Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-26
FAVORS Thee COMPANY
The Commissioners Say the Garbage
Factory is Not a Nuisance.
THEIR REPORT TO CONGRESS-.
Answers to the Various Questions
rom the Senate.
DIR. HAMMETT ALSOCOMMENDS


missioners this morning the reply Of the
board to the Senate resolution calling upon
them for certain Information with refer
ence to the disposition of garbage was
agreed upon and transmitted. The report
is signed by all three Commissioners, and
says: The Commissioners Of the District
of Columbia respectfully submit their an
swer to the resolution Of the Senate dated
September 8. 1898, and beg the indulgence
of the Senate for the unavoidable delay
which has accompanied its transmission.
In reply to the first interrogatory. namely,
why they 0he Commissioners) have permit
ted factory for boiling and manufactur-
Ing into fertilizers all dead animals and
garbage collected in the District of Colum-
bia within the city limits. at the foot of
South Capitol street, they have the honor
to state that the system Of collecting and
disposing Of garbage and dead animals
heretofore In vogue within the District of
Columbia has uniformly been attended
with such annoyances and such just
people that the Commissioners were in
duced to give q fair trial to q system which
promised better results.
Until recent period, all garbage and
dead animals were conveyed to wharves at
9th and G streets northwest, and at the
foot Of South Capitol street and thence
placed upon barges and conveyed down the
Potomac river to a point outside Of the Dis
trict. The accumulations at said wharves
were the source of great complaint even
when daily transported therefrom. and
when the river was frozen over for long
periods Of time. as was the case last win
ter, the accumulations necessarily became
SO great as to be a source, not only Of an
noyance, but Of danger to the health Of the
community. The officers Of the National
Sanitary Company. which became the as
signee Of the contractor for the collection
of garbage, stated to the Commissioners
that they could utilize a process for the re-
duction Of all garbage and dead animals
by the use of superheated steam which
would be entirely inoffensive and inodorous.
and which would destroy al gases generat-
ed from the material during the process Of
destruction. 1t was further stated by the
officers Of said company that the result Of
the reduction process would have a COM
mercial value. and that the desire Of the
company to secure all the material avail
able would tend to a better and more COM
plete collection Of the garbage.
Failed to Detect OdOrs.
The location selected by the National
Sanitary Company was near the wharf
whence garbage and dead animals had long
been shipped and whence all night soil
was transported and in a locality occupied
mainly by brick yards and factories. and
unlikely to become residence portion Of
the city. The works have been in opera
ton about five months. During that time
the Commissioners have frequently in
spected the premises and have failed to
plants have reached them until very re-
Gently. During the past three months the
garbage service has been more satisfactory
than ever before.
In reply to the second interrogatory the
Commissioners state that said factory Is
situate about one and four-tenths miles
from the Capitol.
In reply to the inquiry whether the loca-
ton of said factory at said point is not in
violation Of the health ordinances Of the
District of Columbia approved by joint
resolution Of Congress approved April "a,
1880, the Commissioners respectfully State
that inasmuch as they are advised that no
noxious or offensive odors or gases inju-
rious to public health attend the process Of
reduction used in said factory they have
not regarded 1t as in violation Of the ordi-
nances referred to.
In reply to the inquiry how far said fac
tory is located from any sewer the Com
missioners state that the nearest public
sewer Is distant five squares from said
factory, and that two private sewers ex-
tend from said factory into the Eastern
branch.
The Commissioners are informed and be-
lieve that no offal escaping from said fac
tory is drained into the open cutters Of
ordinances approved August 16. 1862. AS
before stated two sewers connect said fac
tory with the Eastern branch. which are
under water at high tide.
In reply to the interrogatory whether the
contractor Is not required by the terms OF
his contract to remove outside Of the limits
OF the DfStr1Ct OF COlumDla all garbage ana
dead animals he collects or to consume 1t
into ashes, and If SO. why he Is allowed to
manufacture such decayed and offensive
substances into fertilizers in the city OF
Washington, the Commissioners respect
fully state as follows:
By the terms Of the original contract in
force from July l, 1882, the contractor was
required to remove outside the limits of
the District of Columbia all garbage and
dead animals, or to incinerate the same.
The act of Congress making appropria-
tions for the expenses Of the District of
Columbia, approved July IA. 1892. contains
the following clause:
For collection and removal Of garbage
and dead animals, $24,4O Provided That
the Commissioners of the District Of Co
lumbia may, in their discretion, allow in
addition to the above sum, $500 in case
said garbage is removed in inclosed steel
tanks and Immediately destroyed. which is
hereby appropriated for that purpose"
The appropriation act approved March g.
1893 provided as follows:
For collection and removal Of garbage
and dead animals. $24, 400: Provided That
the Commissioners of the District OF Co.
lumbia may, in their discretion, allow an
additional sum. not exceeding so cents per
ton, for the removal of said garbage in
steel tanks or carts. and its immediate
destruction within the limits of the Dis
trict, and the sum of 5000, or so much
thereof as may be necessary, is hereby ap-
propriated for such purposes, and the ap-
preparation for the current fiscal year OF
k$2,5UU, or SO much thereOf as may be neceS-
sary. may be expended in the same way
for the same purposes"
This clause was Incorporated into the act
by the subcommittee of the Senate COM
mittee on appropriations after the practical
completion of reduction works at the foot
of South Capitol street, and after said
works had been inspected by some of the
members of the subcommittee. After the
National Sanitary Company became the as
signee of the original contract an amended
contract was entered into whereby all gar
bage and dead animals were to be treated
at the reduction plant.
In reply to the inquiry whether the con-
tractor Is paid an extra price for manufac-
turing said garbage and said dead animals
into fertilizers instead of incinerating them
and If so. how much, the Commissioners
respectfully reply that no extra price is
paid the contractor for manufacturing gar
bage and dead animals into fertilizers but
80 cents per ton is paid the contractor for
all garbage collected in closed steel tanks
and destroyed at said factory, in accord
ance with the terms of the act of Congress-
above referred to.
Daily Collections.
In reply to the inquiry whether said con-
tractor is paid an extra price for collecting
daily the garbage Of the entire cities of
Washington and Georgetown, and II So
how much and II the complaints from citi
zens and reports Of inspectors do not show
that said garbage is not collected daily, the
Commissioners state that the aDDropria tior