Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-01
Mr.. TRUESDELL DENIES 1T
He Charaotelizas Statement by Mr.. Dodge
as False.
A Scene During Hearing Today at
the District Building-The Gnr-
bage Question Again.

The garbage matter. like an old penny,
is continually turning up.
This morning, during a hearing on the
widening of G street, Mr.. w. c. Dodge
was called to account by the Commission
ers for a statement he had made regarding
the garbage problem. Last night at the
meeting of the South Washington Citizens
Association a letter was read from Mr..
Dodge. in which he was reported as saying
that 1.-The Commissioners told him they
would have to accept the plant of the
Baltimore firm. because the firm had a
large Influence with Congress"
While the hearing on the proposed WIDEN
ing of G street was in progress Major
Powell rang for a messenger and sent him
for copy of the newspaper which con-
tanned the reference alluded to. After
reG0 ding il over he passed 1t to CommiS-
siorer Ross, and during luii in the pro-
ceedings the president of the board called
Mr.. Dodge's attention to it and asked If he
had been correctly quoted. Mr.. Dodge re-
piled that that was substantially correct
that he had understood Commissioners
Truesdell to say that the Commissioners
were Handicapped in the garbage matter
through the influence these Baltimore peo-
PIE had in Congress.
MIR. TrucsdeIrs Emphatic Denial.
Commissioner Truesdcll denied erphati-
cally that he had ever made use of any
such language, and characterized Mr..
Dodge's statement as unquslifeGly false.
He asked Mr.. Dodge to repeat again the
language he had understood him Commis-
sioner TruesdelD to use, whereupon Mr..
Dodge said: 1.-The language was used In d
conversation had with the Commissioners
on this garbage matter, ana commissioner
Truesdell said:
'.In the matter OF the garbage serv-
ice the Commissioners were handicapped
by the influence which the Baltimore peo-
pie had with Congress-
II deny that most emphaticaly, Sald
Commissioner Truesdell
well" said Mr.. Dodge. lit was said, ard
l could not have misunderstood YOU.
II appeal to my colleagues to bear NE
out that such statement Is not so, sad
Col. Truesdell, turning to the other Con-
m!ssioners.
II can say" said Maj. Powell. that no
such language as has just been repeated
was ever used"
"You were rot there. Major Powell, at the
time" said Mr.. Dodge.
1T makes no difference Major Powell
replied; 1.-The Commissioner never said
that"
Mr. Dodge again repeated what he said
before was his recollection of what Com
missioner Truesdell had said, and Mr..
Truesdell again remarked, THAT Is un-
qualifiedly false, and you have no right to
say that"
MIR. DOdge's Recollection.
Mr. Dodge recalled the hearing at which
he appeared in the interest of the public on
this garbage service, and reiterated what
he had sale then regarding the establish
ment of cremator.es within the city. He
said then that 1t was his belief that the
only proper system was a reduction system.
and that should be located outside of the
city limits.
TT would have been impossible" said
Commissioner Truesdell, "for me to have
said anything approximately near what you
have quoted me as saying, for at that time
we had garbage contract which had two
years and a half to rum"
THAT Is correct" said Mr.. Dodge, land
you will recall that 1 said at that time that
there should be no occasion for fear as far
as Congress was concerned, for the con-
tractor had violated the terms of his con-
tract again and again. and the Commission
ers had ample authority to cancel it at any
time
But this said Mr. Truesdell, had
nothing to do with what you have quoted
ME as saying, Mr.. Dodge, with reference
to the influence which these Baltimore peo-
pie had with Congress. That sir. IS ur-
qualifiedly a misstatement of the facts
Il may have misapprehended your mean
ing" responded Mr.. Dodge, "but that is
what l understood you to say. 1 have no
reason to misrepresent the Commission
ers. My object has always been to get for
Washington the very best system Of gar
bage disposal extant."
No one volunteered anything further in
the matter. and the hearing closed.