Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-16

DO We Get the Garbage Service We Pay For?
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
From your columns we gather that petitions
are being circulated and signed to q limited ex-
tent for more money for the District garbage
collection service to the end that we may have
daily collection all the year round.
1t looks nightly like there was rat in this
meal. Who is 1t that with everything frozen
up tight and the average householder utterly
| Indifferent whether he receives q call from the
garbage collector once a week or once a fort
night wants daily collection from dwellings
and zealously manifests his want by circulating
petitions3
The proposition for daily collection is sheer
| foolishness. All We need is that we should get
what we now pay for. The ive-year garbage
removal contract, under which we now labor.
provides for daily collection from all hotels and
markets. wonder If the work is done daily?
The present contract requires also tri-weekly
collections from dwellings and boarding houses
between April and November and bi-weekly
collections the rest OF the year. Do We get it?
How say We, householders? For one I say we
do not get more than weekly collections on an
average in summer, and not that in winter
And this. too when large proportion of house,
holders make no demands whatever upon the
contractor for service in the cold weather
Many of them burn their garbage. Others are
served by private collectors. The proportion.
from that in my immediate neighborhood
Five large dwellings nearest my own. inha bited
by nearly 100 persons. make no demands upon
the contractor for the removal of their gar
bage.
Suppose more money is appropriated. How
can it be applied so as to accomplish the object
desired, in view Of the present contract? Shall
supplementary contract be given him? What
reason is there to suppose that any more fire.
quent removal would be the result? We have
him bound CD now to tri-weekly collections at
the only time Of the year they are needed, but
we don't get what we pay for
Shall the extra service be outside Of the con-
tract and the contractor? Can this be done
without such interference with contract service
as to practically invalidate that document and
render the Commissioners powerless to enforce
its provisions-even more 80 than they now are
If that be conceivable?
No, we don't need more money or daily all
the-year-round collection Of garbage. We do
need better enforcement Of the collections
stipulated in the present contract.
And right here we are called upon to notice
that our honorable health officer places the
blame Of unsatisfactory collection not upon the
contractor, but upon householders who do not
keep their garbage accessible. He says this is
the grand difficulty in the whole business
The pretext that non-accessibility of the
garbage in some cases excuses the entire
absence of garbage carts for days and weeks at
a time don't co.
By the regulations of the Commissioners the
householder is required to provide a metal re-
ceptacle for garbage. These cost anywhere
from one to three dollars. Who is rich enough
to keep up supply of them to replace those
left in the alley end carried away by alley
providers? As the case is we can't keep wooden
boxes, even, or barrels.
Now, what is necessary to insure accessible
ity Of the garbage. without the householder
having to choose between suffering the frequent
loss of his receptacle or the too infrequent re-
moval of its contents? Simply that the collect
ors be required to announce their presence
vigorously in the vicinity and that they pass
over their routes regularly and as often as stip-
ulated in the contract. Such alley gates as are
not opened may then be passed by without the
contractor being chargeable with neglect. Ii a
negligent householder permits too great an
accumulation of garbage by reason of failing
to promote prompt collection by opening his
locked gate he is himself liable for maintaining
nuisance and may be fined therefor.
This, then, is the key to the situation. Full
and regular route service, stipulated in the
contract. and proper racket in the alley by
collectors. Thus shall the contractor be freed
from blame the v;gilant househ older be served
as often az necessary and the negligent one pun
ished for his indifference to the aroma of his
week-old garbage accumulation. III.