Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-07-20
BOARD Of
WORKS WHAT To
Do WITH GARBAGE
City Engineer Sherrerd Suggests
Collecting Depots and Ulti-
mate Incarceration.

The Board of Works this Afternoon
heard a report by the city engineer OF
the possibility of establishing a munic
ipal garbage disposal plant in Newark
n a vast array of data on what has
been lone in tina line In other cities
was presented by Commissioner Charles
r. Kraemer. City Engineer Sherrere
suggested some feasible methods o
handling the problem. The following
memorandum on local conditions &C
companied a long report by Mr.. Sher'
rerd of what has been done in other
places:
IF 1t Is thought wise to do away with
the separate collection of ashes and
garbage. two methods of disposal sug
gest themselves. one to use the mate
rial for filing streets crossing tbs
meadows, keeping the garbage continu
ally covered with ashes so that .tht
same would not create a nuisance.
This method does 20 entirely COM
mend itself to me, as sooner or later
there would be local objections to the
odor and a possible danger of infection.
The other method would be to install
an incineration plant. This a no
doubt be more economically done by
the city itself rather than TO make its
erection a contract obligation on ac-
count OF the fact that a five-year
period of contract is too short for the
contractor to get a return on his in
vestment without unduly adding to the
cost of collection to cover the cost of
the plant.
TT seems to me of doubtful advan-
tage for the city to undertake the col
lection of garbage and ashes by day
labor, principally for the reason that
1t would add to the cost. The pay of
laborers on the several classes of city
work Is now greater than the amount
paid by contractors for labor, and the
amount now paid to municipal en-
ployees would necessarily control the
wages to be paid In the garbage and
ashes collection department. If created.
1T would seem feasible, however, for
the city to build an adequate disposal
plant and make a contract for the col
lection and delivery of these wastes to
the city plant. The cost Of collection
could also be materially reduced If 1t
were possible to have several central
collecting stations from which the ma
terial could be transported to the mead
ows by trolley cars at night. There is,
of course, objection to the location OF
such collecting stations in residential
sections. but / believe that a properly
designed station, made of concrete, and
arranged so thai all parts could be
properly flushed ard kept clean, could
be located in the manufacturing Sec
lions of the city and not be objection
able.
81 would suggest that the engineer
ing department prepare plans for the
form OF stations to be built prior to tho
selection of any location for the con-
structfon of the same, for, certainly.
a building of substantial character
constructed so as not to create a
nuisance and of a pleasing exterior,
could be designed and would not be OBJ
jectionable. particularly in mannfac-
turing sections. Unless some means Of
central collection can be secured. there
Is no doubt that the cost of collection
and removal of wastes from tho city
will be materially increased from year
to year as the opportunities for local
disposal OF ashes become less and less,
In fact, nearly all of the local spots
used for this purpose are no longer
available"