Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-18
} Evening Star.


THOROUGH IxAMISArIoS OF THE SYSTEM.
Correspondents Of Tho Evening Star.
DETROIT, Nav 9, 1893.
The writer being In the city of Detroit and
having . little spare time, thought an investi-
CATION Of that city's method of garbage dis
posal might be interesting. 1t was exceed
ingly so; and as the plan in operation seems to
present not only matters of interest, but also
of instruction, it occurs that the readers of
TIE STAR may be pleased to accompany the
writer on his tour of inspection.
A call was first made upon the health depart
ment Of Detroit as q starting point DIR. Duff
field. the health officer. received the visitor
most courteously and cordially. He stated in
the interview that the whole matter was in the
charge OF the Detroit Sanitary Company. A
call was made upon Mr.. Walter Glines, the sec
rotary Of the company. and also upon MIR. NJ
d Chamberlain, the general manager
While with the city authorities the disposal
d garbage is a matter of hygiene, with the De-
troit Sanitary Company it Is purely an Indus
trial enterprise. The city desires the garbage
70 be effectually removed as a matter of health.
The company desires the efectual removal so
- to fully utilize it.
Under their contract the company collects all
the garbage Of the city and removes 1t to Its
factory some twenty miles out. where it Is con-
verted into articles of commerce.
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMPANY.
The city is divided into circles Of varying
rndii. Within a circle of two miles the COM
pany makes daily collections; within that Of
three miles trf-weekly collections; within that
Of four miles weekly collections. Under their
contract il two complaints from the same
premises are received in one month the COM
pany, If responsible for the double neglect, is
6able to a fine of $40.
u a of
only 123 complaints, or an average Of four per
day. And in the CITY of Detroit there are some
10000 families, which makes one complaint per
day for each 10. 900 families. in the city.
The city pays this company to remove all
garbage up to 10 600 tons per arnum- For all
above that amount the company agrees to pay
She city so cents per ton. The company en-
ploys about sixty wagons to make the collec-
lions These wagons consist of ordinary
wagon frame or bed on which rests the garbage
receptacle or caisson. This is a rectangular, OF
rs it is popularity styled, an oblong metal box
which has a lid on each side. so that it may be
filed from both sides. At each end there is a
projection or pintle. which much puzzled the
writer when he first saw a wagon on the street.
Accompanied b. Mr. GEnes, the writer went
In the afternoon to the company's city depot to
see the handling of the garbage as the wagons
came in What was seen at first was sub
stantial brick building located down BY the
Wabash railroad aud near the bank of the De-
nothing to distinguish the place from any other
business Office. Leaving this the stable
FIRST entered This simply appeared like any
large stable. With perhaps the noticeable feature
that the some dozen horses there were all large,
fine, healthy looking and well-kept animals
Through this We proceeded and on. into the
yard Here upon . switch from the Wabash
railroad was a railway Car somewhat like an or
binary gondola car or n car without any top. On
this car the garbage caissons were being loaded.
HOW IT Is TRANSPORTED.
The wagon was driven up to the track and a
trolley or an overhead track was run along over
the caisson. Rings were slipp-d over the pro-
jections at the ends of the cgsson and the latter
was lifted from the bed, and the trolley slid
along over the car. upon which the caisson was
lowered. This to be continued until all the
eaissOns were loaded on the cars. there being
two of the latter required for each days collec-
tlon. At night these cars are removed to the
eompany's works at French Landing. on the
Huron nver. twenty miles from Detroit.
II will thus be seen that the garbage is re-
moved in Detroit from the private premises
and Is never disturbed until it reaches the COM
pany's factory There Is no dumping OF it in
the city. no fostering mass. Standing within
ten feet of the car loaded with these caissous
there was only faia. odor of sour garbage.
The latter being effectuallv collected, and, in
tie bulk OF the city daily. was of course, not
In a ferrnensed or nauseOus condition. and
the easy and quiet handling OF the eaissons
precluded any agitation or stirring of the mass
ss must happen when dumped. and there was
not any particle OF garbage about the depot,
except what was in the caissons.
After leaving the depot. the writer under the
charge OF the superintendent, Dir. Chamber
lain. went out to the factory, situated upon
the BANKS OF the Huron river.
There was nothing in the appearance. nor in
the AIR TO denote that here the garbage of a
great city was being disposed of. The loca-
ton is q beautiful one. upon the high bank of
o swiftly running stream. amid grove Of
trees. and farm houses scattered around.
HOW THE GARBAGE Is DISPOSED or.
A. the immediate entrance whence could be
seen on the receiving floor the garbage of the
day before. there only a slightly percep-
tible odor. At this entrance the caissons are
removed from the cars by trolley similar to
the one by which they are loaded. On this
trolley they are run into the factory and the
contents dumped uDon the receiving floor. In
this floor are openings through which the
garbage is fed down pipes into the steamers.
The steamer Is au iron receptacle consisting of
one cylinder within another. a steam space
being between them Within the inner cviinder
Is a dasher. and INTO thIs cylinder the garbage
Is introduced. Steam Is let into the space
between the two cylinders and the garbage is
thoroughly cooked distilled, the dasher
being kept in motion 20 thoroughly agi-
tate the mass. A fan or blower communicating
with the interior OF the inner cylinder draws
of all the steam. which is forced into con-
dense chamber filed with cold water. condensed
and passes down Eiuice into the rlver As the
odOr passes off with this stream all admission
OF OdOr into the air Is fully obviated.
Az soon as the steam Is all driven of the drv
Tesiduum, which by the action of the dashers
Is quite eomminuted. is drawn off from the
steamers This residuum has very much the
appearance Of coffee grounds. 1t passes off in
Carriers and Il deposited In another set OF re-
ceivers. which are the separatOrs. Into these
separatOrs naphtha is introduced At the top
This naphtha passes down through the mass
therein On reaching the bottom the naphtha
comes in contact with pipes heated by steam
and Is vaPOrfZed. rising through the mass. As
this naphtha vauCr reaches the top it comes in
contact with pipes kept filed with cold water
and Is condensed, sinking through the mass
As this movement of the naphtha continues the
grease in the mass is thoroughly separated
from the sOlld part, and rising to the top
passes off, gauge glass for the naphtha in
dicates when the naphtha is free from grease
and the separation = complete. The residuum
Is then withdrawn from the separator. screened,
ground and put in barrels. 1t is known as
.'tankage and is very valuable as an ingredient
In making fertilizers The grease is put into
barrels and disposed Of to the candle makers.
PROFIT TO TIE COMPANY.
It is obvious from this sketch that here is
valuable industry to those engaged in it They
are paid by the city to remove the garbage and