Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-10-18
The New Seavenger system.

fEo1PT ACTION OF THE GOVERNOR TO CARRY
a OUT THE LAW.
The Board of Health, after a long warfare
against the old bucket system of removing n ght
soil, at a meeting on the 10th of September de-
e,fed upon adopting the new new plan which went
fifteen in number, fOreseeing that they were in
danger OF losing their occupation and means of
living, addressed the following remonstrance to
the Governor:
"wAsHINsToN, d. c., Sept 10, 1873.
Hon. A X. Shepherd, GOreraor Of tRe District Of
Columbia.
Strive the undersigned, scavengers of the
District of Columbia, created by the act of the
Legislature of said District, approved August
21st, 1873. The Board of Health at its last meet
ing passed a law adopting new system of
cleaning out prlvy boxes and ordered notice
to be issued to us to dispense with work after
the list of October. We wish your honor would
refer the matter to the attorney for the District
for his decision to their legality, for we can
not see how the Board of Health can set aside
the laws of the District or annul our appoint
ments. We do not wish to trouble you, but
think the matter of sufficient Importance to be
looked into. Thanks for past consideration.
Very respectfully, &c,
VIM. Edinburgh, Henry Parker, Geo. III. New
man, Henson Davis, Marshall Brown, G. II.
McReynOlds, Frederick Wiebeschsl, s. Scott"
The petition was referred to the District at
torney, who, after examining the law on the
subject of scavengers, their appointment, &,
together with the organic act creating the oard
OF Health and prescribing its duties, decided
that the board had acted entirely within the
limits of the law, and so advised the Governor.
Finding that the term of Office for which the
scayengers were appointed was about 70 ex-
pire, and that the Board of Health had entered
into a contract with responsible parties for the
removal of night soil by means of the new sys.
TEN, and that these contractors had secured
their apparatus and all that was necessary to
enter into active operations, Governor Shep-
herd with cOmmendable prOmptness determined
to dispense with the services of the scavengers,
and accordingly notified them yesterday after
noon that their services would be no longer re-
qured.
Last night several of the scavengers who had
not received their notices from the governor
to cease their work, repaired to the Eth street
wharf with the intention of resuming opera
tons, but were met by the detail of police who
notified them that they would not be permitted
to dump their loads, and, after some forciole
expressions against the Board of Health and
their new tangled machines, they withdrew.
New order boxes have been placed at the same
points heretofore used by the scavengers, and
the work will hereafter be done entirely by
daylight. The company have proc lred about
six hundred alright tanks for the reception of
privy contents. These are shipped, as fast as
filled, on board the scows and lowed off down
the river, where they are emptied, and returned
for use again, thus keeping up the supply. The
price now is only 81 in all cases, instead of %
as heretofore. 1t is reported that some of the
scayengeTs finding their occupation gone.
busted themselves yesterday and day before in
making all the collections of money they could
in advance, at the same time knowing that It
would not be possible to perform the labor.