Today was another research day for our assigned blogs. Yeah.
Notes:
WATER: (continued..) In the late 1860's, the residents of many cities had grossly inadequate piped water, or none at all. Homes seldom had indoor plumbing, and residents had to collect water in pails from faucets on the street and heat it for bathing. Diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever grew more evident with the disgusting water quality. Filtration was finally introduced in the 1870's and chloronation in 1908. Even in the 20th century though, many city dwellers still had no access to safe water.
SANITATION: As cities became larger, so did the problem of trying to keep them clean. Horse manure piled up on the streets, sewage flowed through open gutters, and factories spewed foul smoke into the air. People dumped their garbage on the street because of lack of trash collection. Private contractors were hired to sweep the streets, collect garbage, and clean outhouses, but they often did not do their jobs properly. By 1900, many cities had developed sewe lines and created sanitation departments, but the task of providing hygienic living conditions was an ongoing challenge.
CRIME: As populations increased, so did the crime rate. Pickpockets and thieves flourished. Although New York City organized the first full-time and salaried police force in 1844, it and most other city law enforcement units were too small to have much of an impact on crime.
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