The age-herald., 1901-04-14
MAYOR DRENNEN
 TALKS ID WOMEN
Before the Woman's Club He
 Delivered an Address
SANITATION HIS SUBJECT
He Says the Contract System for Haul. Ing Garbage Should Be Aban-
 doned-BeIieves In Crema
 tory-cunnlngham's Talk.

At meeting of the womans Club of Birmingham yesterday the question of proper sanitary regulations was discussed. Mayor Drennen and Dr. CunninghamS president of the Alabama Medical Asso- citation. both delivered addresses on the subject
 Dr. Cunningham spoke of the causes of bad sanitation and thee effect of the lack of proper sanitary regulations. His talk was a most interesting one, and showed thorough and absolute Knowledge on his part of the subject 4
 The speech of Mayor Drennen was also interesting and was frought with political significance. In part 1t was as follows:
 "Sanitation is a subject which is cap able of being discussed under so many subdivisions that 1t would be obviously impossible to touch upon all of them this afternoon I will therefore confine my re- marks to that branch of the subject which refers to the collection and disposal of garbage.
 ITO collect and dispose of garbage in the most satisfactory and economical manner is a subject that opens up a wide range for discussion.
 At the present time it can scarcely be said that there is any one system that has been in operation as yet that is so far superior to all other systems as to recommend it's universal adoption Before any system can be adopted in Birming- ham that will be at all satisfactory, tho city will first have to erect a crematory so that garbage. after it has been col- lected, can be disposed of In more satis- factory manner than 1t Is at the present time
 "There arc two methods known and which are in use at the present time in different cities in the United States; one is known as the system of reduction or utilization. and the other is incineration. Some cities have one system, and some the other so this question itself of ''sys- tenn" opens up wide field for discussion. The former process seeks to extract and convert into marketable shapes all in- gradients that are of any value; whilst by the latter method no attempt is made to save any of the products, the thorough combustion of all organic matter being the end sought for. Either method has its advocates but as coal can be had in Bir- mingham at a much lower cost than in al- most any other city in the Unitec States, it will readily be seen that the eity of Birmingham could destroy its garbage at A much lower cost with crematory than by utilization.
 Small Cost of Crematory.
 "In this connection I may add that it has often occurred to me that a portion
 rnl la r1tg this city, which is being wasted every day, might be collected and employed to advantage for fuel in connection with garbage crematory, thus supplying the necessary heat at even a much lower cost than from our cheap coal
 'Under the contract. now in existence in this city the contractor agrees to fur nish daily twelve double teams. with two men each, and seven single teams, with one man each, at all times, and such ad- ditional teams and men as may be neces- sary to perform this work in satisfac- tory manner, the whole being subject to the supervision. control and decision of the sanitary inspectors, who are elected by the Board of Health officers. The con tract further specifies that the contract ors shall furnish at their own expense a dumping place for all trash, ashes or other matter removed from the city limits under this contract.
 'In my last annual report to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, under the head of Sanitation which I hope you ladies have read, I stated that fully two-thirds of the complaints that come to the May af ba c nf present sanitary methods, and further stated that I did not believe it possible to secure thorough and efficient service in this department under the contract system. I am firmly convinced that the sanitary department should be put under the supervision, of the Street Commits sioner, as the reports for last year show the cost of the sanitary department was greater than that of the street depart ment, and there was no comparison in the efficiency of the service.
 New System Recommended.
 ''The good that could be accomplished along this line through the Woman's Club Is incalculable. In case you should decide to take this subject up with view of doing something, I would suggest that you first inaugurate a plan by which garbage and ashes be placed in separate receptacles. Second, that you convince majority of the members of the Board of Aldermen that these evils will continue to exist as long as this work is carried on under the contract system.
 During the time I have been connect ed with the affairs of this city, which em- braces a period of more than five years, the garbage has been removed and dis posed of under the contract system. When I was first elected to the position which I now hold I would almost blush when leading society women would call me up on telephones and ask that I come to their residences and investigate the sani- tary conditions of their back yards. If these complaints were confined to teie- phones and special messengers. I might favor the continuance of this work under tho contract system. hut they are m ade