The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-24
PROFIT IN WASTE.

Everything has some value Exhaust power is
turned into profit. Spare minutes are often used to
accomplish important work. Often a mans success In
life is attributable the utilization of little leisure
moments of time. Not infrequently large business
concern manages to operating expenses out of
what is called waste" stock power; now and then
the udicOus of waste is the only justification
for Il large concerns existence
The Board of Public improvements of this city is
charged by Charter with the disposal of garbage al
though this duty has been exercised by the Board
Health. The B. P. /. takes up the garbage-disposa
project for the first time this year Before it decides
any definite plan the Board should investigate the
value of waste Waste has a financial value
Garbage is worth money: at the least it is not 50
worthless that the city should pay large price to
get rid of it.
Norfolk, Va. spends fory-nine cents per ton for
cremating its garbage. Why not try to reduce gar
bage that instead of spending forty nine cents for
every ton disposed Of there will be some revenue; or
least that the expenses will balance. nearly
balance. with the value of garbage: If the Board of
Public Improvements will give consideration to the
garbage question. as Doctor John Mciraw Woodbury..
Commissioner of Street Cleaning in New York. did
to the refuse from the streets the disposal Of garbage
will become more Of business proposition.
The city had been paying nineteen cents per cubic
year, or an aggregate Of about $4,000 year, for
dumping street-waste into the sea This waste in
cludes everything gathered by the white wings ex-
cept ashes and garbage Doctor Woodbury. shows by
experiments, however, that this waste is worth
thing.
Il have fuel which is about the value Of wood"
Doctor Woodbury. states. 1.-The experimental plant
shows that 1t is great mistake to throw this
teria into the There Is enough Of 1t to furnish
heat sufficient to run the water plant Of the city. and
the greater part of city lighting plant if the
city ever gets one. The heat produced be sup
piled to factories the rubbish supplied to some
manufacturer wise enough to see the saving in cost
over the price of coal AT present it nineteen
cents yard to throw the rubbish into the sea, and
horsepower sells for $40 per year"
Doctor Woodbury. adds and this is worthy of at
tenton by members of the Board of Public Improve
ments Even if cannot get cent for the fuel sold.
the heat furnished. the city will be about s150OO0
year 10 the good to get rid Of it for nothing. II
get only cent cubic yard for the rubbish it
means an income to the city Of nearly $4,000 the
saving in cost of dumping at sea- and that is an item
worth considering
The garbage delivered to an Independent company.
and which the city pays to have disposed of, has
value 1t is worth something. The worth may not be
enormous: but there is worth. The garbage is good
for something. Instead Of offering price for red,,-
cling offa. the Board might find responsible con-
tractor who would be glad to take it for nothing.
Paraphrasing the statement Of Doctor Woodbury. 1t
may be said Of St Louis that, If the city should
not derive cent Of profit from the by-products it
would be s165O00 year the good to get rid of it
for nothing
This subject should be studied thoroughly for the