Perth Amboy evening news., 1915-07-28
.COMPL ABOUT
DUMPING GROUND
Health Board Criticizes Gar
bage Contractors, Aldermen
and Penn st. Residents.
HAVE GENERAL DISCUSSION
Decide to Give Contractors Five
Days to Abate Nuisance
Urge Incinerating Plant.

| Graham & McKeon, as garbage
J contractors, members of the Board
of Aldermen and some residents
living in the vicinity of Penn street,
north of Hall avenue, came in for
criticism at a meeting of the Board
of Health last night because of al
legged unhealthy conditions at the
North Amboy dumping ground. The
working committee of the Western
Improvement Association lodged sew
eral complaints with the health Off
cials, among the most serious of
which was the dump nuisance. A
general discussion among the four
health commissioners present and
Health Officer Willsey developed,
during which the garbage contrac-
tors were scored for alleged failure
| to cover up the dump with earth
each day and failure to level it off; /;
aldermen were criticized for allowing
the alleged nuisance to exist at the
side of ground where they expected
children to play, and some of the
residents were scored because they
picked rags and foodstuffs out of the
dump, stirring up the refuse and in
creasing the nuisance. The Board of
Health finally decided to give Crab
| am & McKeon five days In which to
abate the nuisance. 1t developed at
the discussion that the erection of
an incinerating plant was the one
best solution Of the whole dumping
problem.
When the Western Improvement
of inc 90 ha
laid its case before the health au-
thorities, President Petz stated that
there was little doubt but that con-
ditions at the North Amboy dump
were bad, particularly in the summer
weather. He declared that the board
would act on the subject Immediately
AL sadeavor to remedy conditions.
but concluded that the very best
thing for the city would be to have
an inciperating plant to destroy re-
| The Western Asso-
citation expressed ms at the
| dump as horrible and disgraceful.
/ They concluded that the ground ad-
joining city playground No. 1 should
not be used for dumping, let alone
be used under fragrant violations of
the garbage contract and the health
code. One man said that numerous
school children went out to root in
the dump mornings before going to
school and then went to school with
dirt from refuse on their clothes.
Another stated that numerous chill
dren of poorer families were often
late at school and their only excuse
invariably vas that they had been
with their mother searching on the
dump. This condition alone was de-
plorable, according to the association
members, including Health Commits
sioner Dinesen. One member said
he would not permit his children to
go to either school No. 9 or school
No. 5, for fear that if they had to go
there they might contract some
dreaded disease from children who
work on the dump. 1t was declared
that all kinds refuse, including
pieces of meat. rotten fish, many
crates of rotten eggs, decayed fruit
and the like were left exposed daily
on the dumping ground in question.
Aside from being unsightly, it was
held to be very unhealthy, as the
stencil could be smelled for blocks
in directions, varying with the wind.
While criticism was heaped upon
residents for digging in the dump
and the aldermen were scored for
permitting such an alleged violation
almost at the very entrance of the
city's first owned playground, the
contractors were held to be respon-
slble to large measure for alleged
failure to deposit certain thickness
of earth over the refuse each day.
Western Improvement Association
members and health commissioners
agreed that either the contractors or
city should have a man at the dump
all of the time, If it was to be main
tanned there, to keep the refuse pro-
perly covered with earth and proper
ly leveled. Upon the notice given
the nuisance must be abated within
five days from date, according to
provisions of the health code.
The health commissioners talked
about forcing the abandonment of
the ground in question as dumping
place. Mr.. Willsey said In response
to question that dumping would be
permitted to fill in the former Gre
CORY property at certain times of the
year. The board decided to first
notify the contractors as they did be-
fore taking more drastic action.
Complaint was received from a
number of property owners concern
ing stagnant pool of water in the
vicinity Of Hall avenue, Brace ave-
nue. and Cornell street. One of the
Western Improvement Association
members also arose to complain of
1t. The sanitation committee agreed
to investigate the nuisance tomorrow
night.