The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-02-20
NE HOD IS GOOD
Engineer AIvord Makes Report on
Disposing Of Garbage in Ke-
nosha at This Time
CREMAT0Ry TO BE EXPENSIVE

Engineer John W. Alvord Of Chicago
who made the recent report on the con
dition of the Kenosha river and methods
for purging it, has filed a report with
Health Officer DR.. J. B. Spalding in re
gard to the disposal Of garbage in the
city. The report is self explanatory
and is as follows:
DR.. J. B. Spalding, Health Officer,
Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Dear Sir
AS [ promised you sometime since, /
present you herewith brief supplement
tary report on the disposal Of municipal
refuse at Kenosha, which it did not
seem best or wise to incorporate in my
general report on the pollution Of the
harbor, as the subject was a distinctly
different one, and, it would seem to me,
undesirable to confuse the two.
{ understand the situation at Keno
sha at the present time is that no
money is being appropriated or spent
by the city for the collection or removal
Of garbage or other domestic refuse,
but that the city provides dumping
ground with an attendant who looks
after that matter, and that-each citizen
pays for the removal Of this garbage to
these grounds; the garbage at present
being dumped at the north side Of the
harbor near the dock line, and scattered
with an even layer over the surface,
and covered with sand.
I visited these premises and watched
this operation, which it seemed to me
was very effective, and being very care
fully done. So long as the city of
Kenosha can find opportunity to bury
it's wastes in this manner, | should sug-
gest that no more economical or effec-
tive method can be adopted.
Separation.
If available dumping grounds and
earth covering is impracticable for any
reason, it will be necessary for your
city to pass ordinances and require the
house separation Of garbage and organic
matter from other wastes, such as ashes
and mineral refuse. The latter may be
used without nuisance for filing any
available site provided. The former
should be promptly removed and burned
IN suitable crematories erected and
maintained by the city for this purpose.
1t is my belief that suitable crema-
tory, such as has been erected and
operated at Evanston, ILL.,, and having
sufficient capacity for Kenosha, will
cost you, including site, from $4,000. 90
to 100000, and it's operating expen-
ses, which will depend very largely on
how much it is used, will be from $780,
to $4,000 per annum. If the city
should assume the expense of collection.
it will undoubtedly have to spend be-
tween $3,00O0O and $5,000.00 per year
for the removal Of all the wastes which
would be offered. These are briefly:
Per cent.
Ashes, factory and domestic. rs
II Street sWeepings 70
Is Rubbish Observation-Disclosures. 7
IA Garbage, proper ........ 5
5 Dead animals and special refuse. 1
The amount Of refuse of all kinds
produced per capita, will probably be
between three and one-half and four
pounds per day.
After a pretty careful review of the
subject it is my earnest conclusion that
the present method you now enforce
should be continued until Kenosha is
considerably larger in population, and
the question more pressing There is
no method at once so economical, con-
venient and less liable to complications
to the municipal authorities than prop
erly burying these wastes, SO long as
convenient site can be had by the city,
within reasonable distance, and proper
| ~ controlled and watched, and unless
such sites are not available, it would
seen to me undesirable to raise the
question Of the city assuming the en-
tire charge Of this difficult and expen-
sive problem. [ remain,
Very truly yours,
JOHN w. ALVORD.
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