The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-25
THE cREMAToRY SHUT DOWN.
Repairs Being Made Which Ii Is
Hoped VIII Make IL Burn.


The city crematory is being given a
thorough overhauling by Public Works
Commissioner Wmllnk. II has been shut
down and will remain idle for probably a
week while the repairs are being made
The crematory was badly in need OF
repair. The CRATE bars were worn out,
and the furnaces worked badly from sew
eral causes. One reason was lack OF
Sufficient draft. and on this account the
flames failed to make the full circuit Of
the furnaces. the result being that a
great deal OF garbage was only partially
burned. and had to be hauled out in that
state. This was the main cause Of the
foul odor from the crematory so greatly
complained of by residents in the south
western section Of the city.
1t is believed that when the work Of
overhauling Is completed the furnaces Will
burn much better and that there will be
but little odor 10 complain Of. The coal
bins which blocked up the mouths OF the
furnaces have been torn away, in order
TO give greater draft and wood will be
used for while as an experiment, in the
hope of obtaining greater heat and bet
ter circulation.
The crematory was built on the side Of
hill, and the result was that whenever
II rained the water poured down the NIL
and settled around the furnaces where
the men were at work, making the place
very filthy. Commissioner Wfllink Is rem
edying this by having the hill cut down
and the grade turned the other way, so
that the water will run on, instead Of
running under the shed. A flooring OF
chert Will also be put in. Another over
slght IN construction was in sloping the
platform toward the mouths of the fur
naces, instead of away from them, so
mat whenever it rains the water settles
toward the center of the platform, instead
OF running Off This will also be remedied.
stu further mistake was in leaving the
crematory open and exposed to the ele-
ments. instead of covering 1t with a shed
roof, which would have protected the men
while at work in bad weather.
Inc crematory Will have a great deal
OF work TO do this summer, especially
when the vegetable season begins, and IL
IS hoped that the improvements now be-
ing made viii put it in flrst-class work.
ing condition. One OF the improvements
VIII consist in putting in water CRATE
bars in the furnaces. Heretofore rail-
road iron has been used, and so great
was the heat that in short while the
rails would sag down and in a few months
become worthless II was necessary 10 re
new the rails or bars three or four times
year. This gives some idea of the heat
gtssnerated In the furnace of crematory.
Inc water CRATES have been successfully
used IN other cities. They consist Of
hollow iron pipes. through which water
Is kept trlckling constantly. thus pre-
venting them from becoming overloaded
The ashes from the furnace are now sold
70 VARIOUS parties at $3.50 year
O. Inc title to the land needed for opening
sycamore street, which runs lust north
OF the Laural Grove cemetery, has re-
Gently been settled by the city and the
street will shortly be opened up. The new
CITY stables will be built on this street
IN the immediate neighborhood of the Gre
matory, which work will begin shortly.
When the stables are built all the teams
OF the city Will be conferred there and the
TWO stables at present maintained i'm sep
arate parts Of the city abandoned. When
this is done the pound lot, lust south of
Colonial park, which Is now used as the
headquarters of the scavenger depart
ment, will doubtless be turned over to the
park and tree commission to be incorpor-
ated in the park
The work Of clearing the congested sew
ers or the city is still in progress. The
barnard street sewer. which was In a
hlthy condition, has been thoroughly
cleaned out and work is now in progress
on the West Broad street sewer. This
sewer is also in a bad condition. The
trouble with these sewers is that they
are so badly constructed that there is no
fall to them, and It is only a question of
time after being cleaned out as to how
Long II will take. them to fill up again.
The heavy rain last night doubtless did
some good in flushing the sewers