Mechanical Engineer Destroys Street Sweeping Industry with a single invention, the "trash-can" Spencer is the inventor of the trash-can, a free receptacle for

Mechanical Engineer Destroys Street Sweeping Industry with a single invention, the "trash-can" Spencer is the inventor of the trash-can, a free receptacle for garbage that establishes locations on the street where pedestrians can dispose of their waste. With trash-cans located on street corners, a decent-size municipality can rip out its traditional collection of brooms, and even some of its newfangled street-sweeping machines, and say good-bye to 80% of its garbage collection costs. Not good news for the Professional Union of Street Sweepers (PUSS - news - people) or Broom Supplier, Inc. (BS - news - people).