Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-29
THE GARBAGE SERVICE.
Mr.. Clark Makes Plain Statement of His
Connection With It.


Mr.. Clark Makes = Plain Statement of Hi
| Connection With It.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
After all that has been said through the
papers regarding the garbage service Of this
city, In which my name has been frequently
used, and in which have been repeatedly mis-.
represented, / consider it my duty to myself
and to the citizens of this District to make q
plain statement of facts so far as am or have
been connected with this service.
| On the 4th day of September was asked by
the health officer of the District if would fur
nish twenty teams for the garbage service, he
stating that there must be two men with each
team and they must be equipped with eight
barrels with covers, two large buckets and one
scoop shovel; that he was authorized to pay
$3.50 per day for each team so equipped. Ire
piled that presumed could do II, but that it
| would De hard to do just at that tins, for the
price named: that would not do anything that
would Interfere with my duties at the depart
ment and that while might have plenty Of
time to attend to it, would prefer that they
| get other parties to do it, They told me that
| Mr.. Riley already had twenty teams at work;
| that he declined to furnish any more; that they
Lad applied to all parties they could think Of
| any other way than TO press me into service
Ii finally agreed to put the teams at
work at the earliest possible moment 1t
was about Pm on the 4th day of September
| immediately left the Office and went in search
of Mr.. Rusk, Mr. Draney's foreman. ] found
him and said TO him that WIS authorized 10
put twenty teams at work forthwith collecting
garbage at $3.50 per day; that presumed they
| had the teams all equipped and could put them
at work the next day, and hoped he would do
\ III II. t..f, f~f
| replied: Il ought 80 have a little something for
my trouble" He replied quickly and sharply;
We'll, SIT, $3.50 il the lowest possible sum that
we would put ouI teams at work FOR, and don t
know US we would do it for that, and there
would not be dollar IL it for YOU replied
very mildly: ''0h, we'll. guess l can stand it.
1 have done nothing 80 tar but TO come up
here, and IL you will put them at work for
80 50 viii be very glad TO have you do So -
Re said: Mr.. Clark, sc far rs l am CONCERNED
l would be willing to do it. ] would like to be
at work. but Mr.. Drauey is very sick and l
don't know as he will do any business" urged
him to 60 and talk with Mr.. Draney and give
me an answer. He went away and returned
In few minutes and stated that Mr.. Draney
was asleep and could not be Weakened them
but If 1 would come back at pm. he would
give me answer. ] did So and he told me
that Mr.. Draney was too sick to do any bust
ness and he could do nothing. Immediately
went in search Of other teams. / approached
Mr.. Springman, and after considerable argu-
ment on my part he agreed to put on four
teams at $3.50 per day, Furnishing the equip
men.s and agreeing that they should not be
charged to him if he worked only four or five
days, but if he worked a reasonable length of
time he should pay for them. Mr.. Mays fur
nished four teams upon the same terms and
Conditions, Mr.. Alexander Davidson furnished
me nine teams ut IS Per day each, and hired
three other teams at S5 per day, making the
twenty teams authorized. equipped them all
! and assured them they should not be charged
with the equipments unless they worked more
and equip these teams, and in doing so
secured the country for miles around this city,
even to the distance of twenty-five miles. As
soon as these twenty teams were fairly at work
L was asked to put on ten more, and asked to
be excused-I had had about enough of it
The health officer urged me to go ahead.
They must have them ana all others had de-
ciined to furnish them. / told him that
would get them if they were to be had and
Immediately went to Mr.. Rusk again and told
him that l was authorized to put on ten more
teams and thought he had better do it at the
$3.50; that was all was authorized to pay and
l though. 1t was much better than letting the
teams stand still. He said: oh we have
enough work for our teams, and they need rest
anyway. However. l will go down and talk
with Mr.. Draney." He did SO, l waiting out
side. He finally came out and stated that he
was authorized to put on twenty teams in his
own name at $3.50 if we wanted them but no
less number-twentv or not any, / replied
that did not care whose name they were put
| at work in, but there was an opportunity to put
on ten and no more at that time; that could
not think of discharging the men Just en-
ployed and equipped. He replied: 1T is
twenty or nothing with u.s." 1 bid him good
| day and looked elsewhere. Four more teams
were put at work at $3.50 each and they
equipped themselves, five at IS each, equip
ping them. and one at $780, / equipping. We
were still pressed with garbage ana 1 employed
and equipped six more teams at "a 80 Der dav
each. making for one day fifty-six teams in the
garbage service-Riley, twenty; Clark, thirty
six.
We finally overcame the accumulation Of garb-
age. and immediately commenced reducing the
number of teams, just as they could be spared.
and for the month the number averaged less
than nifty, that being the number the Commits
siOners allowed.
At the end Of one month I informed the
| health officer that teams were becoming pien-
| tiful; that l could and would furnish ali the
department. needed for two months at SIS per
day, to be subject strictly to the orders of
| the health department. and guarantee satisfac-
ton or stop on one days notice. My offer was
| accepted and now have twenty teams at work.
| all paid alike-S4.5O per day The extra so
| cents l have for my services and to pay one
| man that keep employed to aid me in looking
after these teams and in paying for livery,
which 1 am obliged to have in this service a
portion Of nearly every day.
Regarding the collection of dead animals, I
| will say that about the second or third day Of
my efforts in supplying teams, and when was
quite sick of the job. the health officer said to
| me that the Commissioners authorized the paw
ment OF IS per day for the collection of dead
| animals; that could have the job if 1 wanted
| II. l made an agreement with Mr.. Mann by
| which l thought could get g day for my
| services, but was forced to- pay for extra sery-
ice S3l, and found that it required considerable
| Of my personal attention and was very ANNOYING
| indeed. ] got from this source about 81 per
day for my work mp to the 18th day Of October.
| having entered into an agreement on the 7,h to
perform this service at a per day from the 18th
| instant. am now doing it at this figure the
service requiring much less attention, a. there
| are fewer dead animals.
| The above is a true statement Of this whole
| transaction, and have abundant evidence to
| substantiate the same. B. w. CLARK,
| Washington, Oct %, 1891.