The Topeka state journal., 1901-05-14
AN OLD SKELETON
City Dump Question Once More
Dragged Out.
Crematory Appears to Be More
Ornamental Than Useful.
GARBAGE NOT BURNED.
Dumped on River Bank to Breed
Disease.
Committee Appointed to In
vestigate Outrage.
GARBAGE NOT BURNED.

The old familiar strain was played
with variations at the city council
meeting last night. To the Old-timers
It seemed as though the shades of
Mayor Fellows and Mayor Drew should
have been present to preside over the
presentation. BY the concert of city
fathers, OF that time-honored HbrettO
known as The City Dump.
Just as in the days of yore, the pic
turesque sights and smells of the city
dump were marched in grand array
before the minds eye of the council,
by eloquent n embers- Indignation
flashed from aforesaid minds eye the
sanitary committee was instructed to
probe the city dump situation, and re-
port next Tuesday night
According to reports received by the
council the city dump or crernatory, IS
in worse shape than ever before. Form
erly the city held certain restric tions
over the prOprietors of the dump by
means of a city license and a bond for
the faithful performance of the duties
OF the position Now the dump men
have no license, and the city has no
bond, both having expired long ago.
but the city has been paying the dump
ing concern $50 a month right along,
regardless Of the equivalent rendered
The matter was brought to the at
tention of the council by N cans of a
letter from s. NJ. Evans. of Ill North
Branner street. Mr. Evans has worked
for the dump company, and claims to
know whereof he speaks He says that
the alleged "crema tory does not burn
the refuse as it should; that even the
dead animals are not properly Gre
mated; that no effort is made to pre-
vent the stencil of nightsoil from
poisoning the atmosphere of the whole
community, and that the health and
comfort of the northeast part of town
is jeOpardized-
Monday afternoon. before the meeting
so nj
Street Commissioner Snyder went out
to the crematOry to investigate the
charges made in the letter
We found things even worse than is
represented in the letter" said Mayor
Hughes last night before the council
When Mr.. Snyder and m ysef were
about a block away the people at the
dump saw US coming and rushed
down to the dump and began to cover
up the nightsoil with stable manure
We went down there and dug down
until we found out what the company
Is doing. This company hasn't lived UP
TO any contract 1t hasn't lived up to
any agreement It is dangerous to the
health of the city, and wish you men,
bers OF the council would Investigate
the thing for yourselves But would
advise you not to go out there imme-
diately after any meal"
The sanitary committee Of the coun-
Gil, consisting Of Councilmen Myers
and Swendson, are making a tour of
investigation to the city dump, or Gre
matory. this afternoon.
It appears that the only thing which
controls the work of the dump men
is city ordinance No 2116 which pro-
vides punishment for dumping in the
limits OF the city's sanitary Jurisdiction.
which is five miles from town In 1899
the city entered into contract with S.
@ Thompson and J. j. Brown, by the
terms of which these parties were to
erect aFcrematory and burn all manure
and dead animals The city contract
ed to pay $50 a month to the company
Tor caring for the city stables and re-
moving unclaimed dead animals. The
company entered into $500 bond for the
faithful discharge of its duties Pre-
vious to this the city had received a
bonus from Geo. Hapgood for doing
the same work for which it since has
been paying $50 a month. The crema-
tory IS now in charge of one J. T. Howe.
and ne Is not held under any contract
OF any bond, But he gets the $50 a
month from the city
MINOR MENTION
All the members of the council were
present last night except Mr. Warner
and Mr.. Bergundthal.
At the special meeting. held Just be-