Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-12

"For the collection and removal Of garbage,
s2s. $50. a." A brief item in the urgent dsfci-
| ency bill, but it was the cause Of much con-
| versation in the Senate. Health Officer HAM
NETT seemed to be the principal sufferer, but
the civilian Commissioners came in for share
of the assault
INEFFICIENT AND WORTHLESS SERVICE.
When the garbage item was reached Senator
Blackburn arose and said:
"Mr. President, deem it but Just and fair
that the Senate should know the facts as to
this item. The Commissioners Of the District
OF Columbia, at least two Of them
the two civil members of that
board of three, were before the
and they stated, what the record shows to be
true, that in no one year Of this citys history
was more than $4,000 ever appropriated
for this purpose; that never before
was there a deficiency in this item,
and that never before had such inefficient and
worthless service been rendered, nor many
complaints been made, as during this part of
the fiscal year. Yet, sir, s24. 900 is the largest
amount that ever was appropriated
for this garbage item. fwenty-four
the i ss WSn thee ia ast Ss
months the last dollar Of it was expended and
for the next seven months not a dollar WAS left
on hand Now they come forward and ask
congress to make an appropriation for de-
iciency of S2S, $50. "a
Senator Frye said he had q dim recollection
that the Senate in q somewhat sentimental
mood In the last Congress passed law requir-
ing the Commissioners to see to it that the
garbage was removed every night, thus quad
rupling the labor which was required.
Mr.. Blackburn have q very distinct i'm
preston upon my mind, based upon the state
ments of the Commissioners Of the District
made to the committee on appropriations
this morning that they never did it,
but that more complaints were piled
in upon these Commissioners because of fail
ure TO remove the garbage or comply with the
law than ever had been known before. l
undertake to say that the service has been
inefficient; it has been valueless; it has
been wastefully and criminally extrava-
CANT; and the question Is whether the Senate
will allow the large appropriation made on the
fullest estimate ever submitted to Congress to
be sauandered within five m onths, ana more than
that whole sum to be demanded to finish out
the fiscal year, when it is admitted by the very
executors Of the law that the service has been
less acceptable and more condemned than was
ever known before.
BETTER FOR ANOTHER pIsBURsINe OFFICER.
do not want the people here to die of pesti-
lence and disease; / want the garbage removed;
but think we had better find another dis
bursting officer if this is the best rem
ditiou of accounts that they can make;
and these are the statements made
by two of the Commissioners TO the committee
on appropriations this very day. II this is the
best that can be done, we bad better make this
deficiency appropriation, it seems to me, and
impose the charge and custody of its dis
bursement upon the superintendent of pub
lie buildings and grOunCs, upon the chief
engineer offcer of the United States army or
in short, upon anybody who can be discovered
with q search warrant, rather than leave it in
the hands of men who upon their own confess
sion, have made dismal failure and squau-
dered money after SO criminal a fashion.
As the committee on appropriations have
recommended that this deficiency shall be
given, am not going to antagonize my own
committee by undertaking to override the
decision that they have reached, but do deem
it to be my duty to tell the Senate
what the facts are. In order that they may
know that from this time FORTH in this direc-
ton and with this organization, it is dealing
not inside Of the law, but outside Of the law,
where appropriations in defiance of the
law must be more than doubled
in order to treat the people Of this District and
this city to the most miserable service that they
have ever been afflicted with.
/ want to enter, In connection with what /
have said, disclaimer Of any purpose to reflect
upon the military OF Engineer Commissioner
Of this District; for, as / understand, this or
ganization of the local government does not
come under him.
Mr.. Hale suppose it is on the civilian side
Of the board
Mr.. Observation-Disclosures.
Undoubtedly" said Mr.. Hale, who went on
to say that an unusual condition confronted
the committee. The commission is without
money and the important work of carving
away the city garbage must go on. The COM
mittee did not venture to refuse the appro-
priation and run the risk Of the disease and
death that might follow
Mr.. Blackburn said that the Commissioners
had .NaN .x1h sf
tee that a contractor had offered to do the
work for five years at s2i, 900 year, and vet
they come to Congress and want S29 900 more
after spending S24, 900 already in five months
MIR. Haie-fhe Commissioners were very
frank about it, Mr.. President They admitted
that heretofore $4,000 a year had done the
work, and that hereafter they could get it done
for that amount per year. but claim that this is
phenomenal year. They claim that during
last summer the consumption and growth
Of vegetable matter was such that during the
summer months and into September the COM
plants that were lodged with them about the
iueficiency and incoIhpleteness of this service
throughout the city were perhaps ten times
greater than ever before.
Senator Hale did not favor Senator Black
burns proposition to take the garbage ap-
preparation away from the Commissioners and
place 1t IN the hands Of some other disbursing
agent He doubted the propriety of visiting
the censurs OF the Senate upon the Commits
sioners-
REsPoNsIBILIrY OF THE HEALTH OFFICER
Senator Butler having asked who was respon-
sible, the Commissioners or the health Office.
Senator Blackburn replied that the civil Com
missioners were primarily and technically re-
sponsible, but that the health officer was the
man who made contracts and issued vouchers.
Then the Senator from Kentucky went ON
10 say that the health officer was responsible
for the contractors throwing up of his con-
tract DIR. Hammett hired fifty wagons at IS
per day, at first, and he appointed ten inspect
ors at a salary Of between three and four dol
lars q day, for which he had no
earthly warrant of law. He is-
sued these vouchers and the Commissioners
became responsible when they Endorsed them
! for payment He hired ten inspectors to do
what To find out whether there was garbage
/ that needed TO be removed, when he had not a
penny with which to hire dray or . wagon to
remove it after he found it.
| The Commissioners went further and stated
this morning that they themselves put adyer-
tisements in the Washington city papers asking
10 be informed where garbage could be found,
and that communications relative to the matter
flowed in upon them by the thousand, and
| they stood without penny With
| which to remove . pound of garbage.
| They did not move 1t, and il 10 not moved to
day, and never has been moved under the law
az required. nor anywhere within the reach or
! nsighborhood Il tns legal requirement