Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-25
LIEUT.. HoLLINBERGER's REPLY.
He Makes Answer to the Statements Of Gar
base Contractor Clark.


Under date Of August % Lieut. Hollinberger
yesterday sent to the Commissioners his re-
Spouse to the letter recently submitted by
Garbage Contractor Clark, a copy of which was
published in TIE STAR at the time The letter
begins by citing some facts in connection with
the collection Of garbage and then the letter
reads: The collection of garbage was put I'M
der police control August 10, and on August IL
had forty teams, with the promise from Clark
that more would be provided, but up to this
date the additional teams have failed to mate
rialize.''
After stating that his suggestion that more
teams be put in the service brought forth the
Clark letter, Lieut.. Hollinberger writes:
Mr.. Clarks first charge is that the teams do
not make three loads a day. That is q matter
that we cannot control, as in many instances
the drivers refuse to make more than two loads,
claiming that is a days work, and further.
since the removal OF the Accommodations, the
amount Of garbage at each house is reduced,
necessitating the visiting Of more houses. Had
the amount Of garbage continued as at first the
present force would not have been sufficient to
have made one visit week, therefore. Mr.
Clark's statement that the garbage is not in the
cities is not IN accordance with the facts
Another of Mr.. Clark's complaints is that he is
not required to give a tri-weekly service. He
u
front. The authorities claim [evidently mean
ing the policel, and they are acting from that
standpoint. that am under contract to give a
tri-weekly service 10 the citizens Of Washing
ton city and Georgetown, that it is the duty Of
my collectors to call at every house three times
week whether there is need of garbage serv-
ice or not
HOUSES TO BE VISITED.
copy OF the contract and specifications are
nor ryaoa Anl = A.
requirement. The letter continues:
There are 40, 900 houses in the cities of Wash
ington and Georgetown. This will require
10000 houses to be visited daily. Allowing $50
houses to each team per day will require fifty
seven teams daily, or seventeen more than we
now have. 1t must be borne in mind that this
liz very liberal estimate and can only be ac-
compflshed after the cities have been thor
oughly cleaned. There is one thing at ledst on
which the contractor and agree and that is
that in the sparsely settled sections OF the two
cities a bi-weeklv service is ample, and it is
upon that basis that we are now working. hence
the estimate for only forty-six tenms.
But Mr.. Clark's greatest grievance. and the
one upon which be lays the greatest stress, is
the failure to supply suitable receptacles in
which to deposit the garbage.
THE MILK IN THE CocoAEUr.
We now come to the ''milk in the cocoanut"
Mr.. Clark has patent garbage receptacle to be
placed in each house. Forty thousand houses
at So. so each amounts to $40, ZOO. The profits
on this would be quite an tem-more, no doubt
than his whole garbage contract amounts to.
In support OF his claim he continues: My
teams have to wait in every alley they enter
about twice as long as would be necessary for
them to do if the regulations had been enforced
THAT Is, If one Of Mr.. Clark patent receptacles
had been placed In every honse). Again he
lorn I'LL l.,
tons OF garbage every day from the back yards
OF householders, causing great delay, where no
receptacles are provided"
There seems to be some discrepancy in Mr.
Clark's statement. First he says that he has no
garbage to collect when it is necessary to fur
nish teams, but when he wants his patent re-
ceptacle adopted he claims his collectors have
to shovel tons Of it every day.
NOT TEAMS ENOUGH.
The facts are the teams begin collections
about $50 M. and quit at $50 p M. an aver
age Of ten hours per day. Deduct time for feed
ing and going to and from the wharves-three
hours-le leaving seven hours for collection.
Seven hours are APO minutes. To visit $50
houses in 420 minutes allows one minute and
one-tifth to each house.
There arc not teams enough to do the work
The drivers in many instances are careless and
indifferent, often refusing to make more than
two loads per day when they have ample time
to make the third. The obstacles in the way of
collecting is SO insignificant as to be scarcely
worthy Of notice II the collectors are regular
in making their calls they have no trouble, but
II householders have to wait a week or ten days,
and even more. as has been the case, it must be
expected that it will cause delay in collecting.
Mr.. Clark understood the situation when he
took the contract, the specifications are clear
and explicit, and as he had experience last sum-
mer, 1t Is no excuse for not furnishing the teams
required to do the work. During the heaviest
run at that time Mr. Clark who had the hiring
OF the teams employed during that period, had
fiftv-six teams.
That of itself should satisfy that in asking for
forty-s1x, which is ten less than he himself en-
ployed TO do the same work, We are not impos-
ing on him. Orr object il to try and do justice
TO the public and to the contractor we'll: our
requirements are reasonable and think should
be heartily concurred in by the contractor.
Lieut.. Hollinberger said this afternoon that
there was a mistake made in the number of
teams III service yesterday. There were forty
two instead of fOrty-three.r In his report today
he says: Precinct No. l, five teams; No. 2,
eight teams, an increase of two. This precinct
is very much behind. owing to heavy collec-
tons, but with this increase we will soon be
able to keep down complaints and give a regu-
lar service. In precinct No. 3 there are five
teams and one more is needed. In No. there
are five teams and one more il also needed
mere. NO y, i've tedfuS. NO D, uSe teams, In
the latter precinct Officer Fitzgerald reports
that Double Wagon Driver Chas West left for
wharf at l: 80 pm. with second load and failed
to return. No. z, three teams, IN increase of
one; No. 8, four teams, aud No. Q, four teams"
LIEUT.. HoLLINBERGER AND CONTRACTOR CLARK
MEET.
Lieut.. Hollinbergers letter to the Commits
sioners in relation to the garbage service,
brought Contractor Clark to the health Office
early this morning where he and the ieuten-
ant engaged in heated discussion.
During the discussion the lieutenant repeated
in substance the parts Of his letter to show that
the terms of the'cOntract were not being COM
piled with and the conversation ended by each
participant saying he only wanted to do what
was right toward the public.
Mr.. Clark subsequently returned after hay-
ing q conversation with Health Officer Ham,
NETT and asked Lieut.. Hollinberser how many
teams he wanted,
"Forty-six," replied the lieutenant.
Mr.. Clark assured him that he would have
that number Of teams on tomorrow and the
lieutenant said he could then clean the city of
garbage. He was anxious to get enough teams
to clean up the city, as he desired to be re-
heved OF the unpleasant duty.
COMPLAINTS TODAY.
During the twenty-four hours ending at
o'clock this afternoon there were thirty-6ve
complaints received at the health Office, de-
crease Of eleven compared with the preceding
twenry-four hours.