Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-25
THE GARBAGE MIDDLE.
How the Present Difficulty Hight Have
Been Averted and What May BE Done.

How the Present Difficulty Hight Have
Been Averted and What May BE Done.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
don't wonder that the Commissioners
attempt to keep secret their action in the
garbage matter for it has been SO mud
died and nismanaged that they ought to
be ashamed of it, If they are not.
If they had done as suggested by the re-
pert prepared by the committee or the
board of trade, at the request Of the Com
missioners In 1891, and at that time en-
ployed competent parties to investigate all
existing systems for treating or disposing
of garbage, in order that the national cap
ttal might have the very best, and ;fen
had the law so amended as to give them
absolute control of all garbage, Of what
soever kind, dead animals included, so as
to make 1t an object for the company to
invest sufficient capital to erect first
class plant outside Of the city or District,
all this trouble and delay would have been
averted, and long ere this frst-class and
efficient garbage service would have been
in operation. There Is no earthly reason
why this could not or should not have
been done. But, instead of that, four years
have been allowed to pass before even
pretense of an Investigation was made, and
. not then until after contract was made,
without even knowing what system was to
be adopted, whether burning or reduction,
and, of course, when neither they nor the
contractor could tell what the cost OF the
plant to be selected would be. for there is
great difference in the cost OF the plants
Necessary for the different systems, and
also between different plants for the same
system.
I don't see how any person could be in
duced to sign contract leaving 1t op-
tional with the Commissioners to select any
system or plant they might choose. and
have the same built at the expense Of the
contractor. unless there Is In the contract
lit fI,.,k tra
him an unreasonable profit to compensate
him for taking such risks.
Then, again, I cannot understand why
they should select and insist on the incin-
Grating plan instead of the reduction sys-
tenn 1t Is far more expensive, because
there is no utilization of the waste matter
as there is in the reduction system. Under
the plan selected 1t is for the interest OF
the contractor to avoid gathering every
pound he can, just as has been the case
every summer under the present system.
while under the reduction system 1t would
be for the interest of the contractor to
gather every particle, because there Is
profit in it.
In this matter their action is as unex-
planable as was their action two years
ago, in giving the present contractor so
cents per ton for treating the garbage in
stead OF shipping 1t out of the District,
when another company offered repeatedly
lege. and Of which strange action no ex-
PLANTATION has ever been given.
If these things had been done In New
York or Chicago the press of the country
would have rung with charges Of fraud
and corruption, and. no doubt, investiga-
ton would have been had. But as we are
told that this is the best governed city in
the world we are not to suppose there
was fraud or corruption, though to the cr-
binary citizen, who knows there can be no
result without cause sufficient to produce
1t, these acts are very puZZling. He can
not rid his mind of the idea that there
must lie some hidden influences at work.
and that the favored contractors must
have very strong pull Of some kind
It is simply an outrage to establish any
Of these garbage plants, whether inciner-
ating or reduction, in the city. I have no
doubt that by the expenditure Of a suffi-
cient amount Of money, and with the
strictest possible management and super
vision of the work, it would be possible
to build and run garbage furnace that
would not be nuisance or injurious. but
we know that those conditions will not ex-
list Moreover. why spend money unneces-
sarily? The District has need for every
cent 1t can get, and more. too.
For these reasons, l sincerely hope the
citizens. not only of South Washington,
but of all other portions will be successful
in their efforts to prevent the building Of
furnaces within the city.
What the Commissioners Should Do,
Is to stop where they are. get Congress at
the coming session to provide for the
establishment of a frst-class reduction
plant outside of the city or District, ard