The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-21

Bids were opened at the District Build
ing yesterday on the contract for the col
lection and disposal of garbage, dead ami
mails. night soil miscellaneous refuse and
ashes ir the District of Columbia" In all
there we're FIVE bids. with prices ranging
from $4,000 to s225. 900 on the general
proposition of collecting and dispcsing Of
the waste of the city and the more pop
ulous portions of the county.
Bids were invited on fifteen separate pro-
posals. the idea being in the minds of the
Commissioners that different parties might
wish to bid on separate items. and that
in a diversity of bids of this kind the
work might be divided to the advantage of
the District in the way OF saving expense
The bids received, however, were for the
entire work of the collection and disposal
OF all forms of refuse and three kinds of
reduction were included. The bids were
opened and read in the following order:
r. V. Bush submitted a bid in two parts
for the collection and disposal Of night
soil SlICO0, and for the collection and
disposal of other refuse, $5S.G0O. II was
proposed by Dir. Bush to transport the
refuse beyond the District limits and to
dispose, of the same in a manner satisfac-
tory to the Health officer.
The American Contracting and Manu-
featuring Company, of Philadelphia, bid
upon four of the fifteen proposals. as fol-
lows: On proposal II. S61 POO; on proposal
u. SCI GOO; on proposal 10, So, zee; and
on proposal IA, 81. 200 The bid for So, 200
was on the general proposition for the
collection and disposal for all forms of
waste. This company proposed scheme
of converting garbage and night soil
known as the standard hydraulic system,
which is claimed to be rapid and effective.
The company promises no smells, gases or
vapors. Pending the inauguration of the
plant. garbage would be collected and dis
l,os,,,- If as at present.
The third proposition opened was that
of z. F. McGill, of Troy, n. Y. The bid
was sl06, 900 on proposal H. which in
cludes the work OF collecting and cremat-
ing the refuse of the District and the
gathering and removal of ashes 1t is pro-
posed to build and operate two Dixon fur
naces, which are to burn all waste in a
manner satisfactory to the Health officer.
Large dead animals are to be removed in
covered ambulances to the rendering
works of P. Mann, while small animals
are 10 be burned in the crematories. Ashes
are to be removed and dumped on low
ground as at present, and the company
proposes to remove and burn infected
clothing and furniture at the direction OF
the Health Officer.
The Lester Furnace Company, of At
lanta, Ga, on a bid of $225 600, proposes
10 erect two crematories at convenient
points. capable of consuming 200 tons of
garbage and waste each twenty-four hours.
The process is to be the same as that now
in operation in Atlanta, aud which was
recently described in The Times. During
the time required for the erection of the
furnaces garbage, night soil, and miscel-
3aneous waste are to be disposed of as at
present. The collection of ashes under
this contract would be practically the same
as that described under the previous bid.
The General American Reduction Com
pany, OF Newark, n. j.. submitted bid
covering the entire work for sS5 900. The
scheme of disposal proposed by this COM
pany is to remove all refuse to Sandy Bar
Farm, Prince George County, for n period
of five months, while the reduction retorts
are being erected. These are to be located
at convenient points in the city, and the
process is one of chemical precipitation.
The refuse is first treated with sulphuric
acid for several hours, steam is then
turned on, and the mass is boiled until it
Is thoroughly digested or reduced to
liquid form. 1t is then cooled and pre-
cipitated for two hours. The oils are
the water distilled, the remain
ing acid saved for future use, and the resi- |
due dried for fertilizer.
The present contract for the collection |
and disposal Of garbage and ashes expires |
on July 1, and the foregoing bids are for |
a contract TO begin then, and to terminate |
in five years. The Commissioners have |
reserved the right TO reject any or all |
of the bids