The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-07-13
GARBAGEC co.
WILL NOT
SELL OUT
McLeOd's Con cer n
Wants Another 10
Year Contract

The Detroit Reduction Co. IL will
ing to extend its present contract
for the disposal of all garbage col
lected by the city for a period Of 10
years from July 1. 1916. Alexander
l. Mcleod. president Of the com.
pany. made the proposal TO the mem
bers of the health and city hospital
committee. Monday morning. but the
aldermen did not enthuse over the
prospect Of tying up the city with
such a long contract.
How about a contract for one.
two or five years." asked Aid. Bar
nett.
Nothing doing" was Mr.. Nc
Leods prompt reply.
Mr.. Mcleod also stated positively
that the company did not want to
sell its plant to the city.
Under q year-to-year contract our
company would expect real compen-
sation from the city, he added.
"Your present contract gives Detroit
the best arrangement for garbage
disposal that is enjoyed by any city
in the country"
Mr.. Mcleod took pains to inform
the committee members that the &C
ton of the supreme court. throwing
out the garbage bonds and placing
the city at the mercy Of the reduc-
ton company. would not be taken
advantage OF by the company at the
expiration of the present contract.
1.-THE managing directors Of the
company are all citizens of Detroit,
and we feel that we have a public
duty to perform" he said. IF our
contract Is not renewed by July J..
1915, we will not allow garbage 10
rot In the alleys. q menace to health.
or attempt to hold up the city for
any unreasonable amount We will.
of course, expect to be compensated
for our work Unoer our present
contract the city Is obliged to pay
us nothing for garbage disposal"
Aid. Barnett called Mr.. Mcleod S
attention to the fact that the city
has several offers from outside gar
bage disposal companies, a Chicago
concern having agreed to erect a
$500 900 plant which will become the
property OF the city after certain
number of years.
To this Mr.. Mcleod replied;
There Is an old adage about having
to catch a chicken before you roast
II. We have the only site near De-
troit that IL immune from Injunction.
II took us q long time to learn this
from the courts, and we did business
at q loss for quite period
Robert X. Davis. manager OF the
reduction plant. stated that the gar
bage collection in Detroit had In
creased from 10000 tons in 1908 TO
$4,000 tons in 1914. The 1915 collec-
ton, he estimated. would be about
~. 900 tons. furnishing q serious prob
lem for the reduction company.
Mr. Mcleod said that sale clause
does not exist In the company's pres
ent contract, q supplementary letter
providing for the sale Of the plant
to the city at the expiration OF SIX
months notice not having been ac-
cepted BY the city at the time the
contract was signed.
The meeting was adjourned for
one week to give Mr.. Mcleod an op-
portunity to ind out what consider
alton his company would give a new
contract for one, two. three or nve
years. and also on what, II any, terms
the plant would be offered for sale.
At the suggestion Of Aid. Tom
Gilman q stenographic report was
taken Of the meeting. Mayor Marx
was present. He told the members
of the committee that another propo
sition he had In mind for garbage
disposal had not turned out TO be
feasible after investigation, and he
recommended that negotiations b.
carried on with the Detroit Reduc
tion Co. for a renewal Of the presen:
contract for not more than 1--WE years.