The Detroit times., 1915-05-21
Aldermen Are Guests
of Company Seeking
Franchise
OFFER is RANK,
SAYS LITTLEFIELD
Proposition Not AS
Good AS Present Gar
bage Contract

The purpose behind the alder.
manic junket 10 Chicago. 10 investi-
gate garbage disposal proposii ion
promoted by the United Engineering
Co, is not quite plain. The council
committee on health and city hospI
tails accompanied 10y several other
members OF the council are now IN
Chicago as the guests OF the engi
franchise from Detroit.
The proposition offered by m"
United Engineering Co Is rank, and
cannot receive serious considera
tion. said AID l.Itileneld. president
Of the council They want 10 build
reduction plant on site purchas.
ed by the city and operate under .
15-year contract They are willing
10 pay the city 20 cents ton for
garbage delivered NJ tho plant. The
company also wants the word gar,
bagc' carefully detaed in any agree.
ment they may make With the city. %
The Detroit Reduction Co now
has the contraci for disposing OF the
citys garbage The city collects the
garbage at cost OF something like
Sc ton. and the company hauls
II from the city garbage station Ia
the reduction plant In French Land
Ing. using it, own cars and payin >
the railroad - cents for every tor
nj rh ha 10
ductlon COS present contract with
the city expires June 30. 1915. and
the company is seeking an extension
OF the contract
Meanwhile Commissioner Fenkell
OF the department OF public works
has plans prepared for municipal
reduction plant 10 be located outside
the city limits Gratiot township -
now attempting through the circui'
court 10 prevent the city from build.
Ger has secured in the township. Inc
council committee on health and city
hospitals has refused TO confirm con
tracts made by the commissioner for
machinery for the proposed reduc.
ton plant. insisting that IL Is up To
the commissioner TO first secure .
site against which objections OF sur.
rounding property owners have been
removed. On account of the con.
tToVersy between the commissions.
and the aldermen. II IS not likely
that municipal reduction plant ca
BE- constructed before the expiration
OF the Detroit Reduction Co.'S con
tract. which means the city Will Do
al he mercy OF the reduction com
pany a year hence.
II is pointed out that the PROPOSE
ton offered by the United Engineer
ing Co. Is not as good as the city =
present contract with the Detroit
Reduction Co Robert *. Davis. man.
ager OF the company, claims that De.
trolt has the best contract OF IFS
kind in the country. The company
which depends entirely for its bus,.
ness on contract with Detroit II
not willing to sell it's plant at French
l.andiug 40 ine city.
we are willing 10 make now
contract and save the city $4,000
said Manager Davis. III Will cost all
OF that 10 complete a reduction plant
such as Commissioner Fenkell con
templates doubt that the city can
operate a reduction plant as pay
Ing proposition
Commissioner Fenkell went on p
iunket with the members OF the com
mittee on health and city hospitals
inspecting reduction and incinerat.
ng plants la several OF the larger
cities The city paid the expenses
OF the city officials on this junke'
and on another that was taken Tor
the same purpose.
Il don't see why the aldermen
want 10 bother with the proposition
offered by the United Engineering
Co. inasmuch as franchises are no"
almost obsolete in Detroit ana Mich
,ean. said Md Lodge.
MAYOR Marx. IL is understood, II
ouietly looking into the garbage dis
nosal matter, and II Is altogether
likely that he will back up CommiS-
sioner Fenkell In any controversy
with the aldermen.
Il is regarded as Significant fact
that options have been secured oV
private spectators on most OF the
land surrounding the reduction plant
In French Landing This was ais
covered when city officials recently
looked into a proposition to erec'
the municipal plant near the one
now being operated by the Detroit
Reduction Co.
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