The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-01-11
new GARBAGEPLANT READY
Smith Furnace ON Square 63 to Be
Tested Within a Week.
Recent Visit of Member Of Brown
Company to Washington Failed
to Settle Dispute.

The District garbage service is said TO
be now about restored to the position ii
lost when the Brown furnace was closed
several months ago, the announcement
having been made today that the new
furnace, the Smith, located on square So
will be ready for test within a week.
That controversy between Contractor
Warfield and the owner OF the South Wash
ington crematory, which caused the with
drawal of that plant from service, has
not been adjusted, although it is known
that a member of the company which
controls the patent, and at whose expense
the furnace was built, was in the city a
day or two ago, ostensibly to confer with
The contractor upon Germs for "a transfer
OF the crematory to his control.
The provisions of the contractors agree
ment with the Commissioners for the col
lection and removal of garbage require
that after a given date the refuse should
be destroyed by inGneration, and any de
parture from the stipulation, if through
any fault upon the part of Mr.. Warfield,
would incur penalty.
Tie closing Of the Brown ereBatOry sew
eraimontlIs ago and the consequent dispute
ton over the price demanded by Mr.
Brown, caused a discontinuance OF the pre-
scribed method Of destruction, and upon
the aseertained responsibility for this break
in the contract viii depend whether or
not the penalty, in the form of Curtailed
vouchers, shall be imposed. Mr.. Warfield
las had several Interviews with the Commits
siQners upon the subject, and has insisted
that the fault is not his
Mr. WarfIeId's position, as heretofore
stated. is that the Brown plant fails to
meet the requirements, and that, while he
is willing to take ii off the company hands,
lie cannot afford to pay the contract price.
He does not consider it worth SIG, 900, nor
does he believe he should be held to account
for the failure OF a plant that was introduced
with the Endorsement OF the District Of
ficials.
Considerable feeling is alleged to have
arisen by reason of the implied determir1a-
ton of the Commissioners to subtract
considerable sum from the contractors 3
bills for service rendered since October.
The development OF this friction came when
Mr. WarfieId asked recently for a pay
ment OH account, considerable doubt hav-
ing been expressed whether or not the sum
of $4,000 could be safely paid, in view OF
tUe pfODdue Responsibility OF tue CoItTdC-
tor for ne failure to destroy the refuse by
cremation.
Health Officer woodward, who is, by
virtue Of his office, the acknowledged su-
pervisor of garbage matters, is understood
to be held responsible for the proposed cut
in the contractor pay, which is declared 10
be excessive.
Mr.. Warfield has presented no vouchers
formally for two m onths or more the only
pa ayment asked for, it is alleged, being
that of $4,000 referred TO. Whether the
deduction to be made is wholly for the
failure to cremate is left 20 conjecture. but
the contractor reports but few complaints
from housekeepers-nOt more than two or
three per day-on account of inefficient
service on the part OF his collectors. and
the fines on that score are said to be light
1t is stated by the contractor that the
Smith plant is claimed by the owners To
be capable OF destroying all Of the city's
product Of garbage during the winter
months and it is expected that its ca
pacity will be doubled before spring
which will insure the cremation Of one
hundred tons OF refuse every twenty -four
hours.