Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-09
Systems Inspected by Health Officer
Woodward.
PHILADELPHIA'S CRACK CREEAT0RY
AdaptabiIity Of Different Plants to
Washington.
THE WILMIN GTON PLAN

Health Officer NoodWardS recent "TRIP OF
inspection for the purpose of investigating
the several garbage systems of reduction
and cremation in use in several OF the
large cities formed the subject matter of
report made public today. The report is
to the Commissioners and says:
Il have the honor to submit the follow
ing reporl relative to the investigation of
the methods of garbage disposal in Phila-
delphia, Pa, ard Wilmington, Dell made in
compliance with your Instructions of the
26th ultimo.
philadelphia has tested. through its gar
bage contractors, eleven methods of dis
posing OF garbage. Only two are at pres
ent in operation, the others having been
abandoned, either for financial or sanitary
reasons. One of the existing systems,
crematory has been in operation about
year; the other, a reduction plant, much
shorter period. For the collection of gar
bage ashes and house waste, all of which
is undertaken by the municipal authorities,
the city is divided into districts. The con-
tract for each district is let separat ely,
each contractor disposing. as ne sees tit, of
the material collected by him. subject to
the approval of the commissioner of street
cleaning, who has supervision over such
work. The Ircthod of disposal is brought
to the attention of the board OF health only
when it becomes nuisance.
The Smith CrelnntOry.
1.-The Smith crematory is in operation in
two districts, one in the northeastern part
of the city, the other in the very center.
TheJlatter, situated near the corner of oath
and Callowhll streets, was visited on the
ID ms ant Both are exactly alike. and are
similar to tho in use In Atlantic CITY,
N. j., and Wheeling. w. Va.
The crematory may consist of any num-
Der of furnaces. arranged in pairs around
an apparatus for the generation OF the gas
used as fuel. Each furnace is an upright
iron tank, lined on the inside with fire
brick and is connected on one side by UNI
dergrouEd fiues, one leading from the gas
generator and the other to chimney com
mon to both furnaces of the pair, and on
the other side by a short fiue with the
other furnace of the pair. The opening for
the reception Of garbage is in the top of The
furnace.
The ashes are raked out from an opening
low down in the side. There is no CRATE,
the garbage resting on the bottom OF the
furnace and burning only on top In the
fue leading to the chimney IS a mass OF
checkerwork of firebrick to insure the COM
plete destruction of offensive gas. Valves
to control the flow OF gas are set in the
flues.
the carts to drive to the top and dump
their contents directly into the furnace, and
is not lncos ed in 4 building. Each pair of
furnaces is independent of all others. All
ration of the gas generator.
The opera ton of 4 pair of furnaces IS
as follows: Carts drive to the top of the
crematory, depositins all garbage into one
furnace, filling It TO the proper height. The
gas Is then made 20 pass directly from the
generator through the ilue where it is mix
ed with air to support combustion. to the
charged (prox,maD furnace. The flame at
tacks the mass of garbage in t. and then
passes through the communicating ftue in
to the empty tdistaD furnace. and thence to
the flue leading into the chimney. The
brick checkerwork in this hue is so intense
" heated by the llama, and secures by its
arrangement such thorough contact with
the gases from the garbage, that they are
completely decom2oscl and free from OBJ
jcCtionable odor and so find their way out
the chimney.
while the contents OF the proximal fur
race are being burned the garbage is emp
tied into the distal furnace, where it is
warmed ard partially dried by the fame,
which, as has been previously described,
passes through this furnace during this
time. As combustion progresses in the
proximal furnace the ashes are raked off
the top of the mass through the door in
the side. When the entire charge has been
burned, the direction of the flame is re-
versed by means of the valves. SO that it
passes into the furnace, which has just
filed. This now becomes the proximal fur
mace. and the place of combustion The
other becomes the distal furnace into
which the garbage is dumped, warmed and
u.
may he reversed as often as desired. The
operation of the furnace is, therefore, con-
tinuous.
1.-The opera ton of the Smith crematory
was witnessed in September, 1894, in At
lantic City. N. J. 1t had at that time but
one pair of furnaces, and was constructed
to burn fifty tons of garbage daily. Its
capacity has since been doubled. The plant
is owned and operated by the city, ard had
fully demonstrated its ability to burn pure
garbage. in large quantities, and without
nuisance. The only objectionable feature
al the time of inspection was the leaking
of the water from the garbage around the
lower doors of the furnace, even when
closed. This water saturated the soil near
by. giving to the place a faint sour smell.
characteristic of garbage. The crematory
is located in the immediate vicinity of
poor class Of dwellings.
THE Smith crematory, which was in
spected in Philadelphia, is located near the
corner of 9th and Callowhill streets 1t is
on ground Immediately adjoining large
gasometerS and gas works and is sur
rounded by stores, factories and dwellings.
The crematory has eight large furnaces
and was in active operation at the time of
inspection. 1t is used FOX the destruction
not only of garbage, but also of COM
bustible waste. The proportions of the two
classes of materials burned could not be
ascertaired One furnace was smoking
somewhat. owing to the fact that it had
not been used the day before. and was just
being started. The smoke was, however,
from the IUcl-flOt from lHe SdTDdSs-aUu
was not offensive. Here, in Atlantic
City, the water was finding its way through
the crevices about the lower furnace doors.
The surface about the furnace was covered
with asphalt, so that the leakage found It's
way into the sewer. The combustion of the
garbage did not cause any perceptihle odor.
This furnace had consumed, the day pre-
vious to inspection, IS loads of gar
bage and combustible waste, estimated at
one ton per load.
LAS The result of my study and observa-
ton / believe that the Smith crematory
can be operated in this city without Great
ing a nuisance. The leakage from the low
er doors is. however. defect, which II will
be difficult to remedy, as the pressure from
the large amount of garbage and water on
the inside is very considerable A moderate
amount of such leakage might enter the
sewer without harm, but if any is thus dis
posed OF it will be difficult to limit the
amount. especially it is so much more
economical for the contractor to get rid of
it in thi; way than to destroy 1T by fire.
This crematory is operated by minimum
of labor and the cost of fuel is said to be
small
The Arnold Reduction Plant.
1.-THE Arnold reduction plant in Phladel-
phia Pa, is situated on the Schuylkill,
near Gray's Ferry, and is almost a quarter