Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 September 1899 — BERLIN’S CLEAN STREETS. [ARTICLE]

BERLIN’S CLEAN STREETS.

Resident. Vie with Om Another I" Making Them Presentable. Bicyclists who hare ridden much on the asphalt streets of German cities say that the tendency to “sideslip” is there much less marked than on similar pavements in this country. Tfie explanation of this fact may possibly lie In the statement which is made by the American consul at Breslau that the asphalt streets in that city are regularly washed, the purpose of the washing being to remove the slime which the asphalt seems to leave and to keep the street from being slippery. The washing has the further effect of preserving and hardening the asphalt The care taken of the asphalt by the city authorities contrasts strongly with the methods usually adopted in United States. For instance, the space in front * the consulate Is divided into four squares, which are in charge of one man. After cleaning the street early in the morning he wheels out a barrow load of very fine, sharp sand and scatters it lightly over the streets to prevent slipping. On rainy days the process Is repeated several times. Od<“» a week the whole street is sluiced and thoroughly washed with sprinkling carts. These are followed by ample roller brushes, which sweep the water and slime into the gutter, whence It is carted away. After this the man who has charge of the street comes along with his wheelbarrow and sand sprinkler. In spring or autumn, when the streets are often sloppy and wet, the washing Is done several times during the week.

The man In charge of the asphalt pavement Is paid 5 cents an hour, the ordinary street hands receiving 4 cents. Nobody litters up the street or puts sweepings on the pavement There is a box kept for these. Wire baskets are fastened on lamp posts, against houses, fences or trees in which the public may throw waste paper while walking along. The citizens are very proud of their clean and sweet-smelling streets, and the householders have to sweep to the center of the street In front of their sidewalks every morning before 6 o’clock. The litter is piled up and soon the city teams cart it away.—Boston Transcript