New-York tribune., 1905-04-11

A reform which has been instituted in Oak
land CAL and which is described by Engineer
ing News" shows that the East has something
to learn from the West. A method of collecting
garbage has been adopted in the city just named
that is a vast Improvement on the one in vogue
in New-York and many other places. Kitchen
refuse kept separate from ashes, is here put in
metal can, which at stated intervals is placed
on the sidewalk in front of the house in which
II has accumulated. The contents are emptied
into a cart on certain days of the week, and as
the receptacle is rarely cleaned the material
which adheres to the interior of the can has
chance TO decompose In consequence the next
charge which if receives is liable to become par
ticularly offensive especially in summer; and as
hours may elapse while it stands on the street
passersby are exposed to a sickening expert
ence. Now in Oakland the cans are carried
from the sidewalk to the place of final disposal
of the garbage. \ wagon is in service there
which accommodates fifty ten gallon cans
Finally, each of the latter is provided with a
tightly fitting cover, and before being returned
it is washed and steriIized To spare the sensi-
bilities and health of the public in this manner.
it must be admitted, is a practice worthy of the
widest imitation.
Something is yet to be learned too, in regard
to the disposition made Of garbage after it has
been collected. The vilest plan is to dump the
stuff in a river harbor or in the open sea near
a big city. much better one is that pursued by
st. Louis. She sends her garbage down the river
in boat to an island twenty miles away. where
it is employed as a fertilizer on n farm Utility
is also subserved by the system which has been
followed on Barren Island in Jamaica Bay. Bv
cooking in digester two or three products are
obtained which possess commercial value but
the fumes from the works constitute an in
describable nuisance to people who live, perma-
nently or temporarily, to the leeward of them.
Finally, with the right type Of crematOry and n
very little fuel garbage may be burned econOmi
caly and without causing annoyance TO any,
body. In an elaborate report to Mr. Roosevelt
then Governor made five years ago by DR.. Alvab
H. Doty, the Health Officer of the Port of New.
York took the ground that incineration was
preferable to all other methods Numerous in
stances, found in this country as we'll as En-
rope, were mentioned in that document TO ilns-
trate the inherent merit and growing popularity
of the system which he advocated
DIR. Doty incidentally suggested an idea at
that time which seems TO have great possibilities
in it, Within the last few years many hospitoIs
hotels and apartment houses have been eduipDad
with suitable destructors for the consumption or
garbage, such establishments thus BECOMING :,
dependent of municipal means of disposal II
simple, but effective. apparatus could be Dro.
vided to perform the same function for tho
household the garbage problem would be solved
automatically 1t would then be no longer nec
essary to collect and transport through thu.
streets one of the most repulsive products ~
urban life. Until that day arrives. though tho
duty of choosing between methods Of conduct
ing those operations will be forced upon enligbt-
ened city governments. and in the mean time the
Oakland plan deserves careful consideration.