Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-08-26
The Night Soil Question.

WAsHINGTON, ID. u, August 18th, 1873.
Editor Erening Star: The editorial contained
In your issue of the sd inst, in regard to the
action taken by the Board of Health on the pro-
posed contract for the removal of night soil, is
based, II appears to the writer, upon a mis-
apprehension of fact.
The sum of $50 900 per annum was not men
toned in the discussions of the board as a fixed
sum to be paid any company for the removal of
night sol, but merely as an approximate esti-
mate of the cost of removal by the prese mt
bucket system; and the contract offered by the
owners OF the apparatus which has just been
publicly tested by the Board of Health, and so
successfully as TO meet the approval of every
person who witnessed its operation, expressly
limited their compensation TO the fees now
stipulated by law to be paid to the scavengers.
Consequently, if, as is very correctly stated, in
your editorial, the extension of our system of
sewerage, and the increased use of water
closets, diminish the quantity of night soil to be
removed, the cost of removal to the citizens, as
well az the receipts of the parties removing the
same, will be correspondingly reduced.
Again, while, under the contract offered, the
fees for removal are limited to those fixed bv
law, the cost to the community will be reduced
oy the price of dislnfectantS required to be
used; estimated at about $4,000 per .annum,
which at present is paid by citizens whose
privies are cleaned, but which if this contract
were accepted, would be paid by the parties
contracting for removal.
Since then. the adoption of the proposed system
OF removal by pneumatic pump and alright
vessels does not involve any additional expense
either TO the public treasury or to the indi-
total cost $4,000 per annum; since bv such
adoption this city would be effectually rid of
what Ia In the experience OF every resident and
sojOurner, and even according to the confession
OF the scavengers themselves, a most intolera-
BILE nuisance; since this reform can be insti-
tuted without outlay for construction of a new
system Of privies or boxes. without jar or COLI
sion, and without the discharge of tine present
force OF scayengers, what reason exists for de-
lay? Should not the Board of Health rather
take prompt and decisive action by entering at
once into a contract with some RESPONSIBLE com
pany or individual for the removal of this ma
terial by tome effective apparatus, which will
accomplish the desired ends? By doing so thew
will confer benefit on the community and
meet the expressed wishes of many intelligent
citizens.
Whatever may hereafter be developed as to
the feasibility of making this branch OF munich
pal service self-supporting, or a source of reve-
nue., 1t Is certain that at present neither the Dis
uict government, the Board of Health nor any
company or individual, so far as known, has OF
desires TO risk, the capital necessary TO under
take the utili zation of night soil on such scale
as TO relieve the city of any considerable por-
ton of the constant accumulation. And il
would clearly seem to be the duty of the board
leaving the problems of the future to be worked
out in the future, to perform the duty of the
present, by removing, at once, the injurious
nuisance caused by the present filthy and dis
gushing system. II. ID. BEAM.