The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-19
MAYOR REPLIES TO
GARBAGE PROTEST
Plans Further Converse with
staten Islanders on Dis
posal Plant Project.
WON'T BIZ ODORS. uE SAYS

Mayor Mitchell wrote a long letter yes
'rrday I" Nathan a. Smyth, a lawyer
a. 80 broadway. who resides at Dongan
litlls. staten Island. in answer to "A
personal communication in which Mr..
SMITH took the Mayor to task because
there was no public hearing on the
matter Of locating a garbage disposal
plant on Arthur XIII. staten Island. and
also for the Mayors statement that
there was no truth in the reports that
the people Of Staten. Island were up in
arms over this proposition.
notwithstanding the explanation
made by the Mayor. 1t is his II
vas learned yesterday, to have further
converse with residents OF Staten Island
on the subject. lie has invited a number
Of them to meet him at the City Hall
to-day for a discussion of the proposed
new garbage disposal plant. After re-
viewing the situation generally, the
Mayor refers TO the fact that Staten
Islanders got no public hearing on the
location Of the plant on Arthur Kill. He
says
Every one knew that should the
Board of Estimate accede to the request
for "A public hearing after the dissolu-
ton OF the existing injunctions. such
hearing would serve only as "a means
Of permitting the service of a new in
junction. Moreover. the merits had been
argued and ~reargued In court. and every
fact which could be adduced at a hearing
before the Boar Of Estimate had al
ready been presented In the legal pro-
ceedings and had been before the men,
hers Of the Board Of Estimate for some
time. Delay meant the loss to the city
o fthe opportunity Of securing an inf
nitcly more favorable contract n the
establishment OF a satisfactory and in
offensive plant.
Denies There'I Ne OdOrs.
tho contractors under the terms Of
She contract awarded propose to install
what Is known as the Cobwell system
for the disposal Of garbage. and ] am
told that Il Is the most modern system
Of It's kind known TO science. j am
assured hat the system to be installed
will be operated without smell or odor
81 any kind"
After mentioning that a similar plant
IA In successful operation at New Bed
ford. Mass. and that public officials
there say that the plant emits no onen-
sive doors or gases and that the COM
missioncrs of public works of Los An
eeles. cal. which also has one of these
plants. testify TO the same success in
cpcra,ion. the Mayor says:
From the foregoing facts ! believe
ttat the Board of Estimate was entirely
Justified in assuming hat 1t has secured
the sort Of disposal plant that the peo-
pie uc this city are entitled tn. Not
o-,v will there he no odors or gases
emitted at the plant. but there will be
none from the garbage in transit from
IN. city dumps to the plant. because the
street Cleaning Commissioner Is given
ample authority under the terms OF the
c~ou:.ac; 70 compel the contractor to
use such devices for the transportation
NJ garbage as TO make 1t entirely in
offensive
After referring TO the financial consid-
eration-ihe city will receive 5000, 600
from the contractors during the next
FIVE Nears-;he' Mayo takes up the mat
ter of public feeling in Staten Island.
You resent" lie says. the ugges
tiou that public opinion In the Borough
OF Richmond has been accelerated in this
matter. Yet this Is undeniable. Do not
mlSunderstAnd me. | do not mean that
there Is not AT present "a genuine and
popular feeling against the establish
mcut OF the plant. l have no doubt that
there Is. mean that this feeling.
sprlngiug from the mistaken belief that
the plant will prove "A nuisance, was in
tue first instance fOmented in the inter-
ests of the owners OF the present plant
Who, In court and out OF court, have
dons all In their power to prevent the
a~ard OF this contract to a new bidder.