The record-union., 1893-05-20
BURN CARRIAGE
What Los Angeles is Doing and How
She Saves By 1t.
Oakland Times

She Saves By 1t.
Oakland Times.l
The disposal of the garbage of a city is a
problem that has always proved more or
less VeXatiOus. The refuse of large
community has heretofore been a menace
to the health of the people because it was
permitted to tester in dumps some
where on the outskirts of the town.
Modern science, however, etfectually re-
moves this danger and the garbage crem-
atorles now in operation in the important
cities of the Eastern States demonstrate
that these processes are the only proper
methods for improving the sanitary con-
dltions of a community. The Oakland
City Council now have under considera-
ton a proposition to erect a crematory in
this city. They are investigating the
various crematories now in use, and it is
possible that they will finally decide to
adopt the crematory as means of dis
posing of the city's garbage. Los An
geles las one OF these crematories in sue
cessful operation. This crematory is
operated under contract at a cost of about
81 ,04O a month which is a saving, COM
pared with the cost OF the old processes,
Of about $500 to the taxpayers individu-
ally.
ftis claimed that this crematory can be
operated at one-third the cost of the fur
naces in use in the Eastern States, but it
is not deemed advisable that the city
should own a crematory. The contract
system, under properly drawn regula-
tions, is deemed by the Los Angeles au-
thorities better than operation under di-
rect municipal supervision. Under this
system the garbage is gathered daily, and
that which can be consumed is thrown
into the furnaces; ashes and store sweep
ingS are thrown into trench and buried.
Notices are served on all househoIders
announcing when the garbage wagon will
call and notifying them that refuse and
ashes must be placed in separate recepta-
cles on the outer edge Of the sidewalk, in
front of their dwellings. Garbage is de-
fined as 1.-THE dry refuse animal and Vege-
table matter from the kitchen" The city
is divided into districts and the wagons
call on certain days in each district. The
crematory can dispose OF about ten cubic
yards OF garbage a day, the base of the
process being crude petroleum which in
cites an intense heat.
1t has been discovered that the result
ant ash from the Eastern crematories is
an excellent fertilizer, which sells readily
tor SO ton. These crematories are ab-
sOlutely odOrlesS and can be operated
with perfect safety, as in Los Angeles. in
the center of the town. That the process
is III no wise deleterious to health is
proved by the fact that bakery adioins
the Los Angeles crematOry, and various
businesses OF this character are conducted
within easy distance of the furnace. At
the recent Medical Convention in San
Francisco Dr.. Herrick showed that the
people of that city pay three times as
much a ton for disposing of refuse as
Chicago, and five times as much as Bos-
ton. Every large city not already pro-
vided with a crematory is preparing to
operate one, for it has been shown that
this method is by farthe most economi-
cal and in direct line with modern sani-
tary reform. 1t is one of the improve
ments most needed in this city and should
be adopted as soon As convenient.