Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-23
HIS REQUEST GRANTED
Making Garbage Contract Postponed Until
Congress Meets.
Mr.. Warfield's Reasons for Asking
the Delny-What is Said
Mt Building.

The District Commissioners have decided
to comply with the request of Garbage Con-
tractor Warfield, as contained in a letter
to the board received by the latter Thurs
day, to postpone the execution Of a new
contract for the removal of garbage until
after Congress assemblies, and has an op-
rortuhity to legislate upon the subject.
Under the terms of the new contract Mr..
Warfeid would be required to remove the
garbage to a point some distance down
the river. and previously to erect suitable
buildings there for the cremation of the
garbage.
The text of MIR. Warfield's coEmunica-
tion is follows:
Referring to the proposed execution of a
supplementary contract for the removal
and distribution of garbage in the District
of Columbia and to my recent interview
with Mr.. Commissioner Wight, in relation
thereto, beg to state as follows: The ten
tative efforts toward the establishment of
satisfactory system of cremation. as
contemplated by the contract now in force,
having involved cost to me of $Ii $50.
ard the proposed supplementary contract,if
properly carried into effect, will involve an
additional outlay at the point on the river
to which it is contemplated to remove the
garbage of between sixty and seventy
thousand dollars. This latter expense was.
of course. out of the contemplation of
either Of the parties to the present con-
tract at the time it was entered into, and
the expense attending the efforts in the di-
rection of satisfactory cremation above
mentioned is very largely III excess of all
reasonable anticipation in the beginning.
These facts alone make it a question of
very grave consideration for ne whether
shall enter into the proposed supplementary
contract, and l am confident in the aSscr-
ton that 1t will seem unreasonable to every
fair n:iLd to expect me to incur the ex-
pense involved for the privilege of having
the removal and distribution of garba ge
for Only the short time my existing con-
tract has to run. In lieu. therefore, of all
former suggestions in the premises, 1 am
constrained to say that it seems but just
that he permitted to go on under existing
conditions until Congress shall have had
time to give the garbage question further
consideration, with view to authorizing
you to make with ne new contract that
will run for not less than five years.
Public Interests cannot suffer by such a
course, for the Brown crematory, now in
successful operation. is fully equal to the
destruction of all garbage that will be col
lected from now until at least the lst of
April next.
l have. therefore, the honor to request
that matters be allowed to remain in their
present condition as to contracts until the
desired opportunity shall be had to bring
the matter to the attention of Congress- as
pr"ptsed
Upon tRe receipt or Mr. w Warfleld S letter
1t was referred to Health Officer Wood
ward, who, after careful consideration de-
c.ded, in view of the fact that from this
time until April there will, it is likely, be no
more garbage than can be disposed of al
the Brown cIematory, to recommend tha t
MIR. Warfeld's request for postponement be,
as above stated. granted.
While Commissioner Wight, who has i'm
mediate charge of all matters relating to
the Health Department, declined to say
hot tNe do fv, ~ef. NJ
fields request that the board urge Con-
gress to grant him extension OF his COLI
tract for five years, it can be stated that
there is not much probability that the
board will take such an important step
without the rights of the people of Wash
inston being very strongly protected SO far
can be done in all matters. and especial
ly relating to the removal of garbage.