The age-herald., 1899-06-25
PAPER AND ASHES
 THE ONLY GARBAGE
Taken 10 McAnnaIIy's, Says Mir.
 BurkhaIter.
NOW, WHAT WILL CITY DO
Is a Question Agitating the Officials Sanitary Officer Thomas Suggests Crematory as the Way Out
 of the Difficulty.

The case against G. B. Burlkhalter, one of the garbage contractors, which was to be tried yesterday. was continued on ac- count of the absence of some of the wit nesses for the city.
 Mr Burkhalter was present with his at torney, M. J. Gregg, and came prepared to fight the case. He claims that the law was not violated when the garbage was deposit- ed near McAuley's quarters, as that place had been used for a dumping ground for fifteen years. That it was low swampy piece of ground, and was unfit for any oth- CT use.
 "In regard to the garbage contract,' said MT. Burkhalter, "there are not more than ten men in Birmingham who understand it. There are two classes of garbage-the dead animals, slop and other similar refuse matter, and then the ashes and paper The last named articles are what We have been hauling to MeAnally's quarters.
 'Under the old contract wagons did not go out there very often; sometimes several days elapsed between trips. Now they ar rive every few hours, and the people in that vicinity must have gotten scared.
 l1is IodIClhy lO SuihilS lO uS, pdI simply swore out the warrant on state- ments made by persons living in that neighborhood. We are cleaning this city as it has never been before. and the peo- pie can't understand why the wagons come so often."
 He was then ased if he had noticed any smell arising from the place.
 Smells Like a Geranium
 "Yes, I've been out there," MT. Burk- halter replied, 'and the place actually smells like a geranum. There is nothing carried there but ashes and paper, and an unhealthy odor cannot possibly come from the trash pile The rest of the garbage is carried to our farm five miles from town." Dr. Barclay said that he swore out the warrant on statements of persons living near the quarters. He stated that one lady told him that spoiled fish from the stands was brought there and dumped.
 The question now confronts the contract ors as to what shall be donRwith the garb- age. Everywhere it is deposited somebody protests. The contracting firm is making arrangements for another dumping ground, it is said, but the location cannot yet be
 
 General Thomas, one of the health off cers says that the only solution of the problem is the establishment of a city crematory
 "This will cost about 3O0O0," said the general, but it will be a great thing for the health of Birmingham and will rid us of all this trouble about a dumping ground"
 General Thomas stated that Dr. Barclay had suggested to him that the refuse mat ter be put on freight cars and hauled out of the city The general did not think this plant practicable as the railroads would re- fuse to haul it and if they did agree to do so the garbage would probably remain in the cars for several days which would make matters worse.
 The friends of MT. Burkhalter say that there is something more than a mere health precaution behind the arrest. They say that some of the reports were made to Dr. Barclay for other reasons entirely. Just what the trouble is they would not say, but intimated that politics was behind it.
 The case will be heard before Judge Feagin next Thursday.