The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-29
GARBAGE TROUBLES
WILL co To COURT
Contractors ThreatentO Sue
the City.
PRESIDENT PARKER TALKS
Believes Washington Fertilizer Com
pany Has Been Much Abused by
the CnmmissiouerS
PRESIDENT PARKER TALKS

The differences between the District
Commissioners and the Washington Fer
tilizer Company regarding the obser-
vance of the compact for the collection OF
the city's garbage will probably be sub
mitted to the courts for settlement The
against the District were voiced today by
President M. M. Parker.
There are two sides to a contract"
said Mr.. Parker TO a Times reporter to-
| day, ''and because one Of the parties to
the agreement is the District govern
ment does not affect the responsibility
| of that party to, keep the terms of the
compact"
Suit to Follow Appeal.
intention of the District to hold the
company down rigidly to its side of the
contract, and the company had no re-
course, except to compel the municipal
authorities to keep faith with the COM
pany. To this end brief has been sub
mitted to the Commissioners setting
forth the company's complaint, and the
Board had been asked to allow the
amount of damages named.
II not allowed, the company is prepar-
ed to file suit at an early date. first to
obtain court ruling on the terms of
the contract, and second to recover
damages, if the contention of the com
pany is correct.
Victimized by Commissioners.
Mr. Parker does not hesitate to say
his company had been victimized by
the treatment received at the hands of
the municipal authorities.
Mr. Parker comedies that the contract
calls for the daily collection of garbage
In specified parts of the city after April
Is. but last year, however, on account
OF the cool weather, the terms of the
i agreement were not insisted upon until
4 q later date. This year similar condt-
ltions prevailed, and the company thought
i # should have similar consideration,
particularly as the District government
had not kept the terms of its agree
ment.
Last year there was trouble over the
delivery of dead animals. The garbage,
also, contained then, and does now, for
eign materials, such as tin cans, oyster
shells, and broken glass. which served
to injure the machinery at the plant In
view of these discrepancies on the part
of the District concessions were made
last year. and Mr.. Parker thought the
same concessions should be allowed this
4 year.
How the matter was brought to an is
sue a few weeks ago, and the company
required to perform the daily service,
according to the contract. and was fined
$500 for failure to keep its contract be-
tween april Is and May l, has been pub
lished in The Times.
Contract Not Kept.
The District government, however. ac-
cording to Mr.. Parker. has not kept Its
contract, and has refused to allow bill
OF damages of 1.100 presented by the
company The agreement specified that
all the dead animals, such es horses.
cattle, etc. shall be delivered to the
company. IN practice this had not been
done.
A fertilizer company offers to pay 81
each for dead animals delivered 10 it.
Veterinary surgeons. livery men and
Street Cleaning Department. and the
animals are removed by the private firm,
before the Washington Fertilizer Com
pany learns Of them.
Mr. Parker said the company kept a
car at it's station In South Washington
ready to receive the animals. The cost
Of sending the car TO the plant in Vir-
ginia was 81 each trip. whether one ami
NAL or fourteen. the cars capacity, were
carried down. 1t was necessary TO send
the car each night. If there was one
carcass to dispose of, and there should
be from seven to twelve, to load upon
, the ear each day. In fact the average
, was not three animals. AS a consequence
money when it should be making a
profit.
: Another point was that householders
insisted upon putting broken crockery.
tin cans and oyster shells into the garb-
age cans. This was contrary to the
terms of the contract. The company
was obliged to employ two men, a cart
and a mule to separate these materials
from the garbage, and pile of such ma
terial had accumulated at the plant as
large as one of the big buildings in the
; city. This had cost the company much
money without recompense
Congress Heights Complains
C. P. Purdy, secretary Of the Congress
Heights Citizens Association. has for
warded TO the District Commissioners a
resolution passed by that body at It's
last meeting requesting the collection of
garbage IN Congress Heights twice each
week 1t appears there is no regular
collection of garbage in that suburb al
the present time, and the Citizens AS
{ sociation declares that the conditions
; OF residence there now demand the re-
! movaI of garbage the same as In other
portions of the District