Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-09
THE CABBAGE QUESTION.
Various Criticisms and Suggestions in r
gard to the Evil.

To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
The garbage question seems to absorb public
attention much as ever. Indeed IL will not
down, but, like Banquo's ghost, is ever rising to
haunt the people. There is no one question
that has occupied so much Of public attention
the past year as the collection Of garbage, and
judging from the way it is now being collected
it will occupy still more attention in the future
Some time ago the Senate District committee
tackled the question, but after wrestling with it
of and on for six months cried enough and
threw up the sponge. 1t is n tough question
and seems to get the better Of all that NEEDLE
with IL.
am aware that il il much easier to find
fault than to do the work or suggest practical
remedy for the present disgraceful condition
OF things. and would remain silent were it not
for the personal annoyance have had and the
injury the present delinquency is causing the
public health.
have not been able to procure the removal
OF garbage from my residence but twice during
the past two months About three weeks ago
garbage collector called in answer to q COM
PLANT He had with him an assistant with a
two-horse wagon and ten barrels. was asked
to sign paper stating that the garbage had
been taken, and when asked why he did not
call at other houses in the neighborhood his
answer was: 1--WE are only collecting from
made" And this is the way the time Of these
garbage collectors is wasted, answering in
d1vidual complaints while they pass right by
hundreds where there is the same cause Of COM
plant
would not add to the burdens Of my friend
Clark. the contractor. 1t seems too bad that
he should have much work put upon him.
The duties of engineer at the War Department
and the work OF executing five years garbage
contract are too much to impose upon any one
man, besides it is never safe to undertake to
serve two masters. 1t is difficult to be loyal to
both. do not forget, however, the assurance
given by the chief clerk of the health depart
ment before the Commissioners last fall, when
he said: Mr.. Clark has q friend at court who
will see him through no matter how many po-
sitions he holds and in spite of all opposition"
i presume this fiat was SO firmly impressed
upon the Commissioners that they felt war
rsnted in awarding this five years contract to
Mr.. Clark, though the imposing of such onerous
double duties upon any one man, no matter
how able he may be. would seem to be in con-
fiict with wise civil service system.
While condoling with the garbage contractor,
the health officer and the health officials gen.
orally and assuring them, one and all, Of my
sympathy in their trials, duty requires me to
make a few plain statments of facts.
One year ago Mr.. Draney had the contract
for collecting garbage at $4,000 per year. 1
criticised him severely, bat did not know at
work for which Congress had made an extra
appropriation. His contract for this extra
work expired July /, 1891. The Commissioners
paid him for extra work in July without any
extra contract and then refused to execute an
other, though still requiring him to do the ex-
ira work. for which Congress had made an extra
appropriation. but which they declined to paw
him. In the meantime the garbage of the city
had doubled over that Of any previous August,
owing 20 the enormous crops of fruits and vege-
tables that were thrown upon the market. 1t
was under such condition of things that DR..
Hammett entered upon the duties Of health
officer. Instead of cooperating with Mr..
Draney, by sending out notices requiring house
holders to place their garbage where il could be
quickly removed. as required by law, and rec
oinmending that Mr. Draney be paid out Of the
extra appropriation for the extra work required,
citizens we're invited to make complaints and
ten extra inspectors were put on for the sole
purpose, stated ut the time. of obtaining
complaints. Mr.. Draney was ordered to put on
thirty extra teams. at an extra cost to him Of
not less than 800 per day, for which he
was notified he would receive no pay
and also that he would be required
to pay for ten inspectors whose business seemed
to be to embarrass and break him down rather
than assist in the collection of garbage II was
then that Mr.. Clark appeared upon the scene.
Mr.. Draney threw mp his contract, and Mr..
Clark was allowed to put on teams at IS. so per
day. and was allowed 80 per day extra for col
lecting dead animals that Mr.. Draney had col
lected without charge, they being worth pre-
MUM. as had been shown. In this way the eX-
penses were run up to about seven times what
they had previously been. resulting in using up
the entire annual appropriation and causing a
deficiency Of S29, 600 in the short space Of four
months.
This large expenditure without an appropria-
ton was a fragrant violation Of law, but the
Commissioners justified their conduct on the
ground that an emergency existed. and Con-
gress by appropriating the money to cover the
deficiency seems TO have Endorsed their action.
Now why not put on fifty wagons and ten extra
inspectors TO gather up complaints at the present
time? The same emergency exists. and there is
as much law for such action as there was one
year ago.
There can be no excuse after the experience
of last year for the present condition Of things.
The health officer and the contractor knew what
to expect when August should come. There is
not one-half the garbage there was year ago.
They have had whole year in which to make
preparation. Why are they not prepared for
the emergency? and why is not Mr.. Clark held
to his contract strictly as Mr.. Draney was,
especially he is receiving $4,000 per year
more than was allowed Mr.. Draney? Now there
are no inspectors al all employed. II ten were
put on 1 will guarantee they would have no
trouble in gathering up two complaints for every
one obtained last year.
A few days ago DIR. Hammett in an interview
with STAR reporter gave Contractor Clark
severe hauling over the Goals for his delin-
duency, but day or two later he neutralized
all that he previously said by charging that
citizens were making bogus complaints. This
is a serious charge, which should not be made
without abundant proof. If true let us have
the names Of the bogus complainants. People
must be very wicked who. during such an
emergency. resort to that kind of business.
The contractor is required by his contract to
call at private residences for garbage three
times per week. Last Saturday week. after
having waited ten days for the garbage COL
lector TO call, the weather being the hottest
ever known in Washington, SO hot that we
could not burn the garbage AS we had previously
done, / started out in search Of garbage cart.
l succeeded in finding some countrymen with
permits to collect garbage given by the health
officer, though the announcement was made
some time ago that no such permits would be
given. They all refused unless well paid to
take my garbage, but late in the afternoon /
caught on to corporation cart, the driver of
which after taking the garbage assured me he
would not be able to call again under a week or
ten days. He has not called since, and guess
will make good his word.
The collection of garbage could be greatly
facilitated If the collectors on entering an alley
would stop the cart while they go up and down
either side Of the alley and first notify people
of their presence.
There is an old unrepealed corporation ordi-
nance that requires citizens. under penalty of
IS, to place their garbage .'in such place or