Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18
DOORS OF BURNING GARBAGE
South Washington Citizens Take Issue
With the Health Officer.
Offensive Smells From the CrematOry
Noticed and Made the Sub
ject of Complaint.

committee Of the South Washington
Citizens Association. composed of Messrs.
Henry Storey. Charles Schafer and NJ ].
Brown. have prepared the following state
ment in regard to the visit of the health
officer to the new garbage crematory at
the foot Of South Capitol street and his
report on his observations:
"Wednesday evening. when DIR. Wood
ward and Mr.. Mclean visited the crema-
tory, a number of us went down there, and.
being denied admittance, stood or South
Capitol street while the health officers
were in the building. An odor similar to
that from burning garbage or vegetable
scraps by simple means was disagreeably
apparent to all of US. and during the whole
evening it was noticeable as far as o
street and at times north Of that There
was a stream Of smoke and gas from the
stack floating out in a northwesterly direc-
tion, occasionally blackened by probable
addition of fuel.
THE authorities report that they find no
offensive odor, or that the crematory is not
extensively odoriferous There can be no
doubt about the odor, and the question in
the minds of the authorities is, apparently,
whether 1t Is offensive. The odor is GER
tainly offensive and Objectionable to those
who have to encounter 1t continuously. and
furthermore, the smoke seems to spread
through the air minute particles Of Often
sive ash or refuse, which lodge in the
throat and cause discomfort. Of which
many in the neighborhood have COM
planned. We are informed that the crema-
ton of dead animals was attempted last
Wednesday.
I'VE are gratified that the authorities
have finally determined that the dead ami
mai wharf Is an odorous nuisance We
protested against 1t months ago, but with
out avail until the operation of the crema-
tory seemed to require the discovery Of
something burden nf ha
odors Nortcn's factory as the first to be
jumped on, Mann's wharf Is now the sec
ond. and We hope that the Odorless Exca-
waiting Company's wharf will be the next
and that the surrounding nuisances will
be cleared away, and the crematory given a
clear field.
I'VE are not permitted to see the reports
made by the health inspectors of their can
vass Of the neighborhood, and do not know
HON they visited. but do know of many
places which were not visited. Many who
had not noticed the odor before, and so
told the inspector, did notice it later the
Same day. We are making our own can
vass and keeping our own record, and IL we
are compelled to go into court, there will be
70 lack Of evidence. We are confident that
the crematory will soon become so unques-
ticnably offensive to the whole neighbor-
iced that resort to legal proce edings will
not be necessary The Commissioners in
their report to the Senate say: I'm refer
ence to the location Of establishments for
the disposal of garbage while 1t Is gener-
ally admitted that reduction plants must be
placed at a great distance from the thickly
settled parts of the city. crematories are
Lot infrequently located within the city it
self
We are glad that TIE Commissioners ap-
preciate the necessity of RELOCATING reduce
ton plants to great distances, and thus
confess their error in the location of the
old reduction plant at the foot of South
Capitol street, and trust that they will soon
reach the same conclusion regard to the
Crematory. 1t will be remembered that we
had the same assurances and the same diff
.ficulty in convincing them and the health
officer that the old plant was odorous and
a nuisance to the neighborhood."