The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-08
Action Taken by Commits sioners Following Recom-
 mendation of Cunningham
NOT
 TO EXCEED $50OO
West End Citizens Greatly Pleased. City Health Officer Submits Report. Says Disease Producing Power
 of Dump Is Exaggerated

SoVuu WAS duIloTiHtQ bN ttit tfAS tVH' missioners at the meeting yesterday afternoon for the construction of ere matory on the site now occupied by the West End dump. The crematory, 1t is stated will be erected within the next so days
 In view of tue agitation recently by citizens of West End against the bad odors and effects of the West End dump the action calling for a crematory is of more than ordinary interest. Mrs. ]. A. Kiernan, who has led the fight against the dump, and delegation of West End people were at the meeting yesterday afternoon. -
 Due to Cunningham's Report
 The commissioners state, however, that it was due to Dr. R. NJ Cunning hams report on the dumps of the city, which was made to the commission yes terday, which influenced them to con struct the crematory, together with a policy of crematory construction which Is responsible for the proposed West End crematory. The commissioners started out couple of years ago to construct crematories and have been doing so at regular intervals since, the West End machine being the fourth. Some time ago City Commissioner Weatherly instructed pr. Cunningham. health officer, to prepare report on the city dumps and recommend that more crematories be built. Mir Wealth erly had had the matter before the board some months ago and 1t was turned down on the grounds that the city was too hard up for money.
 The commissioners state. however they are glad to build the crematory at West End now in order to satisfy the urgent demand that has been made by the citizens of that community. They state further, however, that 1t was moi the bad condition of the West End dump that influenced them to build a crematory, as they contend it is the best dump in the city. They proceed along the line that all dumps are bad and as fast as they possibly can they plan to eliminate every one in the entire city.
 In his dump report submitted yes terday Dr. Cunningham states that the disease producing power of dump IS very much overestimated, and that the
 
 culiar odor," He states that all of the Birmingham dumps are in good condi- tion as good condition as they can ever be, But he recommends that ere matories be built whenever possible His report on the matter follows:
 Recommends Incinerat0rs
 Birmingham, Ala, July 2. 1914
 Honorable Board of Commissioners
 City
 "Gentlemen: The disposal of city refuse ashes rubbish, garbage etc, Is a mat ter of considerable importance. The householder assemblies the refuse in an appropriate container on his premises and the city hauls if away and disposes of it. In large cities the tonnage of this refuse is very great In New York city. borough of Manhattan, the average Is about one ton per capita per year From figures given me by MT. Gafford street commissioner the amount in Bir. mingham Is about 700 pounds per capita per annum The total amount being 10o,- OO0,0oo pounds or 5O.0oo tons per annum.
 There are three methods employed foi the disposal of city refuse: 1. Dumping 9. Inoineration. 3. Reduction.
 Tn considering these it is well to re call the material composition of the refuse, which Is ash, water, volantilt material and carbon. The refuse, there Tore. cOnSlSIS or olBalllc or ulOIBdnlc HlA- terial in various proportions. Left to tn, ordinary conditions found in nature, tn, water will evaporate the ash and car. bon will remain and the organic mat ters will decompose or putrefy. produc- ing volantile gases many of which have bad odor. This will happen whether the refuse is in small amount in the garbage can, or in great amount in the dump pile. A collection of organic refuse oJc hraadinp for flies, which are the carriers of bac. teria, and, therefore, the instrumentality of conveying disease. The real opiec- ton to dump is it's odor. unsightliness and damage to property. It's disease pro. ducing power is very much over esti- mated. It is true that sn the refuse of the city may be disease producing germs but most of these will not maintain their lives in a dump pile under ordinary con- ditions. It is not impossible, however, that disease bacteria may survive a suf- ficient length of time to be conveyed tc persons and cause disease So far as disease Is concerned odors are harmless except as predisposng factors. There is no reliable method for disinfecting or deodorizing a garbage dump. The only dump that is entirely safe and odorless in this city, and I find them in as good condition as one would expect for q  dump but 1t must be remembered that there are no good dumps in the sense that it is working well as a means of disposal for refuse.
 "Incineration or cremation. As the name implies, the refuse Is burned. A good incinerator properly operated effect. ively disposes of the refuse without odors Incineraton consumes the carbon in al the material burns the organic matter evaporates the water at steam tempera- ture and destroys all putrefactive odors The volatile gases that are odorous arc themselves reduced to simple odorles. compounds. The end products of incin, eration are mainly carbon dioxide and steam. An incinerator consumes every thing except tins These accumulate, but they are odorless and harmless. ..
 ''We find some difficulty in enforcinr the law as to garbage cans in the vicin. ty of dumps. The argument is made and with some reason, that the house garbage is so small compared with tn, dump pile that the city should set tho proper example and adopt methods thai will not be a nuisance to any of it's citi. zens
 q respectfully recommend incinera toI