The next question that presents itself to our notice is that of the form, style, and construction of the cart usually employed in this work of house refuse collection, and whether it is well suited for the requirements of the work or otherwise.

The cart usually employed is that known as the ordinary "tip cart," strongly, if not clumsily, constructed of an oak frame, with elm or deal sides of considerable height; it holds about a couple of cubic yards of materials, and generally costs from sixteen to twenty pounds.

These carts are not only clumsy and heavy, but they give an overweighted diminutive appearance to the horse between the shafts, especially as the quality of horse employed for work of this character is frequently none of the best, and as a matter of fact the cart is so ill-balanced that the bulk of its weight is thrown upon the back of the horse. The height, too, of the cart is often so great as to necessitate the use of a short ladder, up which the scavenger has to[28] climb, before he can discharge the contents of his basket into the cart, sending in the process a shower of offensive dust in every direction, far from pleasant for those unfortunate persons who happen to be passing near the spot at the time. When used as "slop" carts the same objections arise, as in this case the liquid mud is splashed in every direction, owing to the height to which it has to be thrown by the shovel of the scavenger.

Some difficulty is also experienced in thoroughly covering over the contents of the cart, so that not only shall it be hidden from the eye, but that it shall prevent either the liquid mud from being spilled on the ground, or if the cart is being used to convey either dust or house refuse, to prevent the contents being blown about, or dropped upon the surface of the street.

The imperfect mode at present adopted is to cover the cart with a tarpaulin, which is tied down as tightly as the circumstances of the case will admit, but which as a rule does not effectually answer the purpose for which it is intended. In towns where the house refuse is not collected separately from the road scrapings, a judicious mixture of the two in the cart considerably assists in preventing any mud slopping or dust blowing.

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The material being wood of which these carts are constructed, it becomes a difficult matter either to effectually cleanse them after use, or to properly disinfect them, which in times of any serious outbreak of an epidemic is essential to the sanitary well-being of a community. The employment also of wooden carts for this work is bad economy, their rough usage, and the mode adopted for emptying them by "tipping," rendering their life but a short one, a cart in constant work frequently costing from four to five pounds per annum in repairs, and having but very little of the original material of which it was constructed left in it at the end of six years.

With a view to obviate these and other objections, several improved carts and waggons have been introduced by different makers, who have styled them by a variety of names, in order to recommend them to the notice of the public. Amongst other names they are called dust carts, general purpose carts, sanitary carts, slush carts, tumbler carts, mud waggons, tip waggons, slop waggons, &c.

They are generally constructed with iron bodies fixed upon wooden frames on wheels; they are of various forms and designs, the principal objects aimed at being lightness of construction combined with strength, so balanced as to bear with a minimum[30] of weight upon the horse; economy in their cost has not been lost sight of, and they are usually provided with some special means for emptying, either by being completely inverted by a chain and windlass, or by some mechanical arrangement of the tailboard; they are built very low upon their axles, so as to be easily filled, are either completely covered over with a moveable lid, or are fitted with hinged side boards, so as to prevent any splashing over of their contents, and as they are nearly all constructed with iron, they are easily cleansed and disinfected whenever it is thought necessary to do so.

Amongst others I may mention the following firms who have made the construction of these sanitary carts and waggons a speciality:—Messrs. Bayley & Co., Newington Causeway, London; Messrs. Cocksedge & Co., of Stowmarket; the Bristol Waggon Works Company; and Messrs. Smith & Son, of Barnard Castle, Yorkshire.