The Horse Manure Problem of 1894

The 15 to 30 pounds of manure produced daily by each beast multiplied by the 150,000+ horses in New York city resulted in more than three million pounds of horse manure per day - Bear Dubya Schroh

"...that somehow needed to be disposed of. 

That’s not to mention the daily 40,000 gallons of horse urine.
In other words, cities reeked. 

As Morris says, the “stench was omnipresent.” 

Here are some fun bits from his article:

Urban streets were minefields that needed to be navigated with the greatest care. “Crossing sweepers” stood on street corners; for a fee they would clear a path through the mire for pedestrians. Wet weather turned the streets into swamps and rivers of muck...