Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-19
Contractor War6eld Presents q Bill
for Money Due.
STATEMENT BY THE HEALTH OFFICE
Difference Of Opinion as to the
Status of Affairs.
IN HANDS OF AUDITOR

There Is some disagreement between the
Commissioners and Contractor Warfield as
to the ownership of these funds. and the
question is now being adjusted by the audi
ter. who has shut himself up to wrestle
with the question. The garbage contract
provides for the payment Of certain sums
to the contractor for the collection and de-
struction by cremation of the garbage of
the city. Since the Smith crematory was
shut down. some months ago. the con-
tractor has been burning a portion of the
refuse at the crematory at the foot of
South Capitol street. and exporting the re-
mainder down the river, via the garbage
navy to certain farmers who use it as
fertilizer.
Letter to Commissioners.
While the matter has been talked of for
some days, it did not assume definite shape
until Contractor Warfield wrote the col
lowing letter to the Commissioners:
Referring to the fact that the moneys
due me to date for the garbage service are
withheld and their payment to me refused
on the ground, as it is claimed. that have
not complied with my contract in relation
to the cremation OF the garbage, l beg to
ask your attention to the fact that, as the
health officer well knows, The Brown ere
matory has been destroying garbage at its
full capacity and to the satisfaction Of the
health officer, and is now and for the past
three or four weeks has been, destroying
all the garbage collected in the city; and
the further fact that on the requirement of
the Commissioners. procured the erection
of the Smith crematory, and submitted 1t
to extended tests, only to have l. in the end
condemned and L discontinuance of its use
ordered by the Commissioners.
by reason of the failure of the Smith
crematory l was required by the Commits
sioners themselves to resort to the trans
a n garbage down the river. ana
the removal and disposition of so much
garbage as has been .lken down the river
have been to the sa.isfa ction of the health
officer, so far as that Nc ode of disposition
could be made satisfactory.
"Inasmuch as the disposition of the garb-
age by cremation was confessedfy an ex-
pertinent, demanded by the terms OF my
contract and entered upon by the Commits
sioners in full knowledge of the fact that
it was an experiment, and inasmuch as L
am absolved from all responsibility FOR
failure of the experiment. SO far as the
Smith crematory is concerned, and have
made successful disposition of the garbage,
I submit that no good reason exists for
withholding the money agreed to be pald
me. and have the honor to request that the
proper order be given to enable me to get
W hat is justly due me-"
Referred to Health ONCE.
This letter was promptly referred to the
health officer. who today submitted the fol-
to the auditor for report and recommends
ton:
Under the present garbage contract, the
contractor has undertaken to collect, re-
move and cremate all garbage. refuse, ami
NAL and vegetable matter ana condemned
food, at two cremating plants, or three il
necessary, Of sufficient capacity to dispose
of daily all material collected. Under tn .
contract he has erected. with the approval
of the Commissioners, a Brown crematoi .
at the foot of South Capitol street, which
has been for some time past in operation;
satisfactorily to the health department,
and which since the 18th ultimo with the
exception of two days. has cremated ali
garbage and smaller dead animals collect
ed. 1t has not, however. cremated the
larger dead animals, nor has the contractor
at any time made effort to do as re-
quired by his contract. But in SO far as
relates to the period since the 18th ultimo,
1 have the honor to recommend that as the
general intent of the contract has been
complied with, the default on the part of
the contractor. in respect of the cremation
of garbage at one crematory instead OF az
two; in respect of the failure to cremate
part of the garbage on the 10Th and 18th
ultimos, and in respect of the failure to
cremate any of the larger dead animals. be
waived, and that the full contract price he
paid less the amount of such fines as have
been imposed
A Dissenting View.
AS far as relates to the claim that the
Smith crematory was erected at the in
stance of the Commissioners, attention is
respectfully invited to the order of the
Commissioners Of August Is, 1896, in which
the garbage contractor was required to
proceed at once with the erection of
crematory, either CT the Dixon or the
Smith pattern. I am aware that 1t Is al
legged by the garbage contractor that a con-
tract previously made by him with the par
ties controlling the Smith furnace, in COM
pliance with certain requirements OF the
Commissioners. was pending at the time of
the issue of the above mentioned order.
and that, therefore, he had no discretion.
but was compelled to erect Smith fur
mace. OF this however, there is no evil
dence, as the above mentioned contract is
not, SO far as I am informed, a matter of
record. The Dixon furnace, which he
might have erected had he so desired. was
originally selected by him and offered for
approval by the Commissioners; and at the
time 1t was so offered the garbage con-
tractor had an agreement with the owners
of this furnace to erect the same in Wash
ington IL approval by the Commissioners
was given.
The alleged requirement of the Commits
sioners that the garbage be transported
down the river was in the nature of per-
mission given the contractor to dispose OF
garbage in that way because he had no
other method of disposal at his command.
The method has not been made as salts
factory as possible. open scows having
teen used for the purpose instead of prop
erly constructed metal tanks.
No Evidence at Hand.
There is no evidence whatsoever to show
that the cremation of garbage was con-
fessedly al experiment at the time the
present garbage contract was entered into,
nor that 1t was regarded by the Com
missioners. In fact, evidence is entirely
the other way. for 1t does not appear likely
that either the Commissioners or the con-
tractor would enter into contract in.
volving the expenditure of thousands Of
dollars to conduct an experiment for a
period Of four years and eight months. and
make no provision against failure of the
experiment, and the current contract con-
tains no provision for the disposal of gar
bage and dead animals otherwise than by
cremation.
The allegation on the part Of the gar
bage contractor that the cost Of transport
ing garbage down the river Is as great as
the cost of burning it has not been proven.
Even however. If such be the case, this
department cannot understand what bear
ing 1t has Upon the present contention, as
under the contract the District Of Column
bia has not guaranteed to the contractor