The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-10-05
HEALTH BOARD IN SESSION.
INVESTIGATING GARBAGE CON-
 PLAINTS AGAINsT SWAYNE.

One Hundred and Twenty-Five Received
 in Two Months-will Ask for an Appro-
 priation of sab,OOO-Favor City Control
 of Garbage Collecting.
 The first afternoon session of the board of health yesterday proved a de- cided success. as all the members of the board were present. The meeting was called especially to consider second complaints of non-collection of garbage received by the board of health against Garbage Contractor Walter s. Swayne. but prior to that the members met in executive session and considered the estimates of the department for the coming fiscal year.
 When the doors were finally thrown open and Contractor Swayne and his counsel with five or six witnesses had entered the room the investigation was begun. In reply to query from Mayor Sargent, Clerk Bailey announced that during the months of July and August at least 125 second complaints had been made against the garbage contractor. It was then decided to take up the com plaints singly and to take action on each as read.
 The hearing commenced with Attor- ney Hamilton introducing a witness by whom 1t was intended to prove that the complaints were in the main fictitious and were made with intent to injure the business of MT. Swayne. This was practically the defense set up by Mir. Swayne. It was also set up that cer- tain letter had been written by some one connected with the board of health to MT. Newton of Westville.
 John T. Newton of Westville was the first witness called and denied that he had ever received any letter directing him to go and see County Health Off, cer Hoadley, but later acknowledged that he did receive letter in Febru- ary last which, he claimed, was writ ten to him by his brother-in-law, MT. Gorham. Attorney Hamilton asked the witness several questions, to all of which he received unsatisfactory answers. The letter was not produced, the witness claiming not to know its present whereabouts.
 After this questioning had continued for some time, in reply to questions from the members of the board, At torney Hamilton stated that such a letter had been written and were it possible to secure it, there would be a vast deal of light thrown on the cause of the complaints made against Con- tractor Swayne.
 As each complaint came up Mr. Swayne was called upon to explain why the garbage had not been collected from the house in question. Some of the explanations were made by MT. Swayne himself, but in the majority of in stances the excuse was given by the driver of the cart employed by MT. Swayne. In nearly every case the ex- cuse given was that the garbage was being collected by private licenses and that when Swayne's drivers went after it, in reply to complaints made to the board of health, the residents in the houses refused to give them the gar bage, claiming that they had made arrangements for it's removal with pri- vate collectors.
 Several of the compliments stated in their notice to the board of health that they had complained any number of times previously. Some had con- plained only once before, but a large number had, on the other hand, made complaints five or six times. One of the excuses offered by MT. Swayne in connection with a complaint received from S8 Edgewood avenue was that the woman of the house when he went to see her about the complains, said That was mean trick you played on Dr. Wright and I'll get even with you for it''
 The atmosphere in the rooms of the board was simply execrable, caused by the stench arising from the garments of the garbage collectors. As one of the members of the board facetiously re- marked: eff we intend to have any more of these hearings in may opinion it would be for the best interests of all concerned to have the clothing and persons of the collectors deodorized prior to their appearing here as wit nesses."
 At 6:30 o'clock, the members having considered less than a quarter of the complaints, 1t was decided to adjourn until o'clock next Thursday after noon, when the balance of the con- plaints will be considered.
 AT THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. 5 At the executive session of the board, prior to the investigation, the members voted to recommend to the board of common council two systems of collect ing garbage during the coming year. One is by the present system of con- tract, and the other is for the city to own its own plant and collect the gar bage. This can be done at an outlay of $10,OO0, which will establish the plant and allow the city to own and keep fifteen teams, and men on the street during the entire time. The cost of collecting garbage by this system will not cost any more than by the present contract system, while numerous ad vantages would be secured by its adop- tion. The carts used for the collection of garbage under the proposed new system will not be the same kind of carts that are now in use, but a new and improved style of cart, specially prepared and patented for the purpose of collecting garbage.
 The total amount of money necessary to carry on the work of the department during the coming year, as estimated by