Evening star., 1896-09-12
VIGOROUS PROTEST
Garbage Dumped in the River Off
Alexandria.
FOUL AIR FOR CITIZEN 5
Hearing Given by the Commission
ers This Morning.
AN INV E S TIC Att o n

"An Alexandria ls up in arms against
this outrage nuisance, and unless the
garbage contractor stops dumping the gar
bage of Washington in the river in front Of
Alexandria there will be trouble
So spoke LeIt. James Smith of the po-
Zee force of Alexandria, who represented
Mayor L. H. Thompson before the Com
mssioners this morning.
Yesterday evening as the garbage scows
loaded with the refuse of Washington were
being towed down the river. leaving in their
eGke a sickening odor, it was Eoticed that
the garba sc was being emptied overheard.
When the boats were opposite Alexandria
all of the garbage. it is said, was thrown
over into the river. A river breeze was
blowing at the time. and soon the vile
doors were chasing each other up the
streets of the city. and testing the olfactory
powers OF the peaceful residents. With one
voice they all said: THAT Is some Of
Washington's garbage, that has been
been forced to suffer SO long from this null
saEce that they can distinguish garbage
from tri- city the minute they smell 1t.
There were no cooling breeZes In Alexan-
dria last night, ard the citizens suffered not
only from the heat, but from the disagree
able odors. Down near the river front the
situation was frightful. and many were the
iDprecations heaped upon the District tri-
umvirate for allowing such things to exist.
The matter hurriedly laid before the
mayor. He investigated the matter at
once, and found the situation even worse
than it had been represented. He fmme-
diately repaired to this city and hunted up
the harbor master. He explained how the
garbage scow had been emptied OF Its load
of garbage opposite Alexandria. and urged
the commodore of the Potomac navy to
accompany him to the scene with the po-
lice boat, that he might satisfy himself,
ard give the suffering citizens Of Alexan-
dria some relief. But the fires of the police
boat had long since died away, and the
harbor master could not get the boat ready
IN time. Harbor Master Sutton, however,
looked into the matter himself this morn
ing. and when Lieut.. Smith and Mr.. W. F.
earn. representing the citizens. appeared
a the District building, Harbor Master
Sutton was On hand with his version Of the
affair 1t did not differ from the represen-
tations made by Lieut.. Smith. He had seen
the river full of floating garbage and noted
the empty scow.
1t seems that Mayor Thompson, upon his
return to Alexandria last night, notified
Lieut. Smith to appear before the Commis-
sioners today and make a formal and off,
ciaf protest against the nuisance. The
mayor. 1t is said. was wrathy. and directed
the lieutenant to present strong case. and
make a demand for an immediate abate-
ment Of the nuisance.
The lieutenant shown into the office
of Commissioner Truesdell. The health Of
hcer was sent for. and the contractor was
notified to appear at the District building
at once He came. accompanied by his lieu
tenant. Manager Bayly. They were all
shown into Commissioner Trucsdelrs pri-
vate Office and the hearing commenced
Lieut. Smith reiterated his statements and
Mr. earn corroborated them in every de-
tail He described the practice of throw
ing garbage overheard, and said 1t was not
new thing by any means. Last summer
1t had been practiced. AMI the outraged
citizens took the law into their own hands
and set fire to one of the Scows and
Swamped the other. But even those dras-
tic measures did not abate the nuisance
Twice this year this thing had occurred
Maybe 1t had been oftener. but on two oc-
casions the stencil was so great as to call
attention to IT. Last night, he said, the
citizens of Alexandria were oppressed by
the vile odors- The river was full Of float
ing garbage, and under the wharves il ac-
cumulated in quantities
The Commissioner expressed himself as
surprised at the statements. and called Up
the contractor to explain the matter
He replied that he knew nothing Of the
circumstances. He was under the impress
sion that the garbage vas being sent down
the river and deposited fertilizer upon
farm the other side OF Alexandria. Nor
did General Manager Bayly know anything
of the matter other than what had been
told him. OF course, they would investf-
gate at once.
In the meantime, however. they request ed
Lieut.. Smith to make d written complaint
and file it with the Commissioners The
health officer was also directed TO investi-
gate the matter.