New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-13
Irate Taxpayers to Voice
Protest Against Placing
Plant on Island.
Mitchell ASSAILS
DISPOSAL COMPANY
Says II Furnishes Real Opposi.
ton to Project-Citizen Calls
the Statement Untrue.

Staten Island is ready 10 resist by
force, If necessary, the building Of the
garbage disposal plant which the city
is determined 70 place on is north
shore. The island is stirred from st.
George TO Tottenville, and its protest
viii be voiced AZ giant mass meeting
20 be held tomorrow evening IN the
German Club rooms az Stapleton.
"The garbage plant will never come
10 Staten Island" Borough Presrden,
Van Name holly declared last night. u
know the determination Of our 100000
citizens. They are ready TO take the
matter in their own hands, II that eX-
IRENE step becomes necessary
This assertion. which was supplement-
ed last night by those Of score OF
other heavy Richmond taxpayers. IS
az open variance with a statement given
out by Mayor Mitchell in the City Hall
yesterday afternoon. The Mayor de-
clares that the real opposition TO the
plan, comes not from Staten Islanders,
but from the New York Disposal Cor
poration, which has the present Barren
Island contract.
Says Air Would Be Poisoned.
"The Mayors statement is untrue,
Charles Cone. secretary Of the Staten
Island Civic League, said last night.
The New York Disposal Corporation
has nothing to do with our opposition,
and has not contributed a single cent
to our legal fight. A garbage plant on
our shores would be public nuisance,
would drive old residents from Rich
mond and would poison the healthful
air OF the island with the most danger
Gus and nauseating fumes. With a
garbage plant this borough would come
10 be known everywhere az Garbage
Island "
The banking interests OF the island,
representing property worth SIS .000.0 09,
are responsible for to-morrow's meet
ing To advertise il extensively, bank
presidents and cashiers have volun-
teered TO pass out handbills tomorrow
morning at the ST. George ferryhouse
Mitchell Bames Disposal Firm.
Mayor Mitchell in declaring yester-
day that the real opposition 20 the
plant did not come from the people OF
Staten Island so much as II did from
the New York Disposal Corporation,
said this company had not lived up 20
its contract. had defaulted in pay
ments 20 the city, and was operating
an Anticipated plant which had been
condemned time and again by the
Board of Health. T. A. Gillespie, the
contractor. is president of the New
York Disposal Corporation.
The present city garbage disposal
plant on Barren Island Is public
nuisance and a disgrace" said the
MAYOR 1--WE have done everything 20
get the company 10 modernize It's
plant, but without avail. Every action
by the Health Department and other
branches Of the city government has
been fruitless.'
Says Payment Was for $4,000.
Mayor Mitchell explained that when
he said the corporation had defaulted
he meant that il had failed TO make
the payments for the privilege II had
promised.
The term OF the contract provided
ne continued, that the first years pay
ment was to be s62.5O0, the second year
$50. 500, and sll2,500 a year for the
next three years. Only about $4,000
has been paid, and have instructed
the Corporation Counsel 20 bring suit.
understand that the cases Will come
to trial within short time.
STRENGTHENING Commissioner Feth-
erston tells me-and ! think he -
righ. that the Barren Island concern
is reaping A harvest Of AZ least 81
600 900 a year. IL il now attempting
20 prevent the city from entering into
3 nov contract which would divert that
larre private profit into the public
treasury. This concern IL over
active. Il IA fostering, fomenting, en-
cheering and pushing the opposition
70 a new garbage contract night and
day. Injunction after injunction has
been obtained.
When the last injunction was va
Gated last Monday ! decided tina, j, was
about time for the city 70 get ahead
with its business before the Barren
islanders and those they had enlisted
In their support were in position to
again hold UP the city. what the tax
navcrs must realize : that II ne were
held up By a few more injunctions no
now. modern garbage disposal plant
could be built in time 70 meet the
city's needs A. the expiration OF the
present contract
No Blow 10 Richmond.
This contains a clause which would
have committed the city 10 additional
wears Of what Ve are now passing
through II we didn't succeed in enter
ing into new agreement with some
other concern. The action OF the
Roard Of Estimate last Monday vas not
IHtf H.