Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-31
SERIOUS CONDITION
Garbage Piled Up in Masses at the
Wharf.
THE RIVER FROZEN OVER
Commissioners Are Enxiout About
the State of Affairs.
NJ r. BAYLY'S LETT + r

The Commissioners today found them
selves confronted by condition of affairs
hat may prove alarming. They received
information from the police that the gar
hage contractors We're not removing the
garbage, and, as a result, several hundred
tons and number of dead animals Were
piled upon the G. street wharf. This was ii
serious condition OF affairs, especially
when there is smallpox in the city. The
failure of the contractors to remove the
garbage was due to the ice in the river.
which prevented the scows from approach
ing the wharf. This was set forth in the
following letter from General Manager
Bayly of the National Sanitary Company,
which has the contract for removing the
garbage
MIR. I,ayi!'s Letter.
II regret to have to inform you that we
find it impossible, on account of the ice in
the river. to bring our scows TO the wharf
to receive the garbage, and small dead ami
mails collected in this city. We are there
fore obliged to deposit this material upon
the wharf at the foot of q street north
west. Our scows containing the collections
of Thursday, Friday and Saturday of last
week are now ice bound about three nun
dred feet from the Maryland shore, with
but little hope, under the most favorable
conditions. of recovering them for four or
five days, and during this time We Will be
forced to deposit the daily collections upon
the wharf. The state authorities OF Viz
Enia forbid the landing OF this material on
the Virginia shore, having set fire to and
sunk our scows the last time We attempted
it. The state authorities Of Maryland per-
NIT us to land this material during cold
weather at several points, where there are
but few residents. and whore the water Is
very shallow, so shallow that a boat cannot
approach the shore to break the ice, and
thus enable us to make a landing.
Commissioners Consider.
Meanwhile the work of collection is go
ing on. and the reeking pile of refuse Is
being added to every hour. Unless some
action is taken to get rid Of this accumu-
lation 1t may have to remain until there Is
a thaw and the river Is open. The con
tractors dread a spell OF cold weather,
which would freeze the river up and pre-
vent the deportation OF garbage until the
spring.
A special meeting Of the board Of Com
missioners was lurriedly called this after
noon to consider the matter and take &C
tive steps to relieve the condition OF az
fairs.
Manager Bayly had an interview with
Commissioner Truesdell and pointed out
the difficulties He said unless something
was done the conditions would be very
much aggravated. The contractors were
willing to lend their best efforts to remedy
matters, but found themselves practically
powerleSS to do anything. He referred to
the winter of 1893. when 700 tons of gar
bage and 500 dead horses were piled on
the ''harf at the foot of South Capitol
street, owing to the big freeze. When
warm weather came and ii began to thaw
the stencil was frightful. The great trou-
BILE, he said was that the contractors had
no place to Cump the garbage. Even now
he anU pa6 N no p
bound down the river and could not get
up to the wharf. even If they were free, on
account o! the ice.
Serious Condition.
Commissioner Truesdell said the condi-
ton of affairs was certainly alarming. and
If not soon corrected might breed a pesti-
lence.. 1t was highly important that the
garbage that had accumulated be removed
at once.
Manager Bayly said there was no place
to move 1t. The authorities of Virginia
would not allow the scOws to land on that
Shore and only a few days ago had set
fire to several scows that had landed there
There were several places along the Mary
land shore that the scOws could land, but
owing to the shallowness of the water and
the present condition OF the river, they
could not be utilized.
But this is serious NATTER. said Com
missioner Truesdell. land If you can do
nothing else, the garbage had better be
dumped into the river and allowed to flow
off with the tide. One thing certain, 1t
must be gotten rid of. and that at once.
Manager Bayly said there was United
States statute against such proceeding.
THAT makes no difference" said Com
missioner Truesdell, there is danger OF a
nestilerce breaking out If this garbage is
not removed, and we must find some means
to get 1t out of the CITY,.
To Attempt n Passage.
After hearing the statement of the garb-
age contractors. theCommissioners prompt
Nv sent for the health officer and Harbor-
master Sutton. Both were closeted with
the Commissioners for some time. and the
situation was carefully considered. 1t was
deided to make an effort with the police
boat, and if it was found impossible, that
tugs be employed TO do the work. An in
spectOr from the health office was sent to
the scene with instructions to see that the
orders of the Commissioners We're carried
out. II the ice can he broken and the
scows gotten to the wharf, the garbage will
BIO properly transported outside the city
limits.
Slight Fire This Morning.