Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-08-31
THE GARBAGEQUESTION
A DIFFICULT MATTER TO THOROUGHLY CLEAN
UP Tbs TERRITORY.
The Many Complaints That Reach the City Physi-
clans Ofics-DO the Carts Go Regularly Oyer
the Routs?-HOw They Are Handicapped.

Have there been many complaints
about the garbage lately?" asked d
REGISTER reporter as he entered the
Office of City Physician Spragg yester-
day afternoon.
Eyes, quite a number" said the
Doctor, zone man just went out as you
came in. There have been thirteen
complaints so far to-day"
"Do you have these complaints right
along?" asked the reporter.
There are a certain number every
day." said the Doctor. perhaps not
so high ali average as thirteen, but
there have been days when the COM
plants reach twenty-five. Still don't
know as this averages any more than
occurs in other cities according to the
population. There is no doubt but that
the garbage men are at fault occasion
ally, but on the other hand the people
are sometimes to blame"
chow do you dispose OF these COM
plaints?" asked the reporter.
''Well / make note Of them, taking
down the names and addresses, and
then l hang the slip Of paper up in the
Office OF the Police Department, where
the contractor comes In and gets them.
He then acquaints his men with the Sit
uation. He has six men engaged in
hauling garbage, one for each ward but
two, probably changing about to in
clude them all. During the winter sea-
son these carts are supposed to Wis
il the houses twice a week, and in the
spring and autumn three times a week.
Ia the summer, however, the carts are
supposed to 90 over the territory every
day, as the danger arising from the
accumulation of rubbish is correspond
ingly greater during the hot weather.
Whether these carts go every day or
not, am not prepared to say, but judg-
ing from the complaints they do not.
Again, here is another difficulty. l met
a man on the street this morning who
said the garbage cart had not been to
his premises for ten days. ! then asked
him II o warrant was sworn out for the
arrest of the contractor, IL he would go
to court and swear to it, and he
declined. as he said he did
not like to prosecute anyone.
Another WON an said much the same
thing about week ago, after she had
set up a pitiful wall about the delin-
quency OF the garbage cart. 1t IS often
difficult to get at the bottom of the
complaint. Some times the people,
themselves, are at fault. The back
door In the alley leading to the garbage
boy or pan is not infreQuently locked at
the time the men call, and oftentimeS
all the family are out of the house at
the time. l believe the system
OF gathering up the garbage
would be more effective If there was a
common receptacle about midway Of the
alleys, where all the residents could
dump their refuse, so that the garbage
man need make but one stop between
blocks in each alley"
From what part Of the city do the
complaints come mostly?" asked the re-
porter.
From North Main street, Thirteenth
and Fourteenth streets, number from
East Wheeling and few from the
Island" said the Doctor. "There are
few complaints south of the creek, but
how this division comes | do not know. "
During this month there have been
consumed at the crematory 412 cart
loads. This would mean about an
average Of two cart loads a day from the
territory representing a ward and q
sixth of the city. There are some
who seem to think this is a low
estimate Of the amount that would
likely accumulate in summer weather
over such an area. Certain it is the
garbage question is rather complex
nrnhlem-