The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-16
IT WILL Be AN EXPENSE
Opposition to the Ordinance for a
Contract Scavenger System.
JUST HOW TWILL WORK
Mayor Harrington Thinks 1t Will Re-
quire More Help in the Treasury Of
flee - Landlords Kick With
Great Vigor and Feeling

This afternoon the judiciary committee
will meet to consider the ordinance which
provides for a contract scavenger sys-
tenn in Butte. and tonight the council
will meet to take action in regard to il.
The mayor and the aldermen have given
much consideration to the ordinance.
which was published in full in the Stand
ard about 10 days ago. The sentiment is
by no means unanimous regarding it.
and while there are strong points urged
by the board of health in favor Of the
ordinance. number of aldermen are
known to be strongly opposed to it, and
if the friends of the bill have majority
in its favor it is quite unlikely that they
will muster sufficient strength to pass
the bill tonight under a suspension of
the rules.
Mayor Harrington has been studying
the ordinance very carefully, and while
he considers that it has much merit, he
is disposed to oppose ii on the grounds
of greatly increased expense. He said
yesterday that he believes the people will
have to pay more for the removal of
their garbage under the new bill than
they now pay. and even If such should
not prove to he the case. he considers
the increased cost to the city to be very
Objectionable feature. The new ordinance
provides that in case occupants of prop
crty refuse to clean up when ordered to
do SO, the contracting scavengers shall
do the work. the city shall pay for ii and
shall then assess the cost to the property
and collect it with other taxes. The may
or thinks this additional assessment
work will necesstate the employment of
additional men in the treasurer's office.
and for that reason has not wholly APP
proved the bill. He thinks it would he
well, however. to have one or two firms
won ri In
stead of letting so many different scav-
engerS, some of them Irresponsible go
into the business. but he favors requiring
them to do their own collecting and not
put the city to the expense of collecting
their bills for them. Those who refuse To
clean up could be arrested and taken
into police court and fined and the city
would thus, instead of being put to the
additional expense of extra men for as
sessment work have a revenue in fines
The members of the board of health are
strongly in favor of the bill and consid-
cred the matter very thoroughly before
the bill was drawn. They have found sim
liar plans in operation i'll progressive
Eastern cities, and believe it would be
great benefit to Butte. Whether they
will succeed in leading a majority of al
derman to their way of thinking is still
undetermined. Health Officer Shultz
considers it the highest duty of a city
government to guard the health of it's
citizens and "a matter of a little addi-
tional expense should not be considered
II the city can be kept cleaner and the
health improved. There has been some
objection to the ordinance on the ground
that 1t will prove a hardship to landlords.
~ tenants refuse to clean up the con-
tractor eau do the work and the city will
then assess the cost against the prop
ertN. This will force the landlord 10 pay
instead of the tenant. and much opposi-
tion TO the ordinance has arisen on ac-
count of this feature.
Health Officer Shultz suggests as a
remedy for this apparent injustice that
the tenant who refuses to clean Ilp can
be arrested and fined under the present
health ordinance. The fine can then be
placed to the credit of the property. and
viii thus pay part il not all of the assess
ment for cleaning.
1T seems likely that this ordinance will
be amended in some respects before ii is
hnally adopted by the council
The ordinance providing for an auditor
and assessor will also be before the coun-
ell Tonight unless the judiciary commit
tee asks for further time. There is much
opposition to the bill on account of the
additional expense which will be in
VOWED If the city has its own auditor
and assessor.