The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-11-05
TOWN WILL Do IT
MONTCLAIR WILL REMOVE
GARBAGE ITSELF.
Council Rescinds scayengers' Contract
Because of Complaints-545
in One Month.

Tired of the lack of proper garbage
service and spurred to action by hum
dreds of complaints from disguised
property owners the Montclair Town
Council at an adjourned meeting last
night rescinded the contract with WILL
lam A1worth & Son. of hat town, for
the removal of garbage n ashes. The
contract was made January 1 last for
one year at $15,65O. The Council will
now rave the work done, and will hold
the Metropolitan Surety Company, of
New York, which is on the contractors
bend, for any shortage that may ac-
crue in carrying out the contract to
its expiration, December 81 next. II
there is any unexpended balance it will
be given to the contractors. The reso-
luton passed also provided for the pay
ment to the contractor of all money
due up until tomorrow, without any
penalization.
Almost from the commencement Of
the contract, January 1 last, house-
holders began complaining Of the
neglect of the contractors to make
proper collections. The Council for sew
efal months requested the citizens to
be lenient, assuring them that the sys-
tenn would soon be in good working
order. Time, however, did not seem to
make any improvement. The contrac-
tors were summoned before the Coun-
Gil last February, and as an excuse
for the neglect of making satisfactory
collections said that large accumula-
tons of ashes had been left over by the
former contractor, and that If all the
accumulations were emoved from all
the houses, so that they could have a
fair start, there would be no further
trouble.
The Council saw the force of this
argument. and 1t Immediately procured
horses, wagons and men and cleaned
up the refuse and ashes from every
house in town at a considerable ex-
pense- This. however, did not seem to
bring any improvement. Complaints
came piling in every day at the rate
of forty or fifty, and the Council was
berated by almost everybody In the
town. The contractors were appealed
to, n promises of better service were
r,ede, but the promises were never full
filed.
The complaints became 80 numerous
that the time of Andrew r. Smith,
superintendent of garbage and ashes
collection. was wholly taken up at the
telephone receiving complaints and
abuse from irate ~householders.
In order to make sure of It's ground
before taking any action towards re-
scinding the contract, the Council ap-
pointed Charles F. Taylor a special in
spector to examine into the complaints
made during the month Of October last.
Mr. Taylor reported to the Council by
affidavit that $40 of the complaints
made during that month were Just and
reasonable and showed gross neglect
on the part of the contractors.
The matter was brought up at the
regular meeting Of the Council, which
was held Monday. October 25, and al
most every member of the Council
stated that he was prepared to vote to
cancel the contract. Town Attorney
Robert M. Boyd, jr., advised the Coun-
Gil that there were certain provisions
OF the contract to be compiled with
before the Council could legally act
in the matter. One was that the roads
and sewers committee must meet and
recommend to the Council that the con-
tract be cancelled. Then the Council
could act. 1t was then by resolution
ordered that the committee meet last
Saturday night to consider the mat
ter, and the Council adjourned until
last night.
Ihe committee, which consists of
Councilman Wilson, Scott, Schoon-
maker and circuit, met as required by
the resolution and a resolution was
drawn up and signed by Messrs. Scott,
Schoonmaker and Circuit and presented
to the Council last night. The resolu-
ton contained the affidavits of Super
intendent Andrew F. Smith and Charles
r. Taylor, as to the neglect of the con-
tractors to make collections, and re-
quested the Council to rescind the CON
tract by giving the contractors one
days notice, as required by the terms
of the contract. Mayor Henry V.
Crawford and Councilmen Brown.
circuit, MacNaughton. Willie and
S~choonmaker voted in favor of the
resolution, making a two-thirds vote
OF the Council. Councilmen Scott. Will
son and Alworth were absent.
Many complaints stated that no COLI
lections had been made for several
months, n they were found to be
true.
Alfred S. Badgley appeared last
night as counsel for the contractors.
He said that the blame lay principally
with h citizens of the town, because
they did not place the garbage and
ashes in portable receptacles as re-
quired by the terms of the contract:
that ashes were often placed in bar
rels and heavy boxes, which the two
men accompanying each wagon were
unable to handle; that many times the
receptacle would fall to pieces when
being removed to the ash wagon, and
that ash cans and barrels in many
cases contained other matter than
ashes. He also claimed that In many
cases ashes and garbage was placed
100 feet in the rear of the housess while
the contract specified twenty feet. Ac-
cording to the contract the citizens
were obliged to live up to the instruc-
tons sent them, continued Mr.. Badgley.
which they did not do, and no one In
authority, as far as he knew, made in
quiry as to whether they lid or NOT.
which was certainly a violation of the
contract.
Some receptacles were so heavy he
said, that it would require a derrick ~
lift them. He also claimed that the
contract called for more than W.
dumping pIace. but tha