Evening star., 1913-11-19
Civic Bodies Asked to Pass on
Proposal for Municipal
Collection.
CONTRACTORS SERVICE
Is NEVER so Efficient
superintendent Of Street Cleaning
Department Argues in Favor of
Direct Control.

Following its action yesterday in in
0orsing the plan for municipal collection
and disposal of all waste material, the
clean city committee of the District of
Columbia today is preparing to ask the
various local civic organizations to sig
nifty their approval or disapproval of the
scheme in order that the Commissioners
have the fullest expression of public
opinion concerning the proposed reform
upon which to base recommendations to
Congress.
The committee, which met in the board
room of the Municipal building. put itself
on record In the matter by a unanimous
vote. while additional Endorsement was
given the plan in a communication re-
ceived from j. W. Paxton, superintendent
of the street cleaning department.
Mr.. Paxton said that Washington is a
vasteful city and. under the contract
system. 1t is probable that the capital
has been paying for complete disposal
plants and collection equipment every five
years.
Would Eliminate Contractors.
The District official stated that IL the
city should take over the refuse contracts.
which expire in 1913, and do this work it
self. 1t could afford to purchase sites for
numerous transfer points. SO that house
toulouse collections could be made
with horses and wagons and transferred
1T these points to motor trucks for the
longer haul to the disposal plants.
theoretically, it should be possible to
get perfectly satisfactory work from a
contractor under the speci6cations4 stat
ed Mr.. Paxton, but, practically, 1t is
much easier for the city to perfect the
personnel and render better service to
the community where it has direct con-
troll of the operations than where 1t is
necessary TO force the contractor to do
30; especially when q contractor is losing
money through an error in making up his
bid.
Washington is a wasteful city on ac-
count of having large transient popu-
lation living In hotels, apartment houses
and boarding houses. The amount of gar
base collected is reported much higher
than In other cities. and il is doubtless
much richer in the qualities which pro-
duce the revenue from the reduction
process of disposal.
Might Pay All Costs.
This revenue goes a long way to-
ward paying the cost of collection and
might be made to pay for it entirely.
In arguing against the contract sys-
tenn, no criticism is intended of the
service rendered by the present contrac-
tors. 1t Is doubtful IL a city could be
found in the United. States, operating
under the contract system. which has a
Dexter service or received more service
for the money expended, but this may not
be the case In future contracts
Following the reading of Mr.. Paxton's
letter by Dr. Arthur L. Murray. secretary
OF the committee, Chairman W. H. Rich
ardson called attention to the fact that
the Commissioners have included in the
estimates provision for a survey to deter
mine the advisability of having the city
equip and operate a refuse disposal sys-
tem- DIR. Murray was instructed to send
letter to each citizens association and
civic body requesting that it consider the
proposed change and transmit its views
to the clean city committee. which, In
turn. will inform the District heads of
the action taken.
Commissioners Interested.
calling the meeting to order Chair
man Richardson told of a conference
which he and DIR. Murray had with the
Commissioners concerning sanitary re-
forms proposed for the District. The COM
nittee heads urged the elimination OF
high board fences. better refuse col
lection service for the poorer sections of
the city, extension of the present limits
Tor the ashes collection service, more
rigid enforcement of the regulations pro-
hioitinS the throwing of waste paper on
the streets and other reforms.
The Commissioners, said Mr.. Richard
son. are interested In the suggestions as
we'll as the general work Of the commit
tee and may be counted upon to give
every assistance toward making Wash
ington cleaner and healthier city. DR..
Murray reviewed the work of the summer
and declared that the committees cam
paign OF education in the interest OF
greater civic sanitation Is bearing fruit
1t was decided TO hold special meeting
at an early date 10 consider the problem
of the elimination of insanitary alleys