The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-01
City CIematory Question an Is
sue in Election.
Refusal to Submit Proposition
Makes Trouble.
IT MAY HELP GRILEY.
Has Been One of Leaders for the
Project.
Some of Advocates of City Gre
matOry Are DESERVING.

To some extent, the question of a city
crematory is going to figure in the COM
ing city election The election of several
new councilmen will be sufficient to set
tie the future policy Of the city either
for or against a municipal crematory
for garbage.
Down in the Fifth ward this is the
principal issue. James Sinner, the Re
publican candidate, voted against sub
hitting the city crematory bond pro-
position to popular vote. This was, it
is claimed, because of his friendship for
W. L. Osborn, the proprietor of the
present garbage plant. Sinner wants
to help Osborn keep possession of the
plant. But this attitude of Sinners IS
stirring up q good deal of opposition,
and is giving the Democratic candidate,
Frank Effinger, reason to believe that
he can get enough votes to win. A Sys-
tematic fight has been made on Sinner
simply on the ground that he fought the
city crematOry. It is not likely however
that he will be defeated.
There were five councilmen who voted
against the crematory. They were
Howe, Hughes, SWendson, Nellis and
Sinner. Owing to absences, this left
the vote a tie, and the proposition was
| declared lost.
Joseph C4riley is one of the men who
/ led the fight for the city crematOry, and
he is up for reelection. His position on
the crematory matter is going to help
him with the people of his ward, and
| if he gets back in the council, as he is
likely to do, he will certainly reopen
/ the fight for a city crematory. He will
/ possibly be able to get enough votes to
/ have special election called on the
proposition. This depends on who the
/ new councilnen happen to be.
Even among those who have hereto
fore stood in favor Of q city. crematory,
there is now a disposition to abandon
1 that plan, and turn to the proposition
/ which has been made by J. Q. Owen,
| formerly a Topeka police sergeant.
1 Owen proposes to haul the refuse from
/ the city to a point about half a, mile
! beyond Oakland and bury it. There is a
! tract of land out there which is owned
! by Owen s. brother-in-laW, and they
| think they can see a great deal OF
money in this way of handling garbage.
We will agree to bury all refuse in
such way that it will be entirely sat
! isfaetory to the board Of health, the
| city council and everybody else says
Mr.. Owen. We will not simply throw
a shoVelful or two Of dirt on it and call
it buried, sbut it will be put under the
ground in good shape. If the council
/ gets ready to take UP this garbage BUSH
| ness again, and wants q proposition
from US, we will make one which will
/ method of getting rid of its dead ami
mails, nightsoil and garbage, but which
will save the city a lot of money be-
Sides
Councilman William Green, who has
/ heretofore stood by the city crematOry
matter, is now rather inclined to with
draw his support and take up with the
Owen plan. He has been investigating,
and has found good authority for the
belief that burying night soil and gar
bage is about the most sanitary way
! there is for disposing of them, provided
the right place can be found in which
to bury them.
A garbage expert who has had much
Z experience in such matters, discusses
all kinds of sewage and garbage dis
/ pOsaF in a recent copy of a MaSSachuS-
/ etts paper received here. He says that
cremation is all right provided that a
cremator can be found which will meet
the demands made upon it. He seems
to doubt whether such a crematory has
yet been placed on the market. In
speaking of the burial system, he says:
Proper burial in the earth, especially
in open, sandy soil, is a most satisfac-
tory way of disposal as long as nearby
land can be found. In some cases the
cheapness of burial as compared with
other methods might offet the cost of a
long haul"
There is certainly no lack Of sandy
soil near Topeka, and the Owen tract is
right in an old bend of the Kansas riv-
er. 1t looks as though It might be
worth while for Topeka to try the bur-
ial plan for a while, anyway. 1t will
cost the city nothing for equipment,
and it may prove to be exactly what
is needed in this town.
It is certainly time that something be
done. While under the management OF
w. L. Osborn, the garbage proposition
has been more satisfactorily handled
than before yet his concern does not
possess the proper facilities for taking
care of the work in Topeka, and the
only way the city can get proper ser
vice is to have the whole business re-
constructed upon a broader and more
effective basis.