Evening journal., 1904-05-06

To the Editor Of The Evening Journal. |
Now that the Board OF Health has
issued i,s report think that many
OF your readers who are interested in
the collection Of garbage would like to
know what the report says on that sub
ject. BY publishing It you would OBJ
lige.--
Jackson Street
Below is the article I'm question,
emitting the table Of complaints. [Ed.l
Notwithstanding the increased cost
TO the city Of Wilmington for the coll
lection OF garbage. the service has been
in the same chaotic condition the past
year that it has been since the power
to award the contracts for the re-
moval OF garbage was taken from the
Board Of Health by the city Council.
The mere fact that one city depart
ment is empowered to award these con-
tracts has no bearing on the efficiency
Of the service The principal objection
10 the garbage ordinance passed by
the city Council, December "a, 1899, is
that IL took from the Board OF Health
OF garbage and deprived IL from MAXI
ing any rules or regulations which In
the judgment Of the Board would be
for the betterment OF the service.
The Board Of Health Is the recog-
nized sanitary body Of any municipal
lty. and to reduce the garbage nuisance
to a minimum in this city It should
have entire control Of the garbage coll
IA Il s.N
as well. Section 3 OF the ordinance
passed by Council specifies that IL
shall be the duty OF the contractors to
remove all garbage and offal from all
the streets running east and west on
Mondays. Wednesdays and Fridays
and from an streets running north and
south on Tuesdays. Thursdays and
Saturdays. In other words the con-
tractors are required by ordinance to
collect the garbage three times a week,
yet hundreds Of our citizens complain
that the garbage is not removed from
their residences for periods OF two or
three weeks and frequently not for
longer time.
Many OF the residents OF the outly-
ing districts OF the city complain to
the health officers that they never see
throw their refuse on the vacant lots.
II would be an impossibility TO report
how many OF our citizens complained
during the year Of the non-coilection Of
garbage as no system whatever was
maintained.
Some collectors through their en-
ployees. notified the householders on
their districts to send their complaints
] q -.
and one contractor distributed printed
cards throughout his district requesting
an citizens who wished TO make COM
plant Of negligence to send their COM
plants to his stable. These means
were taken for the purpose OF pre-
venting as many complaints as possible
from reaching the Board OF Health
Office
Owing to the unsettled condition OF
the garbage collections. many of our
lcitizens really did not know to whom
to make their complaints. Some made
their complaints to the chairman of
the Crematory Committee Of city
Council. others TO the Councllmeu Of
their respective wards. and yet others
complained TO the Health office.
Judging from the number Of COM
plants that reached this Office. the coll
lection Of garbage was more poorly
managed during the year 1908 than in
any other year
Four thousand four hundred and
three complaints or the nom collection
lof garbage We're received az this oflce
lduring the year. Many Of these peo-
pie made the second. third. and often
the fourth complaint before their gar
bagc was removed
The city OF Wilmington IS divided
into four garbage districts. as follows:
All the part Of the city east Of Mar
ket street and south OF Sixth street. is
the first district; all cast Of Market
street and north Of Sixth street Is the
! second district; all west Of Market
street and south OF Sixth street is the
third district; and all the part Of the
city west Of Market street and north
Of Sixth street. is the fourth district.
Another serious feature OF the gar
. hage question is the collection OF gar.
3 bage by parties other than the con-
tractors employed by the city Durinf
last summer and autumn az least thirt,
per cent. Of the garbage collected II
Wilmington was collected by farmerl
p and parties having piggeries close I,
AAAN fAAa
AS rule this garbage was collecte,
y in open wagons or carts or IN barreh
n without covering. and I was frequenti,
9 called 20 order the offensive sneuhn
~ wagons from the city.
The executive officers report tina
the collections made By these partie
a- are very irregular and as the cit
Of contractors depend on them TO take m
. . Rnrhuup from certain residences
, storm Of complaints are made. whe
wet weather. bad roads or some 9th,
v cause, prevents these outside collector
)n from reaching the city.
D. All garbage collection. excepting I
=. the city contractors. should be Or,
hihted by ordinance. as the collectic
10 by outside parties confuses the sorvi,
es and encourages the establishment
at piggeries adjacent TO the city.