Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-14
THE GARBAGE INQUIRY.
senator Hansbroueh's subcommittee Make.
Its Report


A COMPLETE REORGANIZATION OF TIE SERVICE
wASTED-rHE COLLECTION SAID TO BE BErrKR
NOW THAN FoRMERLY-So UNFAIR MEANS
Used IN EFFkcTISo DR.. rowSsHESD's RI
MoyAI-
At the meeting OF the Senate District COM
mittee held yesterday morning Senator Hans
brough, as chairman Of the subcommittee COM
posed of Senators Higgins and Harris, be-
sides himself, submitted to the commit
tee the report of the subcommittee which was
appointed to investigate the garbage service in
the District. The full committee unanimously
adopted the report of the subcommittee and
Senator Hansbrough was ordered to make the
report.
The report is as follows: Your committee
made very full and exhaustive inquiry cover
ing the collection OF garbage in the District OF
toIumpls- Numerous witnesses were examined
and the evidence taken covers l5i printed pages.
HE subcommittee reconvened December :.
and heard the testimony of the health officers
as TO the efficiency of the garbage serv-
vice during the recess of Congress, COW
erlng the heated term" OF 1892. when the
necessity for vigorous and effective work on
the part Of the health department was the
greatest This. with all other testimony copies
OF contracts and documents bearing upon the
euDyeSt VIII De toSOd IN the printed proceed
lngs OF the subcommittee meetings.
In response 10 that portion OF the senate
resolution as to why a deficiency Of
s2S.S $50 existed in the appropriation .or
that object for the current fiscal year"
Your committee find, upon the evidence adj
uuceu, that the summer season Of 1891
wondrously prolific OF fruit and vegetables.
and as consequence the accumulation of
garbage was very great, the increase being
IN many places about the city double the
amount IN former years. At the very height OF
this unusual situation in the citys sanitary CON
dlton Mr. j. +. Draney (now decessed). who
had been the garbage contractor almost contin-
uously for fifteen years. abandoned his con-
tract, Claiming that he had legal right SO to do
under the terms of the contract.
This was on September 1, 1891, one month
after DIR. Hammett had been appointed to the
position Of health officer Of the District to sue
coed DR.. Townshend resigned
Mr.. DRASEY's CONTRACT.
The reasons given by Mr.. Draney for the
abandonment of his contract are set forth very
fully in his testimony, and do not materially
disagree with the statements made on this sub
Ject In the testimony Of DIR. {. NJ. Hsmmett
the health officer. and Commissioners Ross and
Douglass, all of whom were examined at length
by the committee.
The committee find that Contractor Draney
complied with the order of the Commissioners
to put on more teams for the removal of the
excess garbage with the understanding
that he should receive additional COM
pensation; that for the month of July he did
receive additional compensation. but for the
month OF August no additional COM
pensation was allowed him. although, under
orders from the Commissioners. he put
In use additional teams Whereupon he aban-
doncd his contract. in the very midst Of the
season, when garbage Accommodations are
most abundant and when the COM
Oh law $hn
that garbage was not being removed we.e most
numerous; and in this situation the health
officer was called upon to take personal super
vision of garbage removal
Naturally DIR. Hammett knew but very little
about the mechanical management of the
garbage service This was doubtless true
of his predecessors and will be true
of his successors In his dilemma. with
the fear before him Of the consequences Of de-
lay. he proceeded to engage. under author
ity of the Commissioners, all the available
vehicles and help suitable to such work. and
much that was unsuitable. at prices
that. in the opinion Of your committee. were
extrsyagant. Complaints grew more numerous
and the local press began to agitaie the ques-
ton and criticise the District government.
THE REMOVAL OF DIR. TowSsHESD.
As to the changes made in the health de-
partment by the Commissioners, and the
means to accomplish such changes. your
committee find that two of the Commits
sioners-Messrs. Douglass and Hine-be-
came dissatisfied with the official conduct Of
Health Officer Townshend. on account OF the
fact. as stated in Commissioner Douglass
testimony, that DIR. Townshend permitted
one Foley to act both as inspector and
contractor. DR.. Townshend's resignation was
accordingly demanded by q resolution Of the
Commissioners dated June 10. 1891.
DIR. Hammett's appointment followed on
July Is. Your committee fail to find
that any unusual or unfair means" were used
to accomplish this change. The Commissioners
had perfect right to remove the health officer
and appoint a successor If, in their opinion, the
service demanded il.
With respect to that portion Of the Senate
resolution relating to the efficiency Of the
present garbage service, and As to the
present contractor being employed in the
War Department, &c, your committee find
as follows: Generally the service is an improve
ment over the service OF former years. yet there
is ample opportunity for still greater
improvements. While there many
complaints Of failure to remove garbage,
greater care is being exercised and better
methods of handling are in vogue. The new
inodorous steel carts employed by the present
contractor are decided improvement over the
old open barrel service.
Benjamin W. Clark the present contractor.
is, or was on April 2, 1892. the date of
testimony before the subcommittee, en-
ployed as an engineer IN the war. state
ard navy building at an annual salary
of 8 600. His contract for the removal of gar
bage is for five wears from July /. 1892, the
contract price being S24 400 per annum We
do not find that Mr.. Clark has sublet the con-
tract
COMPLETE REORGANIZATION WANTED.
In conclusion, your committee volunteers the
opinion that at no time has the gar
bage service in the District of Column
bia been satisfactorily performed; nor has it
been efficient it should have been in view Of
the large appropriations voted for that pur-
pose. The system Of organization is mad
equate. The responsible head of the
garbage service should be a live. ener-
getic business man. The removal of
garbage does not necessarily require the expert
services of physician. 1t is enough for the
health officer to study and determine
the scienic application Of sanitary meas
ures. A complete reorganization Of the
garbage service upon practical business lines
would seem to be necessary. and the change
cannot come too soon il the conse-
quences Of . threatened plague are to be
avoided. The city should be divided in
inspectors districts, and competent and ener-
getic men appointed as inspectors. The Dis
trict Commissioners should assume the direct
responsibility for the conduct Of these in
spectors.