Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-09
GARBAGE PROBLEM
Apparently 1t Has Been Solved in
the Present Contract
THE REDUCTION PLANT IN DETROIT
A Similar One to Be Erected
Outside This City.
OTHER REFUSE ATTER

The Commissioners of the District believe
that in accepting the proposal of Mr.. Mar
win H. Chamberlain of Detroit. Mich, for
the collection and disposal of garbage and
dead animals in the District for a term of
five years they have satisfactorily solved
one of the most perplexing and trouble
some questions ever presented to them for
solution. AS heretofore stated in The Star,
the garbage and dead animals will, under
the contract with Mr. Chamberlain. be dis
posed of by what is known as the reduction
process, the same method to be pursued
here that has been in operation at Detroit
for about twelve years and in several other
cities for lesser periods. But, on behalf of
this method, it is claimed that in no in
stance has it failed to give entire satisfac-
ton. The contract with Mr.. Chamberlain,
with whom, it is stated, will be associated
several well-known local business men, will
not begin to run until the first of next De-
cember, as it will require about that length
of time to construct the reduction plant.
Meantime the present contractor will per-
form this class of work.
Method to BE Pursued.
Several years ago The Star published an
Interesting description of the manner in
which the work was performed under Mr.
Chamberlan's management In Detroit,
which description applies to the method he
will pursue here. While with the city au-
thorities of Detroit the disposal of garbage
is matter of hygiene, as it will be with
the District Commissioners. with Mr.. Cham
bcrlain and his associates it is purely an in
dustrial enterprise, it being to their inter-
ests to collect every ounce OF the garbage
For he explained to a reporter of
The Star. we are in this business to make
money. and the more garbage we collect
and dispose Of the more money We make,
we desire to secure every available ounce
of it
In Detroit Mr.. Chamberlain's company
collects all the garbage of the city and
removes it to its factory. some twenty miles
distant, where it is converted into articles
of commerce. There the city is divided into
two circles of varying radii. Within a cir
Gle of two miles the company makes daily
collections: within that of three miles tr1-
weekly collections. while here the city and
its more densely populated suburbs will be
divided into districts, from which districts
the garbage will be collected at such inter-
walls as may he deemed necessary and prop
er by the Commissoncrs-daily in some,
every other in others, and so on.
A Rebate on Every Ton.
Here, as in Detroit the municipality will
receive a bonus rebate on every ton of
garbage collected above certain amount,
Mr.. Chamberlain agreeing to pay the Dis
trict 30 cents on every ton collected above
twenty tons day. This rebate here will,
it is estimated. amount to not less than
$1,000 a year, and may reach $1,000 Just
as many wagons or carts will be employed
in the collection of the garbage may be
necessary Those vehicles consist of an
ordinary wagon frame or bed, on which
rests the garbage receptacle or caisson.
This is a rectangular or, as it Is popularity
styled, an oblOng metal box, which has
lid each side. that it may be filled
from both sides AT each end there is a
projection printle.
The factory or plant to be erected for
the purpose of disposng of the garbage
of the District will be located outside the
District. in Maryland Virginia, and to
it the garbage will be conveyed by rail-
road There will be no transfer of the
garbage from the collecting wagons in the
District, as may be seen from the follow
ing description of the method pursued in
Detroit:
How 1t is Done in Detroit.
Upon switch of the Wabash railroad
was a car somewhat like an ordinary gon-
dola car car without any top. On this
car the garbage caissCns were being loaded.
The wagon was driven up to the track and
a trolley an overhead track was
along over the caisson. Rings We're slipped
over the projections at the ends of the
caisson. and the latter was lifted from the
bed, and the trolley slid along over the car,
upon which the caisson was lowered. This
was continued until all the caissons were
loaded on the cars, there being two of the
latter required for each days collection.
Al night these cars are removed TO the COM
panys works at French landing, on the
Huron river. twenty miles from Detroit.
at will thus be seen that the garbage is
removed in Detroit from the private prem
ises and is never disturbed until it reaches
the company's factory. There is no dump
ing of II in the city. fostering mass.
Standing within ten feet of the car loaded
with these caissons there was only a faint
odor of sour garbage. The latter being eff
fectually collected, and. in the bulk of the
city daily, was. of course, not in a fer
niCnted or nauSeOuS condition. and the easy
and quiet handling of the caissons pre-
Guided any agitation or stirring of the mass
as must happen when dumped, and there
was not any particle of garbage about the
depot except what was in the caissons.'
The writer of the above also visited the
reduction plant or factory to which the gar
bage of the District is conveyed and there
disposed of, and from his description of It
the people of the District will be enabled
to see what they may expect here. He
says:
The Factory.
1.-The factory is situated upon the banks
of the Huron river. There was nothing in
the appearance or in the air to denote that
| here the garbage of great city was being
disposed of. The location is a beautiful
one, upon high bank of swiftly running
stream. amid a growth Of trees, and farm
houses scattered around
AT the immediate entrance, whence could
be seen on the receiving floor the garbage
of the day before there was only a slightly
perceptible odor. AT this entrance the
caissons are removed from the cars by
trolley similar to the by which they
are loaded. On this trolley they are run
into the factory and the contents dumped
upon the receiving floor. In this floor there
are openings through which the garbage is
fed down pipes into the steamers. The
steamer is iron receptacle consisting of
| one cylinder within another. steam space
being between them. Within the inner CYL
| inder is dasher, and into this cylinder the
garbage is introduced. Steam is let into
| the space between the two cylinders, and
| the garbage is thoroughly cooked or dis
| titled, the dasher being kept in motion so
| as to thoroughly agtate the mass. A fan
| or blower communicating with the interior
| of the inner cylinder draws off all the
steam, which is forced into a condensing
| chamber filled with cold water, condensed
and passed down a siuice into the river
AS the odor passes off with this stream all
| admission of odOr in the air is fully OBJ
waited.
LAS soon the steam is all driven off
| the dry residuum, which by the action of
| the dashers is quite comminuted, is drawn
| off from the steamers This residuum has
| very much the appearance of coffee
| grounds 1t passes Off in carriers and is
| deposited into another set of receivers
| which the separators. Into these sepa-
rators the naphtha is introduced at the