The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-02
DISPOSIAG OF GARBAGE.
Discussion of a Serious Prob
lem That Confronts
This City.
REDUCTION PLANT NECESSARY.
s. Harrison Smith Gives Some In
teresting Results of His Long
investigations.

The problem OF how best to dispose Of
this City's garbage has long been growing
IN Importance and bobbing up now and
then in a practical way. While most other
large cities of the world have adopted some
scientific method OF disposing of their daily
accommodations OF refuse San Francisco
still dumps its garbage in an open. disease
breeding and indeseribably offensive area
almost in the heart OF ITS limits. The re-
cent propositions before the Supervisors
looking to the establishment OF public and
private garbage crematories were aban-
doned and buried for time by that body
al recent meeting.
This problem has been carefully studied
for several years by s. Harrison Smith. the
well-known civil engineer OF this City, who
kas prepared lengthy and able paper on
this topic. The gist OF this paper is ex-
pressed in the following paragraphs ex-
tracted from it:
City wastes may be classed under two general
heads, sewage snd garbage. Sewage mprises
ell those individual wastes that at the present
time are provided for in our sewers. and does
not come within the scope OF this article.
Garbage includes all other wastes, such al
swirl. ashes, sweepings and JUNK. covering ais
eXtTaneouS substances TOO numerous 10 men
ZION l will here conhne myself 10 the neces-
SHY OF its proper disposal. In every well-con-
/ ditioned household there is large diurnal
accumulation OF what's commonly designated
garbage. IN the cities these accommodations
increase in direct proportion TO the number
OF inhabitants.
The average composition OF town refuse, as
given by Mr.. Baker, in paper read by him at
recent meeting OF the Society OF Engineers,
! is SIS follows: Breeze. einders and ashes, $500
Per cent; fine dust, 1881; vegetable, animal
and various mineral matters. 4.61; waste pa
per, As straw and d5rous matter, 3.22;
bottles, SO; coal aud coke, SO; iron, 81.
Looking al this list II viii be seen that the con-
stitGents possessing fuel value practically
cease with the 8. % per cent of straw and
tbrous mstter, and at least 80 per cent of the
Iotsl refuse is eombustible.
In san Francisco the present method OF dis
posai IS 70 deposit the whole unsegregsted
mass SIS collected by the seavengers uIon lands
set apart for that purpose and known a. the
public dumps. This method has long ago been
declared and proved 10 be detrimental 10 pub
lie health and extremely offensive. The method
OF carrying the material out 70 Sea and de-
posting ii in deep water has also been proved,
after many trials, 10 be unsatisfactory. New
York is now in the thrces OF regret over what
she has done during the past in this direction.
Il has become s recognized sanitary require
nent that no refuse material in which they
there may be latent, or IN which there may be
created, germs OF disease should be dun ped
or permitted 70 rot, but, on the contrary, that
II should be subjected 10 such treatment IS
will avoid the dissemination OF diseases foul
odOrs, etc, and for the accom- plish ment OF this
result there are 81 present but two accepted
methods, which are Both receiving consider
able attention from scientific men snd Others
interested in the subject
One OF these consists n subjecting the entire
mass 10 the direct action OF heat. and is known
as the inclnersting process. The other con-
slsts IN keeping SYlM separate, as much as
possible, and subiecting il 70 boiling process
for the liberation OF The grease then acting
upon this with hydrocarbon or other solvent,
where By the greases are extracted from the
body OF the material, when after distila ton,
which separates the hydrocAFbon, the gresses
ATE reclaimed. The latter process is superior
from an economic standpoint and results in
the: production OF considerable marketable
matter, but is may be stated here that these
substances have no such value as Claimed by
the recent articles and statements appearing
in our various newspapers. Still, they are OF
sunleient value, in NY estimation, 10 warrant
the experiment.
In gfaDeing over what Europe has done in
this direction we find in most OF the English
cities and towns that the incinerstion or total
cremation process is probably the one in most
general use, but we md, also, sn opinion
!. listing op the Continent, ana growing rapidly,
in favor Of plan OF reduction or utilization.
The reduction processes, as used in England,
are often connected with arrangements
whereby be heat produced may be utilized in
the generation OF power or in other CONNER
cial ways In London, at Chelses, there is 6
refuse company using thirty five loads per day.
Incur OWL country We nave many xemples
Of both the utilization and reduction pro
/ cesses. Among these need only mention the
cities of ST. Louis, Boston. Philadelphia, Mil
waukee, Detroit and Pittsburg, although there
are shout forty cities IN our country disposing
OF their garbage by one or the other OF these
methods. The results obtained from the de-
/ strucdon Of city refuse vary very greatly
owing TO the many different devices and
methods and the careless manner in which
statistics are kept. Among the above-named
cities St. Louis was the first TO adopt and sue
eessfully operate a reduction plant, followed
in rapid succession by Milwaukee and Detroi
Boston Philadelphia and Pittsburg are among
those using the incarceration process The
patents covering these two systems are very
numerous.
There is no doubt in my mind that the re-
oueIion system can with due care and under
proper regulations be conducted within the
heart OF dense population without creating
nuisance or engendering disease. If this is q
lection should be raised 10 an incarceration
plant, consisting OF reduction meehisery with
out the chemical laboratory or laboratories for
the reclamation of such ingredients as may be
OF use IN the arts or in trade. It is necessary
for San Francisco 20 provide some method
other than that row used for the disposal of
point OF view 10 attempt other than one OF the
two processes known respectively as incinerS-
ton ana reduction
The accepted estimates of the QUANTITY and
value Of the marketable material reclaimed are
in my opinion as ridiculously exaggerated as
/ is the average amount OF the material pro
deEyoTed 10 burn or utilize their garbage with
q plant erected and handled by the munich
paE-y itself, and that under the condition Of
municipal control such experiments have in
every case proved financial failures. Why this
honld be so am not prepared 10 state espe-
cialy when we see the success that has met
the same efforts in lscslities where the munich
patty has entered into contract with q phi
yate corporation 10 perform this work during s
term of years.
The minimum cost, as yet attained, in the
operation OF either process has been 20 cents g
cubic yard The net income derived from the
sale OF the products resulting from this treat
ment IS greater in Europe than IN any portion
OF this country. ana would probably be less
for some years in san Francisco than in other
sections OF this continent, owing 10 the fact
that the demand here for fertilizers st the
present time is comparatively small, our farm
ers as yet being Uneduested in this respect.
In close connection wilh this subject is
found that OF the collection of garbage, and
/ this ofttimes, when improperly or earelessly
done. creates as great 8 nuisance and has as
/ injurious an effect upon the community as
| that of its improper disposal, but this can be
obyIated by the proper exercise Of The police
and sanitary functions vested in the m unici-
/ patty. The first requisites in this connection
sre that proper vessels should be furnished to
| the various households
The vehicles for removal should be so con-
strueted that the driver could leave an empty
vessel. when collecting that which is filled,
and there should be no cause why such vessels
as the swirl, or other substances liable TO putre-
faction, or TO the discrimination of disease
! should, WHEN once closed be opened before
al T -