The supply of water in the eighteen-fifties had been very limited in quantity, and, with the exception of that supplied by one company, abominable in quality. And progress to a better state of things was slow. Improvements were made most unwillingly and haltingly by the Water Companies, and only under Parliament's reluctant compulsion, whilst the inaction of most, and the obstruction of some, of the Vestries and District Boards, and the hostility of "owners" of houses to being put to expense for water fittings, still further impeded reform, and perpetuated the evils inflicted upon the inhabitants of London--suffering, disease, and death. The "slaughter wells" and the sewer-ditches were, however, filled up and those evil sources of supply ended. And a supply of water was gradually extended to the streets which were without any, and an increased supply to others which had but little; but it was not until 1899, the very end of the century, that the County of London was, for the first time, receiving a constant supply in accordance with the provisions of the Metropolis Water Act of 1871. And by slow degrees the sources of defilement of the water were reduced, and a larger proportion of the dirt ingredients filtered out, until at last some of the worst evils connected with the supply were rectified. And in 1891 it was enacted by Parliament[191] that a dwelling-house without a proper and sufficient supply should be a "nuisance" liable to be dealt with summarily. The main cause of all the grave disadvantages the people of London had so unceasingly suffered under in this matter arose from the fact that the interests of the Water Companies and the interests of the people of London ran directly counter to each other. London, in fact, had from the very outset been at the mercy of trading companies for its supply of this necessity of life, and bitter cause, indeed, had London to rue it. It is too soon to know what improvements will result in the supply of water to the people of London, but in the interests of the public health it is most unsatisfactory that the public should even now be debarred from that direct control which alone can secure them the fullest benefits. In another of the numerous branches of the great subject of the public health of London--the widening of the streets and thoroughfares--the improvements made in process of years was marked, and the better provision of light and air and breathing space has been considerable. The total gross cost of new streets and improvements carried out by the Metropolitan Board of Works had amounted to over £12,000,000,[192] whilst it had contributed another million and a half to the cost of smaller street improvements carried out by the "City" and other districts, which latter also expended considerable sums.