Evening journal., 1914-03-02
MAYOR PRODS
The GARBAGE
CONTRACTORS
Asserts they Will be Fined
Fifty Cents for Each COlIeC-
tiOn on Complaints
THEY PROMISE BEST
SERVICE POSSIBLE

and John Woodland. all colored, who
have the contract for the removal of
garbage in Wilmington, that they will
have to give satisfactory services or he
viii see that efficient collection service
] given and the cost of il will be charg
I'd against the allowances of the con- .
tractors.
The conference was held in the
Mayors Office in the City Hall, the con-
tractors appearing in response To sum-
mons sent to them from the Mayor ON
saturday. The Mayor was stirred TO
this summary action by the flood ot
complaints OF failure to collect garbage
that came to him from all parts Of the
city. and hc determined to force the
issue and do all within his power to
provide a garbage collection service that
would reduce the number of complaints
10 minimum
After the conference, which lasted
an hour, Mayor Howell said he felt
that much good would come out of IT.
"The contractors showed a disposition
to do the best that is possible" said
the Mayor. They appreciated that
something must be done. and assured
me they would cooperate with each
other to give the best service that 1t
is possible for them to give. / told
them what is expected of them, and
that such service as they have been
giving in the past was disgusting and
would not be tolerated.
The conference between the Mayor
and the contractors was private.
Councilman Stover was in the
Clerk OF Councils office, but did not
20 into the conference. Councilman
McDermott was in the Mayors office
when the conference opened, but the
Mayor informed the newspaper men
present that the conference would be
private, and they and Mr.. McDer-
mott retired After the conference.
Councilman McDermott told Contrac-
tor Collins of the complaint OF some
residents in section OF the Eleventh
ward.
Mayor Howell had batch OF
twenty-five letters that came in this
mornings mail complaining OF bad
garbage collection service and fail
ure to make collections. II is eX-
pected many more ltters will be re-
ceived by the Mayor this afternoon.
He said he would welcome letters
from persons who have complaints,
and who viii sign them so he will
know they are genuine.
Following the conference, Mayor
Howell said that he had stated plain
ly to the contractors the many conf
plants that had been received BY
him about the inefficient removal Of
garbage He read the law under
which the garbage collection con-
tracts are awarded, and also referred
to the bonds the contractors gave
for the faithful performance Of their
duties. The Mayor read some of the
complaints setting forth that garbage
collectors had not been at residences
for periods ranging from one Week
to a month. Mayor Howell said he
informed the contractors that they
must give good service, that he eX-
pected it and the citizens we're en-
titled to it.
"The contractors who were told
that if they did not give satisfactory
service that would reduce the COM
plants to a minimum, a cart would
be put in service by the city to make
collections at all houses that made
complaint, and that a charge of fifty
cents would be made for each collec-
tion so made, and it would be taken
out of the allowances for the contrac-
tors" Mayor Howell said, after the
conference Il told them I would
use every endeavor to see that this
was done. and I hoped it would not
be necessary for me TO go further
against the contractors"
Mayor Howell told the contractors
they should cooperate with one an
other, and should go into the streets
themselves to see that their en-
ployes are doing their duty. Tho
Mayor also told the contractors he
expected their employees to act cOur-
teously toward .ouseholders, and
personally to see that complaints
were remedied without delay.
The mayor said the contractors ad-
mitted to him that the service had
been unsatisfactory during the cold
spell of the past three weeks but they
claimed they had been doing the best
they could under the circumstances
They admitted there had been a fall.
ing off in the service during the
stormy period, but the Mayor told
them they should have carts and meI
at work at all times, Notwithstanding
storms or cold weather The con-
tractors told the Mayor that while
they can get men to accompany tht
carts, they cant depend on them in
many instances, as the men will re
turn the carts TO the stables ane
leave when they are supposed 10 be
ou on districts. The contractors also
said that many householders Object
to the collectors prying frozen gar
bage from cans, and the men fine
garbage boxes frozen to the grounC
from which they cannot get th'
contents.
Mayor Howell suggested tha
householders could help in better
ment of the collections by covering
over garbage receptacles and having
them so placed that they will no
freeze fast to the ground but can b'
easily moved.
Before the contractors left they
promised TO cooperate for the genera
Improvement of the service and to d,
the best it is possible for them to do,
said the mayor 81 reiterated that ,
charge of fifty cents would be mad
against them for each complaint wheri
the city makes a collection. / woul'
appreciate the sending of written com
plants in the future by persons havin,
n cause for complaint. The contractor
pointed out that they could not be ex
pccted to give the most efficient service
until the effect of the storm is over
which Is reasonable. but they PROMISED
to put carts and collectors at work a
once.