Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-21
No Action, Therefore, in the Long
Delayed Garbage Affair.
SOUTH CAPITOL STREETS FIGHT
Crematories Practically Decided On
by the Board.
SOME TROUBLE AHEAD

1t was confidently expected that the gar
bage matter would be settled yesterday.
The entire board of Commissioners was on
duty Thursday, and Contractor Warfield
said that he expected the Commissioners
would announce their choice Of systems FRI
day. Commissioner Truesdell, however, left
the city, and the matter was postponed un-
til Monday rext, when 1t is believed all the
Commissioners will be on duty and the mat
ter finally disposed of. The final outcome of
the matter has never been in doubt. The
only question to settle is the number OF
crematories that will be insisted upon. OF
course. 1t is to the contractors interest that
only one plant be erected at first. but the
Commissioners will insist upon two systems,
not only that the garbage of the city may be
quickly and effectually disposed of, but In
order that by a practical test Washington
may have the very best system extant. Both
the Commissioners and the health officer
agree that the Smith system has made the
best showing, and there Is little doubt that
1t will be the first plant erected. But the
Brown system has proved a surprise to
many. and the health officer thinks very
favorable of It, If the contractor were given
the choice of systems he would undoubtedly
take the latter system 1t is cheaper, for
one thing. and has done good work in Will
mington, Del
Bitter Fight.
IT either one CT these systems is assigned
to the South Capitol street site they may
loo: forward to bitter fight-a fight that
will be wased to the end for the res
idents have made up their minds to go the
limit and keep a garbage cremat tory out of
that section IL there Is any law to do 1t.
President Richards of the South WASH
ington Citizens Association was a visitor
said. among other things that Lawyers
Enoch Totten and Walter Davidge had
been retained, and would have entire
charge of the case. That these two able
lawyers will make a stubborn fight there Is
no doubt, but there Is considerable doubt
as to the outcome. Just what line they
will pursue is not known. but 1t is under
stood that they will first make a fight
based upon the building regulations, a sec
ton Of which prohibits the erection of an
establishment of any kind where offensive
odors are generated to the detrlment or in
jury of the neighborhood. protest is on
file with the Commissioners against the To-
cation OF the crematory, and the section
above referred to is given as the principal
reason why the crematory should not be
erected on South Capitol street.
The Long Delay.
But who is responsible for the great de-
lay in this matter of selecting a proper
crematory? 1t has been argued that the
contractor has been dilatory, and has ur-
posely put Off settlement Of the matter
until he saw it was impossible to erect
CTeHdllOu plant III tlIIle 10 take care VI lHe
garbage according to the terms of his con-
tract. But 1t is a matter of record that the
contractor has been ready for some time.
and even now all papers are before the
Commissioners, and the system could have
been decided upon long ago and work
thereon commenced. When the 1st of No
vember rolls around the Commissioners
will find themselves confronted with Sc
rious question. Mr.. Warfeds bid reads:
= collect, remove and cremate all
garbage. refuse animal and vegetable mat
ter. condemned food from the city of Wash
ington and its more densely populated sub
urbs, said suburbs may be designated
from time to time by the Commissioners OF
the District of Columbia, and collect. re-
move and cremate all dead animals in
said District Tor a period of four ~ years
aid eight C9 months, beginning November
/, 1885"
Again, in another part of the contract it
says.
TT is further agreed that the party of the
second part shall receive for performing
the aforesaid service complete the sum of
$JI,OO0 per annum
Cremation Ordered.
1t will be noted there is no saving clause.
The contractor must collect, remove and
cremate all garbage" etc. Now, the rep
resentatives of the different systems have
stated openly that it would take at least
ninety days to erect a plant and the con-
tractor himself not later than this week
said to reporter of The Star that 1t
the plants We're working successfully. AS
gentleman remarked today at the Dis
trict building, who is interested in the well
fare of the city:
IF this contractor is going to be paid al
the rate of s5T,WG per annum for taking
garbage down the river. when it Is express
ly stipulated in the contract that he shall
cremate it, 1 am going to have something
further to say on the subject. The Poto-
mac even ow is being polluted with gar
bage. The contractor makes a show OF
Chi ni.,tr ha riv IlIf I n
say rot one pound of 1t ever finds its way
to farm for fertilizer. 1t is dumped over
board. l believe, and is washed up along
the shore to tester and breed disease. one
has only to watch the operation of loading
one of the scows at the foot of G street to
prove my argument All along l have hoped
that when the contract went into
force the garbage would be disposed of in
the proper way. The Commissioners made
a great big bluff of what they were going
to do. But that away back there so
long that 1 have ceased to remember. Since
that time IT,: have suffered change of
heart and the garbage contractor has been
given all the time he wanted At length
according to the published reports, he ap-
pears before the Commissioners and an
nounces that he is ready. A postponement
is given. More time elapses. No reason is
one Of its members away, sits idly by and
waits. If this is the business way to at
tend to business. 1 think we had better
have 4 change somewhere"
Ths Forncy Court-Mmrtinl Adjourned.
Tie Navy Department has authorized the
For2ey court-martial, which has been in
session for the past week at New York,
to adjourn from today to Wednesday next
to accommodate counsel. The original
order convening the court prescribed that
IT should meet from day to day until it had
concluded the consideration of the case,
aad it required special authority from the
department in order to adjourn over for
several days.