The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-26
NEW GARBAGE PLANT.
Committee Recommends That
Another Be Licensed.

Following the Investigation con-
corning the condition of the desiccating
plant made Monday afternoon, but not
as a result of that Investigation, the
health and sanitation committee OF the
city council has voted to recommend to
the council that scavenKer's license
be granted to S. M. Evans. This is q de
rect slap at the existing plant, and was
bitterly opposed by Councilman Nichols,
the consistent friend OF the plant. II
the council grants the license, Mr..
Evans will be permitted to establish q
rival "desiccating" plant
AS far as the investigation was con-
cerned, it was fully as large and volum-
inous a success as was anticipated. The
cleaned and scrubbed and polished from
top to bottom. There were no loud
smells, no decaying dead animals in
sight, no carcasses reposing on the river
which were there a few weeks ago,
when the people of North Topeka Med
their protest against the plant. So the
committee reported unanimously that
is in sanitary condition, and recommend
that the protest signed by 100 residents
of the city be filed" The owners of
the plant have had nearly a month to
fix things up since the protest was filed.
OF the three members of the health
and sanitation committee, Grfley and
Tincher, voted In favor of granting
license to s. M. Evans. Nichols of course
opposed lnlS move. NlCtlOlS lldS yS
opposed any plan which would terminate
the monopoly which the present plant
enjoys. The trip to the desiccating plant
was made in the patrol wagon, and
when the investigation had been made,
the committee held meeting instanter
and voted to grant Evans the license.
Mr.. Griley and Mr.. Nichols INDUCED in
a heated argument on the case. but
Griley stood firm in his position that
If the council votes to grant Evans
the license. the only result will be that
the present desiccattng plant will have
some competition, and the chances are
that there will be a cut In the existing
high prices for scavenger work. Instead
of paying the "desiccating plant a
double price, the mask will be taken
off, and no further Dretense will be
made to dispose of garbage according
to recognized sanitary methods. Evans
does not pretend to follow out the terms
of the garbage ordinance. His propo-
sition as made to the council is simply
this:
1.-THE undersigned has made satisfac-
tory arrangements with the owner OF
land adjoining the Kansas river more
than five miles from the boundary lin.
its of the city by which I can deposit
and dispose of all night soil and gar
bage that I may remove from the city,
without in any way inconveniencing any
person or creating any nuisance"
The SO-called "deSiccating' works
simply pipe the garbage into the river
No attempt is made to desiccate any
thing except dead animals, and there
is some question as to what is done
with them.
In spite of all attempts to fix up some
way of disposing of garbage in san
ftary manner, 1t is a continual fuss and
wrangie in Topeka A satisfactory
manner of doing the work has never
been found.
Councilman Nichols said today in
speaking of the investigation of the
plant:
The council has never made an In
vestigation and found things otherwise
than all-1ht. It has invariably set its
seal of approval on the plant. In view
of that, it does not look right to me that
1t should give another firm a license to
do business here, and take away all the
profits from the existing plant. Con-
siderable money has been invested in
this plant, and the investors ought to be
protected, not forced to meet this kind
Of competition. The plant is in good
shape. 1t is too small know, to handle
all the work, but it is doing the best 1t
can"