Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-31
THE GARBAGE PROBLEM
A Dixon Crematory Probably Will Be Erect
ed On the Observatory Site. >
The Report of the Health OMcef ON
the Subject-SOme Of the
Objections Urged.

Now that the Commissioners have agreed
upon a site for the new garbage crema-
tory, there Is q good deal of interest mani
tested in the kind Of crematory the Com
missioners will approve. s--'
Unless something unforeseen happens the
Dixon crematory will have the chance to
show what it can do. The representatives
of that company have never given up hope
of locating here, even though the health
officer, in a special report to the Commits
sioners, declared in specific terms against
the system. 1t was under date of July 1.
1895, that this report was made, and after
detailing at considerable length the opera
ton of the crematory, the case was
summed up as follows as reasons why the
system was not adapted for this city:
LIST. The free water collected with swill
would find Its way through the crate and
seriously interfere with, if not extinguish.
the lower fire.
I'd. The small particles of swill would
pass betW cen the crate bars in considerable
quantities. and, being constantly soaked
by water from above, would not be con-
sumed by the lower fire, If such fire could
be maintained.
3D. The swill resting upon the crate would
be a solid mass, incombustible until it
dried, which process would take a long
time, as the flame would only attack the
surface, and not eat its way through, as
in Atlanta.
4th. The absence Of the large amount of
combuStible material such as is found in
the Atlanta garbage would necessitate the
purchase of a much larger amount of fuel.
While under the Atlanta system the fuel
is evenly mixed with the garbage. in Wash
ington 1t could only be applied at one end.
This, too, would necessitate further in
crease in the amount of fuel used. the
flame having to pass twenty-five feet to
cover the garbage.
9Th. Night soil would. find it's way
through the crate too rapidly to be burn
ed, having no absorbent bed as paper, etc.,
to retain it.
For these reasons the Commissioners de-
cided that 1t would not be in the interest OF
the citizens to approve such a crematory.
This report of the health officers was fol-
lowed by protest from the Dixon people.
They claimed that the Commissioners were
bound to take their system, since it was
specifically named in the specifications. The
Commissioners, however, thought different
ly, and, after some further investigation
decided that the Smith system was the one
of their choice, and ordered the contractor
forthwith to put it up. But the contractor
demurred, and won his point. He was
welded TO the Brown system, and, notwith-
standing the Commissioners position, that
the Smith system was to be the first one
erected, the Brown crematory was erected
on the South Capitol street site. And the
Smith system has not been heard of for
months. And so matters ran along. The
crematory at the foot Of South Capitol
street was found unable to do the work
and garbage was shipped down the river
Several times the Commissioners have made
up their minds to compel the contractor
to build another crematory, but somehow
or other matters have never culmina ed
Recently they received a proposition from
the Dixon crematOry to put up one of its
systems on trial, and made such generous
offer that the Commissioners once more
took the matter up.
1t was developed today that to obviate
the objection of Secretary Herbert to the
observatory site. the Commissioners had
considered another location in the i'm
eoIate neighborhood But the ground, 1t
seems upon investigation, was part of the
old canal. and liable to forfeiture at any
time. So the Commissioners have gone to
the old site, in square 81, and it seems
reasonably certain that a Dixon crematory
will be erected here, but not completed and
ready for business until after the 4th OF
March, when Secretary Herbert is not ex.
| pected to object to anything.