Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-10-17
A Number Of Webster City Men Wis.,
it it to Investigate its Sur
roundings and Manner
of Operation.
OPPOSITION IN THE VICINITY
If the Webster City Plant is to be
Anythink Like that Of Boone
it is Not Wanted.
OPPOSITION IN THE VICINITY

it is Not Wanted.
A number of Webster City men
went to Boone yesterday to investi-
gate the rendering plant q few miles
southwest of that city, owned and
operated by c. S. LaForge, the gen.
|tleman who is now building such a
plant a mile or so southeast of the
business section of Webster City.
The plant near Boone is located in
the timber and was not rendering
yesterday when the Webster, City
party arrived. The proprietors are
perhaps conducting the plant in as
sanitary manner as possible, there
being no stream nearby to carry off
the refuse. The product of the plant
consists principally Of tallow and
fertilizer. The so-called sanitary
rendering watts were wide open yes
terday afternoon. Near the plant is
a small shed in which the bones
from which fertilizer is made are
stored. There was perhaps a car
load of these bones on hand and
they gave out a very offensive odor.
The rendering plant, too, smells
fierce. The entire surroundings are
anything but sanitary and if the
Boone plant is any criterion of the
one to be operated Lear this city the
public certainly is justified in offer
ing strong objections.
Some of the Boone residents and
those living In proximity of the
plant are very much opposed to its
operation there and efforts have
been made and are being made to get
rid, Of il, A, petition is 4qaaWGy, being
circulated asking that the plant be
suppressed.
Another Webster City party visit
ed the plant last week and they Sc
cured statements Of a number of
property owners in the vicinity,
some living a mile or more from the
plant, to the effect that the odor on
warm summer days when the wind
was in the right direction was very
offensive and that property in the
vicinity had been greatly d%epreciat-
ed in value.
The man at work at the plant said
most of the carcasses n obtained
free when they go after them, but
when they are brought to the estab-
lishment the wne is paid for the
hauling. They render about ten an
imals a week-horses, cattle, hogs,
etc. 1t is contrary to law to haul
diseased c%arcasses over the country
and the men in the employ of Mr..
.LaForge do not do it if they know
it. However, If the person who has
lost a hog or a steer from some con-
tagious disease, tells them that the
animal was smothered or clicked to
death or was killed by lightning. it
is not the business of the employees
to dispute the statement. These
dead %carcasses are hauled from var
ious parts of the county to the plant.
sometimes through the streets Of
Boone.
The nan at the plant made the
remark yesterday that as the plant
near Webster City was to be located
near the river it could be kept more
sanitary than is the one at. Boone, as
the river would carry away much of
the offensive matter. He also said
that Mr.. LaForge was going TO re-
build n nov the plant and he was
of the opinion he would move it.
While in Boone the party called
at the News-Republican office and
in conversation with the editor re-
ferred to the visit to the rendering
plant. He observed that he had
heard much complaint from the res
idents and business men of west
Boone (old B%oonesboro) CT the Of
fensive odor, and the plant is over a
mile from that section of the town.
Being located outside of the city linn
It's the council has no jurisdiction in
the matter.
More than a dozen people residing
In the vicinity of the plant made
statements condemning it,
of which follow:
c. ]. Ross: I live three-quarters
If a mile northwest of the LaForge
plant at Boone and l will
say the plant smells very bad all
lines of the day when the wind is
n the right direction. I own my
home and would give almost any
hing il We could get the plant away
rom where it is located.
Mrs. C. r. Smith: l am willing
o say that the rendering works that
re within q half OF a mile OF our