Municipal housecleaning

by William Parr Capes; Jeanne Daniels Carpenter

Per Capita Production

Any attempt to estimate the local ash production of a community based on the experience of any other city will end in failure unless all peculiar conditions in both are known and compared. Some authorities say that the rubbish and ashes produced per capita is from 325 to 530 lbs. a year. The following table gives the figures for some large cities:

	Lbs. per Capita per Year	Lbs. per 1,000 Population per Day	Average Weight per Cubic Yard
New York	1,162	3,175	1,100
Boston	975	3,120	943
Washington	825	2,640	1,200
Cambridge			1,150
Rochester			900

Table IV (a)
ASH AND RUBBISH COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL BY MUNICIPAL FORCES
Name of City	Average Quantity Collected Daily		Annual Cost of Collection and Disposal	Number of Collections Weekly						Average Miles, Length of Haul	Cost, Collection and Disposal			From Where is Can Collected and Where Left	Size and Type of Can
				Business		Residential		Outlying			Cubic Yard	Per Capita Served	Per Ton
	Summer	Winter		Winter	Summer	Winter	Summer	Winter	Summer
Binghamton, N. Y.	21 yds.	44 yds.	$11,874.96	2	2	2	2	2	2	1½	$0.1025	$0.66	$1.73	Curb.	Metal, covered, not less than 10 gals. or more than 28 gallons.
Brockton, Mass.			16,000.00	3	3	3	1	½	½	1	.25	.25		Sidewalk.	Galvanized, 2½ cubic feet.
Cambridge, Mass.			85,000.00	1	1	1	1	1	1	1-¼	.39	1.00		Yard and gate.	Not larger than flour barrel.
Camden, N. J.			32,027.58	6	6	6	6			⅓	.3079			Front or rear of house.	All sizes.
Cincinnati, Ohio	815 cu. yds.	935 cu. yds.	124,532.16	⅔	⅔	2	2	2	1		.488	.304		Property line and gate.	Any size that can be handled by 2 men.
Cleveland, Ohio			209,920.85	0	0	⅓	¼	⅓	¼					Taken from back yard, left at edge of sidewalk.	Any size that can be handled by 2 men.
Columbus, Ohio			65,763.31	6	6	⅓	⅓	⅓	⅓	2	.42	.229		Alley, street entrance.	Not larger than man can carry.
Chicago, Ill.	3,515 cu. yds.	7,277 cu. yds.	1,077,786.91	[[37]]	[[37]]	2	[[38]]	1	[[38]]	6	.72	.427		Alley and curb.	Galvanized, covered, 15 to 30 gals.
Dayton, Ohio	280 cu. yds.	325 cu. yds.	28,494.29	1	1	½	½	½	½	1½	.30	.19		Alley and curb.	One that 2 men can handle easily.
Fall River, Mass.			38,889.76	1	1	1	1	1	1		.347	.31		Curb.	About size of flour barrel.
Holyoke, Mass.	75[[39]].	150[[39]].	37,084.00	2	2	½	⅓	⅓	¼	¾		.61		Yard or basement.	No. 2 Witt or can or barrel that size.
Hartford, Conn.	590 cu. yds.	840 cu. yds.	79,957.53	6	6	1	1	1	1	1	.3575	.615		Yard.	No larger than flour barrel.
Kingston, N.Y.			9,000.00	1	1	1	1	1	1	½
Lynn, Mass.			25,833.27	1	1	1	1	1	1	½	.314			Curb.	None specified.
Lowell, Mass.			21,277.51[[40]]	1	1	1	1	1	1	¼	.18[[40]]	.19[[40]]		Curb.	Not larger than flour barrel.
Los Angeles, Cal.			40,000.00	6	6	½	½	1	1	2–4				Curb.	Five to 30 gallon.
Milwaukee, Wis.			216,496.00	⅓	[[41]]	⅓	[[41]]	⅓	[[41]]	4½	.65	.46		Yard or basement.	One-half bushel metal basket for basement or metal lined box for yard.
Newburgh, N.Y.	78 cu. yds.	168 cu. yds.	8,796.63	2	2	2	2	2	2	1				Curb.	No standard.
New Bedford, Mass.			47,000.00	1	1	1	1			1				Curb.	No standard.
New York City (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn)	12,996.	18,558.		6	6	6	6	3	3	¾	.9614	.8602		Within stoop line.	Cans 3 cu. ft. galvanized cylindrical in form.
Norfolk, Va.			13,929.75	6	6	6	6	6	6	1	.325	.14	.695–6	Curb.	Ordinary ash can, bushel and a half.
Passaic, N. J.	82 tons.	120 tons.	22,000.00	6	6	2	2	1	1	2	.53	.31	.74	Curb.	All sizes.
Rome, N. Y.	45 cu. yds.	50 cu. yds.		2	2	1	1	1	1	¾	.90	.51		Curb.	No standard.
Syracuse, N.Y.	100 loads.	270 loads.	131,000.00	3	2	1	1	1	1	2		.80		Yard.	Galvanized iron can.
Somerville, Mass.	200 yds.	400 yds.	38,000.00	1	1	1	1	1	1	2				Sidewalk.	Not larger than flour barrel.
Schenectady, N. Y.				6	6	1	1	1	1	1				Back yard and cellar.	Galvanized, from 1 to 3 bushels.
Wilmington, Del.	150.	250.	38,411.77	1	1	1	1	1	1		.36			Curb.	Not exceeding 100 pounds.
ASH COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL BY MUNICIPAL FORCES
Boston, Mass.	587.	1,315.	$804,344.94[[42]]	3[[43]]	3[[43]]	2	2	1	0	1	.70	.73	1.73	Back yard.	Galvanized, not larger than flour barrel.
Buffalo, N. Y.	425 tons.	775 tons.								1	.594	.45	1.50	Yard.	Galvanized ⅙ cu. yd. capacity.
Chattanooga, Tenn.				2	1	2	1	2	1					Sidewalk and alley.	Covered.
Duluth, Minn. [[44]]	30 cu. yds.	35 cu. yds.		12[[45]]	12[[45]]	12[[45]]	12[[45]]			1				Back yard.	Twenty gallons is standard size.
Glens Falls, N. Y. [[44]]										2				House.	Ordinary ash can.
Memphis, Tenn.	60.8.	70.7.	37,446.30	6	6	1	1	1	1	2	.34	.25	.60	Convenient place.	No special size.
Niagara Falls, N. Y.		92 cu. yds.	14,000.00	6	6	2	2	1	1	1	.92	.321	2.60	Yard.	All kinds.
Peoria, Ill.														Alley, yard, curb.	Fireproof receptacle of iron, brick or cement, must be covered.
Rochester, N. Y.	58 tons.	107 tons.	172,037.92	6	6	1	2	1	2	2	.514	.688	.969	Curb in business section, rear in resident section.	No standard.
Spokane, Wash.	48 cu. yds.	190 cu. yds.		6	6	2	2	2	2	1½	.65			Basement or yard.	Fifteen to 30 gallon.

Table IV (b)
ASH AND RUBBISH COLLECTION BY MUNICIPAL FORCES (Continued)
Name of City	Average Quantity Collected per Year					Population Served per Man Employed	Number of Men Employed Collection and Disposal		Number of Men Employed on Each Wagon	Type of Wagon Used	Number of Wagons Used		Motor Vehicles Used for Collection	Motor Vehicles Used for Short or Long Haul
	Tons	Cubic Yards	Loads	Cubic yards Per Man Employed	Cubic Yards per Capita Served		Summer	Winter			Summer	Winter
Binghamton	5,788.8	9,648	4,824	570	.64	882	17	21	3	Troy chassis, Lee body.	3	5	1.	Long
Brockton		57,080	28,540				17	17	3 to 2 carts.	Two wheeled dump and 4 wheeled rubbish.	9	11	None.
Cambridge		110,000		1,506	1.	1,883 summer and 1,294 winter.	60	85	2–3	Shabolt, single and double.	Varies.	Varies.	None.
Camden		104,013	30,479	3,467			30	30	1	Dump wagons and carts.	18	18	None.
Cincinnati		266,057	61,872	2,441	6.48	3,766	98	120	2	Two horse dump.	49	60	None.
Cleveland		356,337							5–6	Dump and trucks.			47.	Long.
Columbus		155,812	36,662	3,116	.78	4,400	50	50	1	3–4–5 dump, special 16 yd. for rubbish.	45	45
Chicago		1,499,667	300,228				240	420	1–2	Wood box hired by city at $7 per day.	380	675	None.
Dayton		93,915	18,783	3,757	.625	6,000	22	28	3	Star wagon, dump.	10	12	None.
Fall River		111,946	23,844	3,292	.89	4,025 in summer 3,372 in winter.	31	37	3	Low gear, with sides head and tail board.	9	11	None.
Holyoke						1,599	28	48	4–5	Single, dump, high sides.	14	26	None.
Hartford		223,547	49,680	2,850	1.72	2,239	46	69	4	Special, bottom dump.	16	22	None.
Kingston							12	12	2	Box wagon.	4	6	None.
Lynn		80,000	160,000–180,000	3,750–3,333			24	24	2	Ordinary dump.	12	12	2 trucks.	Both.
Lowell		114,059	30,827	3,168	1.05	2,999	36	36	2	Two-horse dump.	18	18	None.
Los Angeles		3,900					15	15	3	None.			7 trucks.	Both.
Milwaukee		333,375	111,125	555	.70	783		600	3	Three yard wagon.		200	3.	Long.
Newburgh		40,376					8	14	2	Dump.	3	6	None.
New Bedford	40,275		24,561				34	40	2	End dump.	10	14	None.
New York City (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn)	3,477,313	9,125,974	3,383,044½		1.7759				1–2–3–5	Single horse and 2-wheeled dump.			30.	Both.
Norfolk	21,159	44,454	33,064	2,020	.46	4,318	22	22	1	Dump.	22	22	None.
New Orleans									1	Two-wheeled dump.	183	183	None.
Passaic	29,681	41,085	16,434	2,566	.68		14	18	2	Bottom dump.	7	9	None.
Rome		15,000	10,000	1.500		2,500	10	10	2	Dump.	5	5	None.
Syracuse							40	90	5	Dump.	20	45	None.
Somerville							45	65	3	Dump.	19	32	None.
Schenectady
Wilmington						5,300 in summer 3,785 in winter.	20	28	3	High sides, dump.	18	36	None.
ASH COLLECTION BY MUNICIPAL FORCES (Continued)
Boston[[46]]	324,313	795,862	238,361		1.004	1,553	235	439	2–3	Sheet iron, single and double.	107	178	3 in summer, 8 in winter.	Long.
Buffalo	157,978	385,015	70,171		1.				2	Dump.			None.
Chattanooga							22	22	1–2				1.
Duluth		15,000								10 × 3½ box, bottom lined with sheet iron.	2	2	None.
Glens Falls
Memphis	62,000	108,675	62,100	1,752.8	.73	2,403	62	62	1	2-wheeled cart.	62	62	1.	Short.
Niagara Falls	5,180	14,800	4,050		.33	3,460		13	1	Dump.		45	None.
Peoria									1	Iron body, covered.			None.
Rochester	177,555	334,852	83,713	1,913	1.33	1,428	115	235	2–3	Bottom dump.	38	84	None.
Spokane				7[[47]]			35	11	2	Bottom dump.	7	7	Five.	Long.

Table IV (c)
ASH AND RUBBISH COLLECTION BY MUNICIPAL FORCES (Continued)
Name of City	Description of Collection System	Method of Disposal	Does City Own or Rent Dumps	How Much Revenue Does City Receive	Size of Load
Binghamton	3 districts. Driver’s route approximately 14½ miles long. One 5 ton truck, 14 and 8 trailers. Trailers divided into 2 compartments, containing 2 yards of ashes and one yard of garbage. When wagon is loaded team is hitched to empty trailer which has been left by truck.	Filling and covering garbage.	Own.	None.	2 yards.
Brockton	6 districts.	Dump.	Free.	None.	2 cu. yds.
Cambridge	6 routes, 1 each working day, not evenly distributed. Six or eight men ahead of team roll barrels out of yard and teamsters place them back at gate when empty.	Dump.	1 rented, others free.	None.
Camden	3 districts, each receiving 2 collections a week.	Fill.	Own and free.	None.
Cincinnati	Divided into districts and those subdivided into beats which are covered the same day each week. Two men (driver and helper) assigned to each beat.	Dump.	Free.	None.	4.3 yds.
Cleveland		Dump.	Own.	None.
Columbus	22 districts. Each covered by 2 wagons. Men work together where it is necessary to handle heavy material.	Dump.	Both.	None.	3–4–5 yds.
Chicago	Wards divided into sections. Number of teams depends on size of section and service required. Ward in charge of ward superintendent. Districts in charge of section foreman. Section foreman and laborers uniform.	Dump and fill.	Own and free.	None.	5 cu. yds.
Dayton	5 districts with ground foreman at head of each. Each covered in 12 working days.	Dump.	Free.	None.	5 cu. yds.
Fall River		Fill.		None.	4.94 and 1.71 cu.yds.
Holyoke	3 gangs work in business and one in residential sections all the time.	Dump.	Own.	None.	1½ and 2 cu. yds.
Hartford	2 sections, each divided into 6 routes. Each route extends into that portion of the central part of the city within the corresponding district. One main squad to each district covering one route daily. A section of each squad takes the barrel to the curb on hand trucks. These are followed by teams and two lifters who in turn are followed by a man who returns empty receptacles.	Fill.	Free.	None.	4–5 cu. yds.
Kingston	Rigs and men assigned to certain districts of each section.	Dump.	Free.	None.
Lynn	Divided by wards. Men clean one section and move to another.	Dump.	Own.	Very little.	2 cu. yds.
Lowell	6 districts, one cleaned each day.	Fill.	Free.	None.	3.7 cu.yds.
Los Angeles		Dump.	Rent.	None.
Milwaukee	26 wards. Ash collection all year. Once every month to householders by wards. A gang comprises two teams and three men as collection is made from basements. This keeps men going while teams are on way to and from dump.	Dump.	Free.	None.	3 yds.
Newburgh	Divided into three parts. By understanding between men, each takes a certain street each time all are on certain routes.	Dump and fill.	No.	None.	2¾ yds.
New Bedford	Collection made quickly from every street. No districts.	Dump and fill.	Own some.	City once collected and baled paper but could not make it pay.
New York	Boroughs divided into districts, 13 in Manhattan, 2 in Bronx, and 8 in Brooklyn. Each under control of district superintendent. Districts divided into sections, 103 in the aggregate and each in charge of foreman.	Dump.	Own 27, others provided by contractor.	None.
Norfolk	22 districts with one man and one wagon in each.	Dump.	Free.	None.	1½ cu. yds.
New Orleans		Dump.	Own.	None.	1½ cu. yds.
Passaic	Two drivers and 2 lifters in each gang. One wagon loaded while other is on way to dump. District cleaned on certain day each week.	Dump.	Own.	$500 for privilege of picking over dump.	2½ yds.
Rome	Divided into 5 districts.	Dump.	No.	None.	1½ yds.
Syracuse		Dump.	No.	None.	3 yds.
Somerville	City divided into 6 districts, one for each working day. Two lifters to each team.	Fill.	Rent and free.	None.
Schenectady	5 districts.	Dump.	Free.	None.
Wilmington	4 districts. Driver and two lifters for each wagon.	Dump and fill.	Free.	None.
ASH COLLECTION BY MUNICIPAL FORCES (Continued)
Boston	10 districts with a foreman and inspection service in each.	Dump.	Rent.	None.	2½ and 4 cu. yds.
Buffalo	16 districts with foreman in each. Number of men and wagons in each varies according to conditions.	Dump.	Free but city pays for upkeep.	None.	5½ cu. yds.
Chattanooga		Dump.	Free.
Duluth		Dump.	Own.	None.
Glens Falls	City removes all ashes that are clean and suitable for street work.	Fill.	Own.	Improved streets.
Memphis	3 districts subdivided into routes, man and cart for each route.	Dump.	Free.	None.	1-¾ cu. yds.
Niagara Falls	4 districts.	Fill.	Free.	None.	Wagon 2½ cu. yds. truck 6 yds.
Rochester	10 districts with one or two gangs to district. Gangs organized into truckers, who haul ashes from rear of house to curb; lifters, who load wagon; and returners, who replace empty receptacles. Teams apportioned according to length of haul, so that empty wagon is ready to take place of loaded one.	Dump.	Rent and free.	None.
Peoria	16 districts. Routes changed as demand increases or decreases.	Dump.	Free.	None.
Spokane	Ashes collected in business district by load, in residential district by can. One 3 ton truck collects ashes and garbage in residential district.	Dump.	Own and free.	None.	3½ cu. yds.

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[37]. Trade wastes not collected by city.

[38]. Depends on quantity and condition.

[39]. Ashes and rubbish collected separately in business section.

[40]. Cost of labor.

[41]. Collected only when requested.

[42]. Includes cost of collecting rubbish.

[43]. Daily hotels and restaurant.

[44]. Part collected by city and part by private collector.

[45]. City has 2 teams which take care of central part twice daily all year.

[46]. Suburbs collected by contract.

[47]. Per man per day.

Table V
COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL BY CONTRACT
	Ashes and Rubbish				Ashes Only
	Indianapolis, Ind.	Mechanicville, N. Y.	Cohoee, N. Y.	Philadelphia, Pa.	Washington, D. C.	North Tonawanda, N. Y.
Number of collections each week—
Business Section—
Winter	1[[48]]	2	2	1	2[[49]]	1[[50]]
Summer	½[[52]]	2	2	1	1[[49]]	1[[50]]
Residential Section—
Winter	1	2	1	1	2	1
Summer	½	2	1	1	1	1
Outlying Section—
Winter	1	0	1	1	1	1
Summer	½	0	1	1	1	1
Miles, length of haul	6	1	1½	1–2	1.64	1½
Cost of collection and disposal per cubic yard				.37	.51
Per capita served				.39	.109	.15
Per ton				.95	.85	.11
Where is can collected from and where left	Rear.	Curb.	Curb.	Curb.	Rear alley or areaway.	Curb.
Size and type of can	Covered barrel.	Not larger than flour barrel.	Not specified.	Can’t weigh with contents over 150 lbs.	Metal covered, 5 to 24 gals.	Metal.
Quantity collected in year—
Tons	96,552			676,200	91,070
Cubic yards	64,368			1,229,456	151,783
Loads	32,184				37,946
Size of load	3 ton.				4 cubic yds.
Cubic yards per man employed	201				12 in winter, 6 in summer.
Cubic yards per capita served	214			.67	.43
Population served per man employed	938				Varies.	4,343
Number of men employed—
Summer	24	2			12	1
Winter	50	2			120	3
Number of men on each wagon	2	2	2		2–3	2
Type of wagon used	Steel King.	Covered.	Covered, Dump.	Wooden body, metal covered. Metal body, metal covered. Trucks, metal and canvas covered.	Bottom dump, canvas covered.	Dump.
Number of wagons—
Summer	12	1	5		8	1
Winter	37	1	5		60	2
Number of motor vehicles				31	4
Motor vehicles used for short or long haul				Both.	Both.
Description of collection system		3 districts.		City divided into 9 districts. Each district divided into 12 sub-districts; from each of these districts each day ashes and rubbish collected. Ashes placed at curb line and rubbish kept inside premises in readily accessible place. Rubbish card hung at gate and gives evidence that there is rubbish to be collected. Rubbish must be bagged or bundled. Ashes collected in amount not exceeding 400 lbs. from all buildings with certain exceptions. Rubbish collection in unlimited amount from residences and not exceeding 4 barrels from retail business houses. City has experienced difficulty in having ashes and rubbish placed separately in proper container. Unsuccessful attempt was made to facilitate this by having ashes and rubbish collected on separate days. In 1918 both will be collected on the same day.	Layout depends upon density and amount to be removed. Large part of city set aside to receive service on certain days. This is subdivided and definite routes assigned each wagon. Both city and contractor maintain inspection forces.	6 districts are arranged according to quantity of ashes collected as ascertained on trial collection of 3 months.
Disposal of Ashes	Dump.			Fill.	Dump.	Fill.
City own or rent dumps	River bottom.	Free.	Free.	Mostly privately owned.	Some owned.	Free.
Annual cost to city for collection and disposal		$2,700	$3,900	$710,240		$2,000
Average quantity collected daily—
Summer	10 tons.			1,565[[51]] 2½ tons.
Winter	10 tons.			6,524[[51]] 15 tons.

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[48]. Not collected from public buildings or from steam, hot water or power plants, except in private residences or apartment houses of not more than 4 apartments each.

[49]. No collection made from stores, hotels, etc.

[50]. Not more than 10 bushels collected from any one place in a week.

[51]. Collected by 9 contractors, one for each district. Steam ashes collected by private collectors.

Eleven cities report that the number of cubic yards of ashes and rubbish collected a year per capita served was from .46 to 1.72, the average being .89. Four other cities report that the number of cubic yards of ashes only collected a year per capita served was 1.016. The lowest was .73 and the highest 1.33.