The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-08-04
CITY'S DEAD ANIMALS.
Much Profit In Removing Them
from the Streets.
Contractor Bids for the Job at One
Dollar q Year - Money Made
in Rendering the,
Carcasses.

Inc superintendent OF streets ana
alleys reports that $4,000 dead animals
were removed from the city during the
last year. That is nearly 100 for
each day of the 365 days in the year.
They were all kinds of animals that
are seen in the city-horses, mules,
COWS, goats, dogs and cats. The super
intendent adds that these removals
have been made without expense to the
city.
At an early day, when the town was
small, 1t was the custom to appoint
. scaveneger whose duty 1t was to re-
move dead animals and all noisome OBJ
jects and matters out of the streets
and into the country. First the scav-
enger was paid by the day, next by q
fee of 80 much per head, but when the
city had greatly increased its area and
population the Job was let out to the
lowest bidder. After awhile it fell into
the hands of a contractor, who was
paid lump sum to do the work. He
did 1t to the satisfaction of the au-
thorities, and 80 he held the job for
many years.
In the earliest days nothing was done
with the dead animals, except to cart
them out into the country and there
throw q little dirt over them. AS the
country more and more filled up with
people it was required that the dead
animals be buried. But when the con-
tractor got control Of the business he
soon found out how best to dispose
Of the flesh and bone product of his
scavengering. He erected a rendering
plant out in the country and by means
of 1t converted dead horses, mules, etc.,
into phosphates and several other val
liable by-products. He made a good
deal of money in the sale of these va
rious products and at the same time
received large sum from the city. The
Office of scavenger of Chicago is one
that few persons would like to fill and
for that reason only very few persons
know that it is worth a considerable
sum. This ignorance served to protect
the contractor in the position for long
time, during which it never occurred
to anyone to inquire if he was getting
rich out of scavengering. The work Of
removing dead animals increased enor-
mously and his rendering business in
creased in proportion. Better than
that for him, the amount Of money the
city was paying him increased too.
Finally he was paid on a contract with
the city $4,000 year. His business
had grown up naturally, but now it
was so large that naturally it attract
ed the notice of other men who could
see, or smell, good thing.
1t is a good thing to be scavenger
of Chicago, even without pay from
the city. Two years ago John McDon-
aid astonished the contractor, who was
getting $37,5Oo from the city, by put
ting in a five years. bid of one dollar
a year and offering to guarantee that
the work would be well and thoroughly
done. Of course he got the contract
and then, with his two sons, he COM
menced business. He introduced at the
start some improvements in the teams
and wagons used in the city and in the
cars for conveying the dead animals
out into the country. Formerly the
wagons were not well adapted to their
purpose, and when loaded were q
nuisance wherever they passed. Now
they are specially constructed and are
hardly noticed as they pass. The cars
formerly used were nothing better
than old-fashioned box cars for cattle.
Now refrigerator cars are used for the
purpose and no offense is given to the
people of the suburbs through which
they come and go half dozen times a
day.-Chicago Chronicle.