GULLY EMPTYING BY VACUUM MACHINES.
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An Interesting Set of Costs in London and Birmingham.
THE emptying of gullies by vacuum is now thoroughly recognized as being not only a more sanitary method, but a far cheaper process than emptying by hand. The more frequently a gully is emptied the better, as the sludge is often composed of matter which, if left too long, becomes a danger to health. The less the sludge is exposed, the less the risk of contamination through pedestrians carrying it on their boots.
By the old method, the sludge was sometimes left for a considerable time before it could be lifted and carried away. The process of shovelling it into carts was a danger, as splashes were often blown about. Quite apart from the sanitary aspect of the matter, the low cost of mechanical emptying justifies the cost of the machine without other considerations. In some districts the same machine can be used for =emptying ceaspools and other municipal work. In the case of one of the London boroughs the saving in cost per gully is as follows : before 1921 each gully cost 4s. 5d. to empty by horse and five men, involving the use of a watercart and a slush van. In 1921 the cost was reduced to 2s. 6c1., and to-day it is down to 84. per gully, two men only being employed in doing the work with each vehicle. The container carries its own water for sealing the gullies after emptying. By the fitting of a specially large water pipe (3 ins.) at their garage this borough is able to fill its containers in S minutes each. The figures for gully emptying in ahother borough, centrally situated, work out as follow : Cost per week ... 1£10 15s. 84. Cost per mile ... 12s. fiid. Miles per gallon of petrol :2.8 Working week ... 5 days. Gullies emptied per day 82 Loads per day (average) 2.6 The-figures for the gully emptier used by a South London municiality work out for the six months from .April to September, 1924, as below : Number of loads ... 368 Number of possible work ing days ... 151 Number of days worked 109 Petrol consuMption per 12.04 galls.
Number of gullies emptied
3,020 Cost per gully 3s. 2d. Inclusive cost per day... £3 3s. Cost per day without wages .. 11 15s. 11d.
Wages ... ... £204 10s. 11d. Petrol, oil and sun,
dries .. £88 8s. 4d. Repairs and fittings ... £67 6s. 1d. Depreciation, licence, in surance and garage ... 1115 6s. 94.
The costs in connection with two gully emptiers employed by the Birmingham Corporation for one year are as set out in the tables above and at the side hereof. The figures are careilly arranged so that theloaders' = wages are separated from the cost of transport, of which they are not a part.
The circumstances in which these Machines work vary so widely that it is not to be wontlemd at that there are considerable differences in the cost of ' operation, but their efficiency -in the work cannot be doubted...