The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1910-08-05
THE DISPOSAL OF HOUSEHOLD
WASTE

With the danger from flies upper
most in our minds, the subject of the
disposal of household waste assumes
large proportions. Like almost every
other matter that affects the welfare
of the home, however, 1t is only part
ly in the control of the individual
man or woman; it calls for united ac-
ton and united action through the
ballot. The fact that the majority of
the towns in the United States have
no public system of garbage collection
Is one of the best arguments for
woman suffrage.
The ideal plan for garbage collec-
ton would be to have the pals re-
moved daily unopened, to have them
emptied, cleaned and sterilized in
some remote place and later exchanged
for another set of pals containing
garbage The cleaning of large gar
bage pals is work which should not
have to be done in private houses. I'm
til some such system as this Is adop-
ted the best we can do is to keep the
pals as far from us as possible and
to open them no oftener than neces-
sary. There should be in the kitch-
en- or hear by an enamelled pail with
a closely fitting but easily removable
cover. This should be emptied into
the larger pail cleaned and scalded
once, or in summer twice day. 1t
should have special place made for
it of convenient height. This plan
makes it necessary to open frequently
the large pals which are seldom emp
tied often enough to be pleasant to
the sense of smell.
Of course the large pail need not
be Objectionable. 1t is not so in Min
neapolis where all craps must be
drained and wrapped in paper before
being put into the pail, but this plan
i, practicable only when the garbage
is to be burned. Another good scheme
is to keep the pail in cement COM
partment under ground. This keeps
the garbage cool in summer, prevents
it from freezing in winter, and pro-
tects it from dogs which often knock
over garbage cans and spread their
contents about. In spite of the in
convenience of caring decently for the
large cans in private houses, they
should be frequently scalded and oc-
casionally rinsed out with water con-
tanning little carbolic acid. one tea
spoon of acid to pint of water.
But the housekeeper's responsible
ity Is not over when the garbage has
been taken from the house; she
must know what becomes of it. The
pig method of disposal Is not Objec-
tionable providing it is properly con-
Quoted. The thing above all to be
avoided is having the garbage stand
around uncovered. Remember that
flies never seek darkness They
breed in sunny places. That Is one OF
the reasons why manure as well as
garbage should always be kept COW
cred.
The removal of waste should be
under the supervision of the town
1t may be fair for the householder to
10 IN Wnrly hn
for the safety of all, it should be
done under expert supervision. Com
mon decency demands that the gar
bage be taken away in covered wag
ons and in metal receivers.
But there is other waste than gar
bage to be removed-there are ashe'
and paper and tin cans and old bot
ties. These too should be taken IL
wagons controlled by the town; othe
wise the stuff will be dropped o
blown about the streets. In the cit
of Washington since the presen
street commissioner, Mr.. James N
Wood came into office. no one ha
been allowed to haul refuse withou
city license. In order to get
license he must have a strong, well
built wagon and must have reference
as to his honesty. If he qualities. h
is given a sign bearing his name an
number for each side of his cart an
a cover to throw over the cart whe
he carries ashes or other refuse like
ly to be blown about. In New Yor
City neat little covered metal cart
are used in removing ashes.
A point to be emembered in carin
for bottles and cans is that when the
have little water in them they O
fer the best of places for mosquito
to breed in. 1t is important there
fore to have them kept in covered n
ceptacles on private premises and
have them quickly covered with cart
at the dumps.
In Ashland Wisconsin, they ha,
l.