1866-7.] 
CITY DOC GM ENT. 
[No. 21 
THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE. 
REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO INQUIRE WHAT 
FURTHER MEASURES, IF ANY, ARE REQUIRED BY THE PUB- 
LIC HEALTH FOR THE PROMPT AND EFFICIENT REMOVAL 
OF SWILL AND HOUSE OFFAL FROM THE CITY LIMITS. 
(Presented to the City Council November 12, 1866.) 
Z'o the Honorable City Council of the City of Providence : 
The Committee appointed at the last meeting of the Council 
to inquire what further measures the public health demands for 
tiie prompt and efficient removal of swill and house offal from 
the City limits, respectfully 
REPORT 
That, having given the matter careful consideration, they are of 
the opinion that a radical change in the whole system of collect- 
ing our swill and house offal is demanded ; and that the only way 
to insure the work being satisfactorily dime, is for the city to 
own the carts and horses, and collect the swill itself. 
'Die reasons, principally sanitary, that have forced your Com- 
mittee to this conclusion, are very ably set forth in a report on 
the removal of swill and house offal and other subjects, made by 
the Superintendent of Health to the Board of Aidermen, June 2 
25th, 1866; and it would only be a work of supererogation to 
repeat what has been already so well said. That course is pur- 
sued in Baltimore and some other cities, and gives complete sat- 
isfaction. But, while your Committee are so strongly of this 
opinion, they deem it inexpedient to recommend the adoption of 
that system, until a sufficiently liberal policy shall prevail in our 
City Government, that will place other departments in as rela- 
tively an advanced position as that would be. Unlike most 
other large cities, Providence does not own horses for its high- 
way and other departments, where horses are in constant requi- 
sition, and hence, to erect stables and to care for the eight or 
ten horses alone, that would be required for the 'ity swill 
carts, would demand an expense utterly disproportioned to 
what would be needed, if all the horses, used for City purposes, 
were owned by the municipal body. Your Committee indulge 
the hope that the time is not far distant, when our City, like, 
so many of its sister corporations, will own the horses for the 
purposes for which they are now hired; and should that time 
ever arrive, then, and not till then, in the opinion of our Com- 
mittee, would it, from pecuniary considerations, be advisable for 
the City to collect the swill of its inhabitants. 
The expediency of hiring horses for city swill carts was 
also considered, but your Committee are of the opinion that 
unless the whole system can be perfected at once, it would be 
better to wait until it can be. 
If the City does not itself remove the swill, the contract sys- 
tem, in the opinion of your Committee, is the next most desira- 
ble one, and as that is the one now in use here, your Committee, 
for the reasons hereinbefore enumerated, are of the opinion 
that no urther measures for the more prompt and efficient re- 
moval of swill and house offiil are expedient at this time. 
Respectfully submitted, 
H. ROGERS, JR., For the Committee. 
November 12, 1866.