New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-20

81 cities make proper mar uisPosi'Or -
rubbish, Mr. Gonden then concluded his ad-
dress by saying .
Af,ar =, careful study Of the experiences OF varf-
ous cities and consultations with numerous heaith
officers and sanitary engineers. am ooh''l0 =,
three things in relation to what Is oo"'"o''
termed the garbage question 80. Ia,
Firsf-That ashes and dry waste from CITY
houscs II neglected, become as dangerous 10 '"'
nublfc health as does neglected organic matter.
and that a sanitary system for the collection ana
disposition Of all wastes. including ashes ana ury
waste as well as swill, should DC "'oP'e" ~ ''''
municipality.
second-That the only economical and sanitary
mothoI of final disposition is by cremation
Third-That the collection and disposition OF
carriage and dry wastes Is municipal duty when
cannot be properly shifted wholly or party -
private contractor. .
ashes and dry waste in Greater New 10TH uN''"e
the year 1895 $50
Here we find an excellent opportunity 10 com
mare the contract with the municipal system la"'J
because the work done under contract j" one
mar, NJ the city the Borough Of Brooklyn whie
Il was done direct by the municipality III "lo'"''
part the Boroughs Of Manhattan ana Inc p'
we will first take up the figures for Manhattan
and The Bronx because they are taken Aoi' "a"
official records which are most careiuly anu ''S
dramatically kept We find that the actu" 1'"oN
~ carriage collected by the street department, III
tons and the actual amount OF ashes ana uiS
waste collected was , 10000 cubic ya'ds' ne u,-
nartment records show that TINS -'-V,VV' "u''e
wards Of ashes and dry waste were equiF"''
POI 900 tons Therefore. the proportion u e''p"
20 tho total amount Of stuff collected WAS "oo''
81 r CON, The total charges for collection ior t''e
year amounted to 1891 100 and 10 per cent OF inns
sum s)3 TO represents the cost OF coh'c""s w
garbage. The cost Of collecting garbage i 9"D""
n be - cents per ton, and 40 cents pS' 60
The total cost Of collecting ashes ana airy wac
"a shown to he 81 per cubic yard ana Il Genus
per capita
FRAUDULENT PRACTICES POINTED W l.
Nov, we will take up the Brooklyn figures. Inc
oo,.,oc,s IN Trooklyn for the collection or ga'Ode'
and Of ashes and dry waste are separate ~,
contract for garbage covers both the conec'o' 90"
final disposition. and amounts 70 eI-'V"
We have deducted fGom this sum 90 cents PEI W.
Ill, g. considered A fair figure by Ne"-io'A
officials for the cost OF final Disposition an" 80
,oo, $40 80 as the annual cost Of the coilect1ol
r.her the calculation IL made on the basis Oh r-'V
tons Of garbage. which IS the amount , 49,
tractor reported he had collected Dlan'it's '''"
the contractor really collected "1'V" '' -
,r,,go the cost was 81 cents per capita ana D
49,, sr ron Therefore, according 70 the con-
,,c,or,s figures the cost Of collecting garbage III
prooklvn was cents per ton less than II "as -
New-York while the per capita cha'se was '1''
a trife ove- cent more IT.
However the figures for Manhattan anu ~
pronx being taken from carefully kept records
..-. ~, ro,,.rtod ~ in order to show that the
Rrooklvn contractor has been deceiving 'he o'y.
I1ore we will proceed to point out fraudu'eh'
nractice which is common in the history OF ea'ua
contr lct work in this country Inc ie'oiu.
that in Manhattan and he Bronx Win al % '''
- h,,ois anartment houses and denseiy popu-
/ loted tenement districts. the Street O''i''"9 ~
| nartnent collected 900 OF a ton OF sa''"eo
o,, The brooklyn contractor reports "a' TIC
| ooIiec+o4 1G2 con tons. '~5 OF ION per ''P'''
,.ti,h is o25 ~ ton per capita more INA" W.
collected in Manhattan. The talsity Oh '"iS 'oPO
g. obvious 10 all and especially 90 TO those VINO dc
familiar with the local condiuo"s. N"' ~
.,,,sobo,aer will tell you that the garbage COZ
| i.io, in that borough is tardy ana inoohp'e'e.
.ro ,,oe, any householder in Manhattan VIII
w.. ,no 0arbare collection system Of the munici-
nal Street Cleaning Department.
THE SOLUTION OF THE QUESTION
W. u.u, allow that the Brooklyn contractor COZ
,oc,od as much garbage per capita aS was 1''
! ,ec.ed IN Manhattan by the street C''''''s =
partment. which is go Of ton. ms amour. -
| canita for ll97.O0O people amounts 10 go
You, daanct 80 cents per ton for hnal disposal an"
~ %, sq- a1o ar the amount TO be allowed Tor thdt
| tow, which must be deducted from 'he ,''ai
-. 90 the contract-sl2o ocD-leaving so4'"" 10
| o,-osont cost Of collection ms ldt'e' ""'
d,v,ded bv 7is2O gives us 81 Il as '"e 00'' -
collection per ton $500 -, .oroc,,on ner
49,, hatng cents Joss in Brooklyn than It Is IN
Manhattan. we md a a matter Of fact 'ha' " /
about - cents more. This calculation pS inc "'''
&c made on basis that is extremely generous ~
the contractor. ~, ,shos
In tho table we have given. the amount OF as"es
and dry waste collected in Brooklyn az +f'o''
cuh,c Yards which IS the contractors report maN'S
a per capita collection of LA cubic yards tor brooN
lvn. against per capita collection Of Ill cuUc
! Yards in Manhattan That the ash ana airy VASE
/ contractor in Brooklyn has been making reports as
false as those Of the garbage contractor Il aPpa'
ont when II is seen that he would have us be-
reve that the per capita collection OF this ma
terlal was greater in Brooklyn than IN Manhattan
have not taken the trouble TO reduce 'hs item
TO q fair estimate as have done with the garbage
item don't think there IS any danger OF any
one believing that the collection Of ashes and dry
waste IN Rrooklvn Is more searching and near
perfection than It is in Manhattan. or that the
cost of collection per cubic yard If truly less thah
one half Of the cost Of the same Work IN Mahhd'-
/ tan. have no doubt that careful investigation
! would show that the per capita amount OF ashes
and dry waste collected In Brooklyn is less than
IS per cent Of the per capita amount collected In
! Manhattan.
The solution Of the whole garbage question is
very simple matter for any city. First, reconcile
your minds to the fact that the protection OF the
! public health Is more important than the saving
of few dollars Then familiariZe yourself with
the history OF the contract system applied TO
this work in thiscountry. and you Will come 10 the
! conclusion that in order 70 have this work prop
erlv done II is necessary for the city to shoulder
its Just responsibility and do the work Itself Then
employ an honest and competent sanitary engineer
10 map out the work of collection and estimate IT'S
cost Then turn the work over TO the Health De-
partment where It properly belongs together with
/ an appropriation sufficient to cover the engineers
/ estimate. Finally. don't attempt 70 make the dis
] "A OF
health OF the people.