The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-01-02
WOE OF MAN
AND ASH CAN.
Loud Lamentations About
Contractor.
he CONES And lie CONES NOT.
HousehoIder's Wrathy Appeal
for the Regular Removal
Of Furnace Refuse.

correspondent Of The Times has come
to the conclusion. after a years some
what hard experience, that the District
ash removal service comes far short Of
what it promised to be when IL was in
augurated. He declares that the con-
| tractor or his miniOns change the regu-
/ lations at viii, without regard TO the con-
venience or welfare Of the hOusehOlders.
The correspondent conceaIs his name
under the modest title Of "A Small Tax
payer" and says that he is induced TO
free his mind because Of the known will
ingness Of The Times to champion the
cause Of the oppressed.
Sort OF Movable Feast.
In the first place" he says, some
I thing over year ago all housekecpers
were notified that there would be a col
lection service inaugurated and the head
Of the service required that all refuse be
placed in receptacles that held not less
than five gallons and not more than
/ twenty-five gallons, so that one man could
handle them. In a short time q wagon
appeared and took away ali that was Of
/ fered, word being left that each week
| the same day the collection would be
made Well. the day has been changed
/ from time to time. without any notice,
/ causing Inconvenience and annoyance.
I especially in localities where there are
/ no alleys
The next order received was that all
! recePtacIes must be Of metal and nothing
/ would be received unless placed therein.
J Vel
/ who wished TO continue the service and
/ had the interest of the service at heart.
Cover Idea Introduced.
After the lapse Of week or more. Mr.
! Ash Nan said all metal cans must have
/ covers. and that nothing would be re-
/ ceived unless in cans Of that kind. The
/ writer was quite fortunate having bought
. his can Of a dealer who was Offering cans
Of that kind, so be Rugged himself in the
/ consciousness Of having obeyed the law
Alas, he was mistaken, for in purchas-
ing a supply, he bought at two different
times. and is in possession Of two cans
16 inches high and y inches in diameter
and one can il inches in diameter and "A
inches high.
He tOted' the aforesaid cans to the
front last week. and Mr.. Inspector Ash
Man was with the attendants Of the
wagon, and he got his eagle eye on that
short can, and said:
Here. leave that can. The law has
not been obeyed. and I viii not take that
small can
He was demonstrated with. but very
/ impudently sai6 be knew his business. and
/ We need not have the service at all. as il
was not compulsory.
Il guess 1 viii have TO do as fully
I 20 per cent Of the people in our block
are doing-hire the old ash man and pay
[ him as of old.
The situation seems 10 me to be that
the contractor wants TO take as little
/ ashes as possible for the money he is
I receiving
Question for Commissioner.
IF the Commissioners have not the
money to do the service. why do they
try? # they have. and are paying the
contractor, why do they allow him the
arbitrary privilege Of changing rules from
time TO time. to the annoyance Of the
people?
If my cans have been fit and proper
I for a year Why are they not all right
/ now. especially since the small cdn-the
/ one the inspector says is too smalI-was
/ the FIRST can l purchased
The people Of the District are a good
. naturcd lot Of citizens, and not educated
I 10 much kicking as the columns Of the
daily papers viii show But IL seems
I time for the large and small taxpayers
I 20 rise up in theIs might and make a
. great big knock on the ash service. The
. garbage service. and t5e water service.
TO say nothing of the worst sidewalks in
the world"