New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-15
A SERIOUS CITY PROBLEM
THE DISPOSAL OF GARBAGE A QUESTION
WHICH WILL NOT DOWN.

MAYOR GIIRoYs ADVISORY coMMrrTEE. AFTER
AN EXHAUSTIVE INVESTIGATION. RE-
PORTED AGAINST cREMAToRIEs-
LABoRs WHICH SEEM TO HAVE
RESULTED IN NAUGHr
Mayor stroag's recent efforts obtain PROPOSE
tons for the removal and final disposition of the
city's refuse have caused many NewYorkers TO in
qure what was accomplished by the Advisory Com
mission which was appointed by Mayor Gi.roy TO
study the garbage problem last year Ex-Mayor
Franklin Edson Thomas L. James. Lieutenant-Com-
mander Daniel Delehanty. OF the United States
Navy: President Charles g. Wilson, OF the Health
Board and William s. Andrews then Commissioner
OF Street Cleaning, designated by Mr.. Gilroy
In July, 1894 to examine into the subject or the
final disposition OF the refuse Of the city. They
held meetings to receive advice and plans from ex-
perts. and seventy schemes for the collection. re-
moval and final disposition of ashes, garbage and
other refuse presented to them In the fail
the Commission travelled about the country in
special car at the expense Of the city, In company
with a number OF sanitary experts The Commits
sion examined systems for the cremation or reduction
OF garbage in use In the cities OF Boston. Montreal
Chicago, st. Louis Atlanta. Cincinnati Allegheny
Philadelphia, Wilmington and Yonkers Later
report was submitted to Mr.. Glroy. in which It
was said that the members OF the Commission had
been struck with the excellence Of several methods
in in the cities named but that nothing short
OF failure to discover practical solution OF the
problem would warrant the Commission in recon-
mendng one in any degree experimental"
Mr. Gilroy may have been puzzled to know what
his Advisory Commission meant by that, but the
report received shortly before he retired from
office, after the overthrow Of Tamrany and he
left the subject for the reform administration to
wrestle with. The report filed away. and
nothing has come Of the work OF the Advisory
Commission thus far The Commission did not
recommend any particular system, but advised in
favor OF the reduction method as against cremation
for the final disposition OF garbage
THE CREMATORY PLAN DIsAPPROvED.
The Commission was unanimous in the belief that
a garbage crematory could not be allowed in the
city. and yet Mayor Strong has expressed his ap-
prevail OF plan whereby garbage crematory in
Eleyenth-ave. is being built an experiment. As
TO the crematories which the Commission examined
in various cities OF the country the following
ment appears in the report:
For every one Of these plants the strongest
claims have been advanced. CHEZ among those OF
the incinerating class that they destroy absolutey
all comDustlble matter and nOyious gases. and yet
mission would be tolerated within the populated
units OF this city. The claim that any OF them
destroys all combust!ble matter when the garbage
Is mixed with ashes and other refuse collected
IN this city was abundanty disprovcd and an m
presence OF the Commission. The refuse
into an lncInerator, and FOR more than two hours
the refuse being Violently stirred most o. the
, ,,mie py means OF a pnSumauc poker; Crude Pc
watch was Of intense fury; and yet when the resi-
due was examined. there found with other
scarcely charred.
The same may be said OF the failure o, these In
cnerators to destroy the noxious gases. During
fine. dry weather the doors from them are not
apparent, but complaints OF them were prevalent
under humid conditions OF the atmosphere
The Commission spoke OF the garbage reduction
plants In more favorable way. the following
statement about them appearing in the report:
The treatment by these systems is thoroughly
doubtless, made The two causes OF complaint
arising from the garbage or delivery. and the foul
ehluent water from the condelsors. The remedies
garbage and a chemical treatment Of the water,
and should be imperatye The value Of the product
me freedom OF the garbage from all foreign sub,
care on the part OF the householder that the ma
terlals are not mixed. Herein lies the chief OBJ
lection to this method OF disposal
ORDINANCES MUST Be ENFORCED.
Your Commission recognizes the difficulty in
enforcing the attention of the public especially in
the tenement districts to a rigid separation: but
It is clearly OF the opinion fortified by abundant
evidence. that the existing law requiring Il
and should be enforced, as Is done In other large
ctesDnotaoiy In 5aItmore' ,Ph.adephia BROOK
NewYork no less law-ablilng than In the cities
TO the necessity Of the measure and leave is EN-
forcement in competent hands This conclusion -
reached after weighing the matter carefully and
who contend that separation cannot be satisfac-
tOrily Accomplished thrOughout the city. \ cor
rect solution OF the whole subject demands that
this result should be achieved. otherwise the entire
mass OF refuse must be moderated at great cost,
and with the loss OF large and valuable product.
1t estimated by the Commission that the
garbage Of me city II collected separately and
put through the reduction process. would yield
grease ana fertilizers worth nearly $1,000 for every
800 tons OF garbage and that 500 tons Of garbage
are collected IN the city every day. The estimated
cost OF reducing the garbage not given In the
report.
The Commission also spoke Of the nuisance caused
by the removal of the garbage under the present
system thus
One of the chef nuissnces created under the
present system OF final disposition exists at the
dumping wharves. where II is the practice TO dis
charge the -efuse from the carts directly into the
through a lsrge radius and further communicating
the atmosphere. After each load Is deposited the
foul mass - picked over, and all salable articles.
such 5 bones, rags etc, thrown back on the
wharves to be returned TO the city In all their Of
fensiveness. carrying disease and filth the a.
rious quarters that have most need OF protection.
city derives large revenue from II, but 1t is the
opinion Of your Commission that the practice is
wholly indefenslhe. and that no amount OF revenue
from such a source sufficiently compensate the
people OF this city for the risk OF cOntaglon in
CURED In work filthy and demOraiZing and in
traffic In stuff 50 lOathsOme that picked from
the garbage dumps OF this city. Furthermore. 1t
Is beneath the dignity OF great city 10 seek
enue from source attended by such evils
THE CONCLUSIONS REACHED.
The report Of the Commission closed with the rol-
lowing recommendations and the expression OF the