engineer to the Borough38 of Cardiff.
[100]
I have frequently referred to some returns which I have obtained on the subject of the collection of house refuse and cleansing of streets, and it may be interesting and of use to others who wish to obtain information on these subjects if before closing this book I give a list of the questions that were asked. They were as follows:—
(1.) Name of city or town.
(2.) Number of inhabitants.
(3.) Area of district scavenged.
(4.) Is the house refuse collected by the Urban Authority.
(5.) Or by a contractor39.
(6.) How often is the house refuse removed.
(7.) Do the scavengers make a house to house call.
(8.) Or do they give notice of their approach by ringing a bell or otherwise, and require the householder to bring out the refuse to the cart.
(9.) Do the scavengers remove garden or trade refuse, and, if so, under what conditions.
(10.) Are the house dustbins, as a rule, fixed or movable.
(11.) Have you any public dustbins, and, if so, are they merely isolated40 instances, or have you a regular system.
[101] (12.) Number of dep?ts for the refuse collected, and the distance they are from the town.
(13.) How is the refuse disposed of.
(14.) Approximate mileage41 of streets cleansed42.
(15.) Are all the streets swept daily, or only the principal ones.
(16.) Have you any provision for sweeping streets oftener than once a day, or for the frequent removal of horse dung, &c.
(17.) Are private courts and alleys43 swept and cleansed by the Urban Authority, and, if so, how frequently.
(18.) What number of men, horses, and carts respectively, do you employ.
(19.) Net cost of your system after giving credit for any money realised by sale of refuse.
In concluding this little book on "Dirty Dustbins and Sloppy44 Streets," I hope that what has been said may be of some use to my readers, and that they will themselves supply any omissions45 that they have found, and kindly46 correct all the errors, which are only too ready to creep into a work of this description.
The End
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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suburban
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| adj.城郊的，在郊区的 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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villas
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| 别墅，公馆( villa的名词复数 )； （城郊）住宅 | |
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mansions
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| n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 ) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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eventual
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| adj.最后的，结局的，最终的 | |
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alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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cleansing
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| n. 净化(垃圾) adj. 清洁用的 动词cleanse的现在分词 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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11
grumble
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| vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声 | |
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sanitary
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| adj.卫生方面的，卫生的，清洁的，卫生的 | |
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cleanse
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| vt.使清洁，使纯洁，清洗 | |
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14
superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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scavenger
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| n.以腐尸为食的动物，清扫工 | |
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opprobrium
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| n.耻辱，责难 | |
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speculative
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| adj.思索性的，暝想性的，推理的 | |
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auxiliary
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| adj.辅助的，备用的 | |
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lofts
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| 阁楼( loft的名词复数 )； （由工厂等改建的）套房； 上层楼面； 房间的越层 | |
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machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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shovel
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| n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出 | |
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perquisites
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| n.（工资以外的）财务补贴( perquisite的名词复数 )；额外收入；（随职位而得到的）好处；利益 | |
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credibly
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| ad.可信地；可靠地 | |
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gratuities
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| n.报酬( gratuity的名词复数 )；小账；小费；养老金 | |
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25
gratuity
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| n.赏钱，小费 | |
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bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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27
aggregate
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| adj.总计的，集合的；n.总数；v.合计；集合 | |
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28
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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29
fodder
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| n.草料；炮灰 | |
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30
liberate
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| v.解放，使获得自由，释出，放出；vt.解放，使获自由 | |
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31
complicate
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| vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂 | |
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32
depreciation
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| n.价值低落，贬值，蔑视，贬低 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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35
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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supervision
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| n.监督，管理 | |
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expenditure
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| n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗 | |
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borough
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| n.享有自治权的市镇；(英)自治市镇 | |
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contractor
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| n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌 | |
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40
isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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41
mileage
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| n.里程，英里数；好处，利润 | |
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42
cleansed
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| 弄干净，清洗( cleanse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
alleys
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| 胡同，小巷( alley的名词复数 )； 小径 | |
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sloppy
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| adj.邋遢的，不整洁的 | |
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45
omissions
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| n.省略( omission的名词复数 )；删节；遗漏；略去或漏掉的事（或人） | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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