South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-10
GARBAGE PLANT
A MONEY MAKER
Street Commissioner Layton
Reports on His lnveStiga-
tons of Methods.

That II is possible TO operate a
garbage reduction plant TO a profit
is the conclusion arrived at by Street
Commissioner Dewey G. Layton, fol-
lowing his investigation into the
most up 70 date methods in the
handling of the refuse OF cities the
size Of South Bend and larger.
1t has been felt by the officials,
who are interested in this c, Oart-
ment Of the management of the city
that something must be done in the
near future toward disposing more
intelligently of the daily garbage
collections The present plant in OPP
Grafton IN the city is said not TO be
giving the satisfaction that is de-
sired. and for some weeks. under the
direction of Mayor Keller. and with
the permission Of the board Of public
works. Mr.. Layton has been quietly
investigating ways and means.
Garbage destruction. as is &C
complished in the incinderatiOn
plants is held 10 be a tasteful op-
Grafton. In some instances use is
made OF the heat generated by the
burning Of the waste animal and
vegetable matter. but the amounts
recovered by this method is out Of
all proportion of the fertilization and
reduction value Of the garbage. IN
der the new system, a distinction is
made between dry garbage CT rub
bish and true garbage.
How il is Separated.
Il -
and the metal melted up into its
component parts. the paper and rags
sold and the ashes and broken crock
cry used as filling material. 1t is in
treating the remaining wet garbage
that the large profits are realized.
The fats and greases are resolved
into fatty acids and glycerol out Of
which are made soaps and clean
sers, glycerine. nitro-glycerine and
dynamite The tankage is resolved
into ammonia, phosphoric acid, lime
phosphate. and potash, which owing
10 the shortage in production, is in
creasing very rapidly in value. With
the great increase in modern meth
DDS of farming, the greater demand
for the acids, that are used extern
sively as fertilizers, is steadily grow
ing. still other oils obtained from
the miscellaneous cOmponents of
the refuse are ethyl alcohol. orange
oil, and lemon oil.
From all of this data. as well as
from the reports from many other
cities of the country, it becomes at
once apparent that the reduction Of
garbage can be made to pay a hand
some dividend on the investment.
The location of the plant, is a
question that is, at present, Offering
some difficulty. II is claimed by
some authorities that the newer
plants cannot be objected to on ac-
count of the offensive odor. IL is
claimed that the more centrally they
are located, the more efficiently they
can be run. and that the methods
used consume all of the objection
T able gasses.
River an Advantage.
{ In actual practice, cities have
/ found il advisable TO locate their
plants at the edge of the town. OF
/ in some cases, several miles from the
city limits In a notable few cases
scows are used TO transport the
garbage from central collection
points TO the plant some distance
away on the river bank. This plan
which is very feasible in the case OF
South Bend. is being given seriou:
consideration by the Officials.
Saginaw. Michigan, has adopted
a most unusual method Of disposina
of the city's garbage. b. esta blish,
ing "A municipal piggery. An exten'
sive farm has been purchased sew
eral miles from the city itself anC
placed in charge of expert stock
men. Here a hog farm, on a very
extensive scale has been esta blished
/, which. though it has just been mi
tiated, has proved to be quite salts
factory.
No absolute conclusions have beer
drawn by the city officials. who con
slider that il absolutely necessary
that some plants in actual opera
ton be visited before any decision
can be reached. IL is the presen
plan to send an official to severa
cities in the near future for thi,
r,r1rDoSe