Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-20
The Garbage Plant Coutrox.

To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
notice that the Secretary of the NAVY
and citizens of the West End are making a
very vigorcu us kick against the building of
a crematory for burning garbage in that
section.
SO lcng as the outrage-for that is what
1t is-was confined to Southeast Washing
Ton these gentlemen took no interest in the
SUBJECT, but when 1t is proposed to give
ihem dose of the same they get up on
their ear In hurry: and 1 am very glad
they do, and hope they will take the mat
t .ur 10 congress and have it thoroughly ven
ti!ated inodorous as 1t may be.
Ih.re Is not a shadow of an excuse for
the adoption of the system of cremation in
preference to the system of reduction, W hich
- more economical. stu less is there any
excuse for locating the plant, whichever
KIND may be adopted, within the city.
1t Is all very nice for those Interested in
securing Job to tell us that there will be
hotnlng objectionable about the furnaces;
but we know better
In this connection 1t may be instructive
10 see what has been done abroad, where
many incinerating furnaces have been
erected, with the same assurances An
English publication just received, saws:
Our continental neighbors have, after
repeated trials, appointed commission to
investigate and report on the best means
and cities.
That comm ission has visited every fur
mace that had any reputation in the world,
besides opening out competitions among
thoSe VINO have profeSSed to have mastered
the difficulty, with the result that after the
hrst meeting of the commission, held Au-
gust l. 1894. the public was notified, through
the press, that all schemes for the final dis
position OF the city refuse would be re-
ceived and carefully examined
seventy different plans were submitted.
or which seventeen were for incineration
After an examination of these various
Wiz It~
in operation fourteen separate systems.
and their opinion. after seeing them in op-
GRAFTON, was expressed as follows:
For every one Of these plants the
strongest claims were made among those
OF the incinerating class that they DESTROY
absolutely all combustible matter and nox-
lous gases. and yet not one of these plants
IN the opinion OF your commission, would
De Tolerated within the thickly populated
limits of a city.
An interesting test made in the pres
ence OF your commission was where the
refuse was run into the incinerator, and
TOT more than two hours subjected to a
heat of not less than $500 degrees. the
refuse being violently stirred most Of the
time by means of a pneumatic poker: crude
petroleum. and compressed air supplied the
lame, which was Of intense fury; and yet
When the residue was examined, there was
round. with other combustible matter
pieces OF newspaper which were scarcely
| charred.
-. - A.a1 NC Sdiu VI the 1lnclnera-
tor to destroy the noxious gases, the com
plants when the atmosphere was humid
being UNIVERSAL"
In view of such testimony and the uni
versal objection Of our citizens. it certainly
Is most remarkable that the Commission.
ers will insist on adopting the incinera ting
plan instead Of the reduction system, which
is much more economical, and stranger still
that they Insist on or permit their location
within the city.
I hope the citizens will keep up the fight
until Congress will take hold OF the matter
and compel the adoption of the. more eco
nomical plan and the location eof the plant
outside of the city, as urged by The Star.
For this purpose the citizens Of all Sec
tions should unite and work Vigorously
TAXPAYER