mi. CLBANINC MI i-\\ I.\H.\ rs 



In America so-called flushing-machines have been 

 introduced within recent years. These machines are 

 water-carts constructed to throw a stream of water with 

 considerable force by means of air pressure as the cart 

 is hauled along by horses. The way in which these 

 flushing-machines are constructed is ingenious, but their 

 use is based upon a mistaken theory. They are incapable 

 of competing with hose flushing, for the stream lacks 

 the adjustability and precision of the hand. The engi- 

 neering commission on street cleaning for New York 

 reported that the work of street cleaning by flushing- 

 machines was more expensive and less efficient than the 

 work of cleansing with hand hose. 



This commission compared the cost of street cleaning 

 by hand-sweeping, by sweeping with horse-propelled 

 brooms and by the use of water from a hose, comparative 

 and concluded that hand-sweeping was the ^ 



cheapest method. In these estimates allow- * Street . 



Cleaning in 



ance was made for the cost of repairs, interest New York 

 charges on the apparatus, etc. The wages of a laborer 

 were taken at $2.19 per day, the cost of keeping a horse 

 at $1.35 per day, the cost of water at $90 per million 

 gallons. One hand-sweeper was considered to be capable 

 of cleaning 8000 sq. yds. of pavement in a day of eight 

 hours, a two-horse machine 70,000 yds. In flushing 

 with water from a hose, it was assumed that 5000 sq. 

 yds. could be cleaned per hour with 1.88 gallons per 

 square yard. Two laborers of the rank of sweeper were 

 thought to be enough to operate the hose. On this 

 basis hand-sweeping was estimated to cost $.281, machine- 

 sweeping $.317, hose flushing $.319 per 100 sq. yds. 

 Flushing by a patented machine was estimated to cost 

 $.721. 



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