Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-30
EASY MONEY FOR
GARBAGE HAULERS
Courts Decision in Durbin Case
Reduces Work of the
Contractor
CITY PAYS $4,000 A MONTH
Vernon Hog Feeders Tighten Bur-
den, but Contract with
Alexander Sticks
CITY PAYS $4,000 A MONTH

Charles Alexander, the garbage con-
tractor, certainly has the soft way OF
making a living. And that living
amounts to $4,000 a month at that. All
he has to do is to present demand for
that amount to the city every month,
and all the city has to do is to pay the
demand.
No sooner was the announcement
made that the court had decided that
garbage Is property and that anyone
can collect it and carry it through the
streets, than the garbage wagons Of the
pig farms in Vernon were on the job.
The southern part Of the city was filled
with them yesterday, and when Alex
anders wagons got around to collect
the garbage there was nothing but
empty cans.
The decision Of the court was based
on the garbage ordinance and had moth
ing to do with Alexanders contract
with the city. The contract is still per-
fectly good and valid and the city must
pay Alexander $4,000 every month for
the next five years whether he collects
the garbage or not. That the hog
feeders beat him to 1t does not affect
his contract in the least except that 1t
greatly increases his profits.
SOFT JOB FOR HIM
There is a mild suspicion that Alex
ander didn't care very much II he dld
lose the case in court and that the de-
fense he put in was not as strong as he
could have made 1t. Alexander doesn't
want the garbage. He has no use for
it, for he has only a few hogs to feed
and the rest of it he buries. 1t costs
money to bury it, and this expense is
wiped out. In fact, it is pretty soft all
around for Mr.. Garbage Contractor.
But it does not relieve the situation
in the old Sixth ward to any apprecf-
able extent. The Vernon hog pens are
located Just over the line from the old
Sixth, and the smells do not recignize
any boundaries. They gently waft
themselves into the homes of the Sixth
warders just as though there wasn't
any line dividing Los Angeles and YER
non. For more than year the resi-
dents of that district have been trying
to have this nuisance abated, and 1t
was almost entirely on their complaint
that the clause requiring the garbage
to be hauled five miles from the city
limits was put in Alexander's contract.
1t was to get this garbage away from
Vernon that the council passed the or
dinance giving the authorized contract
or the only right to haul garbage and
making it misdemeanor for any other
than the garbage contractor to haul the
stuff through the streets. 1t was this
ordinance the court held invalid, and
F. ]. Durbin, the Vernon hog raiser, Is
availing himself of this decision in
very handy manner.
TO HIGHER COURT
"The matter presents difficult stu
ation," said City Attorney Hewitt, but
we have it under prayerful considera-
tion and do not intend to let 1t rest as
1t is" Mr. Hewitt hinted that the mat
ter would be taken to higher court.
Meanwhile the garbage transfer sta
ton station at Also and Macy streets
continues to be a nuisance. While the
biggest part of the garbage is goinG to
Vernon and creating its awful smells
there, Alexander has to make some
kind of bluff at collecting the refuse,
and the little he gets goes to the gar
bage transfer station. People who are
so unfortunate as to live In the vicinity
Of this station have been made sick by
the odors. The flies that congregate
around the garbage and then wipe their
muddy feet on the food in the houses
around are spreading the germs of dis
ease.
STATION A NUISANCE
DR.. L. NJ. Powers, city health officer,
has declared the garbage transfer sta
lion is an unmitigated suisance. He de-
clared it so a long time ago, and people
within smelling distance of the place
have been hollering for the council
to make Alexander move. Alexander
has stated that he is perfectly willing
to move to any location the council
may select, but the council is on joy
rip over the aqueduct, and the transfer
station will stay right where it is until
they get good and ready to order 1t
moved some place else.