Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-23

are hindered by unreasoning objection.
When it comes, however. to the question of
how TO perform a necessary but onensiye
duty the problem is how to affect or dis
commode the least possible number and to
the least possible extent. OF all the points
in the city, he SAID the Commissioners had
selected the very worst one and the one
least adapted to the purpose. In the flrSt
place, they are dealing with an article
which by its very nature argues itself
nuisance. He said that as a lawyer he was
surprised that he had to come before mu-
nicipal authorities and argue against the
authorization of a nuisance by them. III
private individual came before them and
asked for a permit to start soap factory
a tannery, or any other business OF the
sort, even less Objectionable than garbage
crematory, all that would be necessary in
answer to his request would be for the
Commissioners to read their own ordl-
nances on the matter. which in so many
words forbid anything of the SORT witnln the
city limits.
Senator Stewart and Col. TOtten.
Senator Stewart also made few remarks
on the subject, in which he called the atten-
ton of the Commissioners to the fact that
cities almost invariably extend toward the
west, for the reason that the prevailing
winds are from that direction. This, he
thought, was an unanSwerable argument
against establishing a crematory at the
vest end of a town. 1t should be to the east
of IL, and even then sufficiently removed TO
prevent it from being an actual nuisance.
Col. Enoch Totten closed the hearing with
a brief address. in which he said that II
they were going to have two crematories
within the city limits he was in favor of
scattering them all over town, 50 that the
noses of all, rich and poor alike, would
be offended by the foul odors ana
tions. He thought that such thing as a
crematory ought to be established miles
away from the center of the city, where
dead animals and the city refuse could be
dies ed wi
matter of transportation ought not to be
considered. If it costs a little more to trans
port the garbage little farther off the diff
ference ought to be paid without hesitation,
for there is no matter in which the welfare
of the community is more vitality interested.
In conclusion, the Commissioners said
that they would take the matter under
consideration
The Commissioners Probable Action.
1t is not regarded likely that they will
accede to the requests of the delegation.
After the hearing they pointed out to the
newspaper men in the board room that
many, If not all, the objections to the es-
Establishment of the plant at the point pro-
posed are based on misunderstanding or
lack of knowledge of the premises. They
stated that reports from Atlantic City.
where similar crematory is in operation,
show that the system Is devoid of all dis
agreeable features, and is nothing like as
mucn OF nuisance as is generally sup
posed.
In report to the Commissioners today,
which report they made public this after
noon. Health officer Woodward gives the
results of recent visit to inspect similar
furnaces at Philadelphia and Atlantic City.
With reference to the one in Philadelahia
he says: THE only nuisance arising from it
at that time was due. in my opinion, to care
less dumping of the CARTS whereby the gar
base was permitted to roast and shoulder
outside OF the furnace itself. Some smoke
arose from the stacks while 1 was near by,
but if any odor originated from this source
1t could not, be distinguished by me-"
The Atlantic City CremntOry.
With reference to the one at Atlantic
City. DR.. Woodward says:
THE Smith furnace, which was erected
operation at the time of my visit, with no
appreciabe odor and no smoke. 1t had
been operating for about eighteen months
TO the entire satisfaction of the local board
of health.
plant, second furnace was built: the in
ventor attempted, however, to depart from
the original design, and the furnace was
failure. Its was, therefore, diSContin-
uef, but arrangements are being perfected
whereby it will be remodeied on the lines
of the old furnace. Its failure resulted in
the &C cumulation of thousands of tons of
garbage in the yard of the crematory; and
this putrefying mass it at present being
moved, with resulting odor that is better
conceived of than snelt. The complaint of
the operation of the furnace during the
past summer was due to the failure of the
new improved furnace and to the coDSe-
quent accumulation Of garbage, as above
explained"