Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 38.djvu/772

752 of the familiar rules which govern every well-regulated household. Can a house be clean if the members of the family throw waste paper and other refuse on the floors, and ignore the wastebasket and the cuspidore; and how many times a day must the floors of the house be swept, if such a practice is tolerated?

It being absolutely necessary to the proper cleanliness of the streets that no dust, dirt, refuse, ashes, or garbage should be swept or thrown into the streets or upon the sidewalks, or allowed to escape thereon from ash and garbage receptacles or from carts, a thorough reform must be secured in this particular, and by the following means:

1. The education of the entire population of the city on this subject. All desire clean streets, and an appeal to the common sense and public spirit of the people will be successful. A plain and simple circular from an official source should be placed in the hands of each householder and storekeeper, and of each family in tenement-houses, to the effect that every particle of dust, dirt, ashes, garbage, and refuse should be placed in the garbage receptacles, and that the sidewalk should not be swept into the street, but the dust and paper thereon should be carefully gathered and placed in the garbage receptacles of the stores or houses. Such a circular would be disregarded by some, and all such should be personally warned by an officer of police against the continuance of the practice. Owners of carts conveying dirt, ashes, garbage, manure, or any refuse, should be notified that their carts must be absolutely tight and properly covered, and that the escape into the street of any part of the contents, however trifling, is a violation of the sanitary ordinances, which will be officially noticed by the police. In a very few months the people would thoroughly understand the importance of this subject, and few would overlook or violate regulations so reasonable and proper.

2. When proper notice and warning fail to prevent throwing, sweeping, or allowing the escape into the streets or upon the sidewalk of any dirt, ashes, garbage, or other refuse, the vigorous enforcement of proper sanitary ordinances becomes necessary. It should be made a part of the duty of every police officer on patrol to arrest any one violating such ordinances, and to ascertain who is guilty of any violation in the absence of an officer; and, for any neglect of such duty, officers should be held to as rigid accountability by their superiors as for failure to arrest or detect offenders against the laws concerning life and property. In many European cities the police are so active and vigilant in enforcing sanitary laws and ordinances of this character that the streets are models of cleanliness, and their condition materially promotes the health, comfort, and happiness of the people. To make the action of the police effective, the hearty co-operation of the courts