HAMBURG 



tin- character of the refuse handled appears to be some- 

 what different. The refuse destructor belongs to the 

 Hi. i stall type and strongly resembles a plant at Brussels 

 wliich has been more recently constructed. In round 

 figures the Hamburg plant destroys the household 

 refuse of about half a million inhabitants, as well as 

 much refuse from ships and markets. Fluctuations 

 occur in the quantity of wastes handled up to 50 and 

 even 100 per cent on some days. The operation of 

 burning reduces the refuse to about 59 per cent of its 

 original weight. This differs considerably from the 

 results obtained in England where the clinker and 

 ashes are usually reckoned at about 33 per cent of 

 the weight of the refuse before it is burned. 



The works are situated on the outskirts of the city 

 and appear to produce little offense on account of 

 odor. Work was begun on the construction in 1893 

 and finished in 1896. The cost was about $120,000, 

 not counting many improvements and alterations 

 which have been made from time to time. 



In the street leading to the works there is a weighing 

 machine which is used by the management of the 

 destructor to collect data concerning the 

 quantity of the refuse which is carried from 

 the houses to the works. After being weighed Work " 

 the wagon enters a passage which crosses the furnace 

 room at its northern end. Here the wagon body with 

 its load is elevated by means of one of two electrically- 

 operated cranes and conveyed to a platform overhead, 

 where it is mechanically dumped in a position con- 

 venient to the feed hoppers of the furnaces. 



The furnaces are contained in a two-story building of 

 iron framework with roof of sheet iron. The building 



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