To equip himself to do his difficult duty as he should, the public official must be able to acquaint himself thoroughly with the best methods, experiences and opinions of others. “Municipal Housecleaning” goes into all of the matters pertaining to the collection, care and removal of municipal wastes. It should be of the greatest value in assisting public officials—mayors, engineers, sanitarians and members of health, street cleaning, public works and sewer departments—to select the systems best adapted to local conditions and to operate them efficiently. We officials in New York State have found this information to be of inestimable value in solving our problems. But no municipal effort can succeed without the cooperation of the citizen. He can help most by informing himself on these problems so that he can intelligently participate in the cooperative community effort to keep clean, and if need be, to offer constructive criticism. If the citizen—and particularly the woman, for it is her intelligent cooperation that will make for more effective service—will read this book, it will be easier for us to obtain in America what the authors have so aptly referred to as “better places in which to live, work and play.” CORNELIUS F. BURNS, President New York State Conference of Mayors and other City Officials. STREET CLEANING SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS USED IN AMERICAN CITIES—METHODS OF REDUCING LITTER—COST DATA. In establishing or rearranging its street cleaning system, every city must consider the problem from three angles: (1) Cheapest method of cleaning pavement; (2) Method of reducing litter; (3) Paving policy with a view to saving cost of cleaning. The proper solution of each one of these problems will materially reduce the cost. In outlining a program for a street cleaning department the following elements must be known and carefully considered: (1) Kind of and state of repair of pavement. (2) Traffic to which they are subjected. (3) Facilities for disposing of street sweepings. (4) Climatic peculiarities. (5) Degree of cleanliness it is desired or expected to maintain. (6) Miscellaneous local circumstances.