Evening star., 1895-01-05
The Commissioners have succeeded in

The Commissioners have succeeded in
finding some one to perform in this emer-
gency the contractors neglected duty of
removing the garbage from the District.
This relief is of course merely temporary.
and absolutely nothing has been accom-
plished in the direction of a satisfactory
and permanent solution of the problem of
disposing of the garbage. 1t Is necessary
% to decide upon a radical change in the
method of garbage disposal, C2) to secure
an appropriation from the municipal funds
entirely adequate to carry into effect the
system adopted. and. CD If the garbage dis
posal Is TO be by contract. to deal only with
responsible contractors and to so frame the
contract that they and their bondSmen can
be held to the responsibility which they as
slime. The modern methods of garbage
disposal are either by reduction or destruc-
tion. The District must no longer commit
a nuisance by dumping it's refuse upon the
property of it's protesting neighbors. or in
jure the public health by conSigning ii to
the waters of the Potomac. If the garbage
were removed In closed metallic tanks from
the houses to the station and by rail on
special cars in the same unopened tanks
to a reduction plant on some farm
outside of the city and District the
best results would probably be accom-
cheapest because the treatment gives to
the garbage a considerable market value
Indeed a well-managed reduction plant can
almost afford to collect the refuse. its raw
material, for nothing: being compensated
by the sale of It's manufactured product.
This method is also most effective in thor
oughly cleaning the city. Where every ad-
ditional pound of garbage collected means
increased profit to the contractor. he will
neglect no back-yardS or alleys. Under our
present system the less garbage the con-
tractor collects the greater his ease and
profit The one method puts a premium
upon activity in collection; the
other upon slothfulness and neglect
The other modern system of garbage dis
posal is by destruction through mcinera-
ton. This method. which develops nothing
OF value from the refuse, Is more expensive
than the reduction process but Is otherwise
equally satisfactory. If compensation Is
based on the amount of garbage creulated'
thus assuring a thorough collection. One
of these systems should be selected and
pr assed upon Congress with energy and de-
termination. The hints in respect to the
necessity of securing adequate appro-
priation. responsible contractors. and
contract that will hold water, are justified !
hy the events of the last few years of mu- |
nicipal history. a contract to collect and |
dispose of the citys garbage for a term OF |
years at fixed price Is not an agreement |
to do so as long as the contractors find it /
profitable or as long as their existing plant |
remains unburned or their scows unSunk !
or their horses in good condition OF to do |
so in such a manner with such neglects !
and defects as will enable the contractor |
to make money. The contractors are sup !
posed TO estimat te intellSently the cost of
the full service in making their bid. They |
promise to provide the proper machinery |
replacing what is worn out or destroyed, |
to carry into effect the primary promise !
to dispose of the garbage. With responsible |
contractors and bondsnen under contract |
properly framed the Commissioners ought !
10 have no further annoyance and nothing |
further to do with garbage collection and
disposal than to exercise the supervision |
which may be necessary to cause the con-
tractors to fulfill faithfully all their prom
ises. But on how many occasions in the
last few years have the Commissioners |
been made the harass and bedeviled as
siStants of the garbage contractor. where |
they have not in the latters complete and |
unpunished default been compelled to re-
move the garbage themselves, This is the
capital of the great republic and not Sque-
would have cause of modification if 1t
had suffered Washington's garbage ex-
periences.