The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-02-12
DISPOSAL OF GARBAGE

The matter of garbage disposal is
UNDER discussion in number OF other
iowa cities as well as in Keokul In
terest In the subject Is growing and
sentiment seems to be favorable tn
incarceration in some form. At Gin
ton the situation is thus depicted bv
the Herald.
The garbage disposal question T.
one that remains wholly unsoIysd n
tills city. It has been given some con.
Aideration here but not the amount
that II deserves for It Is a serious
mistake TO leave the people of Inc
CITY wholly ungnarded against tho
\ menace which comes from MAKING
practically no disposal whatever of
garbage Under present conditions
the property owner Is left entirely
free to make such disposition of his
garbage as he pleases, and in a vast
majority Of cases that has been no
disposal at all.
The garbage disposal question is
one OF the most puzzling to the smaller
| cities OF the country. In majority
OF cities the size of Clinton arrange
ments are made whereby the city itself
/. collects and disposes of the garbage.
or lets a contract to some individual.
through it's board Of health for such
work. Generally speaking the cost
runs all the way from $4,000 to $4,000
year for the work in cities of this
size.
Numerous methods have been adj.
vanced for the disposal of garbage but
y up to this time no method that is
wholly satisfactory and successful has
been brought forward. 1t is believ.
I ed, however. the day Is coming when
!. garbage will not be an expense To a
municipality, but rather source of
revenue In the m eantime, however.
there Is no reason whatever why the
. people of city should be left entire
s " unprotected from the menace that
results from no disposition being
made of the garbage.
s 1T Is one Of the tasks to which the
a proper authorities should set them
o. selves this year with determination
TO afford at least some protection
against epidemics,.'
In Burlington the Hawk Eye reports
a growing sentiment in favor OF the
. inclneration of garbage. In some.
what extended article on the subject
the same paper goes on to say:
, In most Of the cities OF Iowa. gar
! bage is disposed Of just as II is in
: Burlington, and there is the usual dis
satisfaction. which would no doubt
exist and find voice, no matter what
system might be adopted. II ts as.
q serted by people. who have looked in.
/, to the matter, that Burlington does in
. this matter, SO do the vast majority of
the cities of Iowa The others do
worse. Some are said to dunn their
g garbage into the rivers. OF course.
:, that is no worse than running the sew.
= age into them Perhaps not as bad
. But i does look bad
And SO there are plenty OF figures
available, but there is no experience
of neighboring city to draw upon.
r and the authorities even If the money
n had been available. have not felt Ike
q taking the leap in the dark And for
N that they could scarcely be blamed
However, # some private indlyid-
ual, some contractor, were to make
the city an acceptable bid with the
:, understanding that the garbage veg
y TO be incinerated instead Of becoming
Q a menace to our drinking water the
y risk would all be the other fellows
i and the city might take the chance
land incidentally get the reputation Of
being progressive, and Of being the
). first town In the state TO adopt incin-
Grafton II, eventually. 1t might be.
, come desirable for the city to have a
plant Of its own the experience gain
ed by contracting with firm, that
VIII jncinerate, would be of the great
est value, alike to Burlington and to