Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-04
That Garbage Problem.

The District Commissioners have notified
the protesting residents Of South Washing
ton that the garbage incineration plant will
surely be located in the vicinity of South
Capitol and streets and have further ad-
vised the directors that recourse may be
had through the courts in case the furnaces
should work unsatisfactory. The outlook
is not entirely pleasing one, for the proba-
bility Of defective operation will always
have more or less of a depressing influence
upon property values in the neighborhood
Of the crematory unless, perchance, 1t should
turn out that the Commissioners have dis
covered the ideal system and will compel
perfect management thereof. OF course, 1T
is quite natural that the Commissioners
should endeavor to shift the responsibility
to the courts and to such of the citizens as
care to enter into legal controversy with
the garbage contractor, but a large proper
ton of the moral responsibility will have to
be borne by the Commissioners, at least I'M
til the Incarceration methods which they have
SO emphatically approved of show them
selves to be beyond the reach Of fair criti-
cism. 1t is extremely unfortunate that the
erection of any kind of garbage-dlspOsal
plant should be within the city limits, and 1t
may be that those who are officially account
able for the work Of locati will some day
find 1t difficult to explain satisfactorily how
they came to do this thing, yet the afflicted
citizens may not after all suffer as they have
in times past, or as they not unreasonably
expect to suffer for awhile. If the furnaces
give forth doors. then relief will surely be
secured from the courts. If the furnaces
work without stencil. then there is no reason
why they should damage real estate or rem
der the region less desirable as a place Of
residence than it now it. At least one other
crematory is to be operated in this city by
the garbage contractor, but its location has
not, II decided upon, been made known to
the public. A decision as to this should be
reached promptly and with that same strict
disregard for the petitions of property own
ers which appears to have characterized the
action Of the Commissioners as to the South
Capitol site Up to this time the garbage
contractor has moved things in his own
way, and, to be consistent, there should be
no change In the program of giving him all
he wants, not even if the second or the third
crematory has to be put up In close proxim-
ity to property which in times past has re-
ceived favorable official consideration
Prompt enough to act in some instances. the
authorities have been extremely deliberate
as to other furnace sites than the one in
South Washington. This whole garbage
problem has been a source of much worri-
ment, both to the Commissioners and to the
public. 1t is easy enough now to see errors
which might have been avoided, and it
would undoubtedly be good thing If all
that had been done-except the investigation
should be completely wiped out and a new
start made. Such a radical proposition Is
not likely. however, to meet with favor. SO
we must content ourselves with being as
philosophic and as vigilant as we can. The
Commissioners are bound to be watchful in
the general interest, and the public will from
selfish, yet perfectly proper motives, look
out for itself.