Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-19
GARBAGE NAVY
South Capitol Crematory Ceases
Active Operations.
TRANSPORTATION BY BOAT BEGUN
Commissioners Officially Informed
of the Trouble.
FILED TODAY

PROTEST FILED TODAY
With a sizzle, as the last potato peel fell
into the dying embers of the fire under
Meath the big crate in the garbage crema-
tory. the end of cremation for a time at
least took place at the foot of South Capt.
tol street early this morning.
As stated exclusively in The Star of yes
terday, the owner of the crematory ap-
peared at the Commissioners office and re-
ported that the crematory would shut down
last night. This action, he stated. was
only taken after it became evident that he
could not come to an agreement with the
garbage contractor as to the price to be
paid for the plant. When night closed
over the crematory the fires were still
burning brightly. and it was thought that
an agreement had been reached, and that
the garbage would be destroyed as usual.
But when morning dawned the smoke had
disappeared, and all scenes of activity
about the place had disappeared. The gar
base crematory had indeed shut down.
the owner of the plant had carried out his
threat. And then as the dawn became
brighter. and Old Sol began his climb over
the hills of Virginia, the awful truth was
realized. for. putting merrily, along came a
tugboat, having in tow a single scow, the
Districts old standby, the Potomac gar
bage navy. There were scenes of great &C.
tivity on board. The secret valves in the
bottom of the big scow were carefully ex-
amined. When these work properly water
flows into the hold of the boat, and it set
ties to the water line. Then the decks are
cleared of the garbage by the rising tide.
and everything is ready for action. But to
return. Cautiously the tug steamed up to
the G street wharf, and there the scow
was made fast During the day she will be
Loaded with garbage and carried outside of
the District, 1t is said. There are some
people who intimate that this is not cor
rect, and others who venture the opinion
that. even SO. it will return again when
the flowing tide comes In
ORclnIly Informed. -. ---t
Early in the day the, Commissioners, were
officially informed by Contractor Warfield
that the garbage crematory had shut down,
and that he was ready to take the garbage
down the Potomac beyond the District
line. What the Commissioners replied is
not known, for the hearing was private.
When Contractor Wartield left the Com
m!ssioners, reporter of The Star met him
in the hall. He said the report of the clos
ing of the crematory was correct. 1t shut
down this morning. He had been notified
last night by the owner OF the crematorv
that he proposed to take such action. All
ne could say was that he had done every
thing to settle the differences between the
owner of the crematory and himself The
former had not lived up to his contract
and could not expect to receive the price
stipulated in the contract. 1t was St;plllat-
ed that the crematory was to destroy 100
tons OF garbage every twelve hours. This
1t had not done in twenty-four hours, the
pest record being seventy-eight IONS in that
time. He would return to the scoW system
Y. ha
was In need of repairs, and until these
could be made, no action would be taken to
compel the owner of the plant to receive
and dispose of the garbage That wo, Id
come later, for 1t was his purpose to 20 into
the courts. Ii necessary, and compel the
owner TO either come to terms with him. or
10 turn the crematory over to him and let
MIN proceed with the destruction of the
garbage. He said, further, that a nice
place had been discovered for depositing the
garbage outside of the District. 1t was at
Notiey Han. where a man named Kent
would take 1t all for fertilizer
1t developed today that in answer to q
complaint. the health officer visited the Gre
matory yesterday afternoon and discovered
smoke issuing In large quantities from the
smokestack Of the plant and emitting a
bad odor. Investigation proved that the
crematory had been overcharged. The To-
Suits OF his investigation were embodied in
a report to the Commissioners today
1t was learned today that the garbage
contractor had had a man employed at The
crematory for long time becoming IA
millar with the running Of the system and
mat IN case the courts allow the con
tractor to operate the plant. he will he
fully prepared. wa NC
Make a Protest.4est nC. rsi
This afternoon Mr. Henry Storey. score
tary OF the South Washington. Citizens. AS
sociation, called upon the Commissioners
and left the following letter.
The Honorable Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia: .H 81, -.
am directed by the executive commit
tee OF the South Washington Citizens AS
ISOLATION to make this further appeal 10
your honorable body in the matter of the
South Capitol street crematory. 1t is now
public knowledge that this crematory in
its operative functions, fails to fulfili tho
terms OF the agreement between the builder
and the garbage contractor and the speci-
hcat1ons required by your honorable body:
that the contractor has refused to mir
chase the plant at the agreed price and
that the builder has announced his deter
minat1on to shut down and remove his
plant and machinery. 1t is also public
knowledge that this crematory is not sani-
tary in respect of being odorless, and ey-
cry favorable wind has spread its noxious
doors through our section Mr.. Warfield's
attorney, as we are informed by the news
papers. announces that his client purposes
loSoCSSloh
virtue of his ownership of the land and
continue the plant in operation If the
inventor cannot operate his own inven-
Zion successfully, does 1t not stand to rea-
son that Mr.. Warfield could not, and that
We would be subjected to still greater an
noyance and injury If he should under
take to operate 1t? The citizens of South
Washington solemnly protest against the
further operation of the crematory by
either Mr.. Brown or Mr.. Warfield, and di-
rect me to say that their patience Is well
nigh exhausted and that If the operation
of the crematory by Mr.. Warfield be toll
Grated by your honorable body, we shall
be compelled to add to the complication
between Messrs Brown and Warfield by in
shutting legal proceedings for our own
protection and relief. Deeming 1t to be
the wisest course under the present circum-
stances, 1 am directed to ask your honor
able body to cooperate with Mr.. Brown
in his expressed purpose of withdrawing
his plant and thereby remove what has
been only a source of annoyance and in
jury to us and embarrassment to your
selves and at the same time no benefit to
our garbage SERVICE"