New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-30
LAWYERS SCORED
IN GARBAGE FIGHT
Representatives of Cor
pOratiOn Counsel Accused
of Double Dealing.

William Writ Mills, vice president OF
the Staten Island Civic League, yester-
day told DR.. Lindsey Williams, Deputy
State Health Commissioner, why inhab-
itants of Richmond Borough are con-
demning alleged actions of the Corpora
ton Counsels Office in litigation over
the proposed garbage reduction plant.
Mr.. Mills spoke at the first hearing
in the investigation to determine
whether the plant will be a nuisance,
held before DR.. Williams, in the Bor-
ough Hall, St. George.
Referring TO an attack by Frank A.
Verdon at Mondays hearing on the
Corporation CounsePs representatives,
Percy r. Chittenden and John +. Col
Inns, Mr.. Mills said:
These gentlemen, having previously
appeared for the contractors who are
building and will operate the plant, re-
Gently appeared technically for the Su-
perintendent Of Buildings in opposition
10 the contractors. but denled 10 HIM
his legal right TO personal counsel,
waived the right of jury trial and prac-
tically dumped the case so as to obtain
a verdict in opposition to the rights
and interests of their technical client.
"0f course. we recognize that in al
lowing the Corporation Counsel to APP
pear in this case, you did so in entire
good faith, because the city is party
to this contract; we do not suppose you
anticipate the Corporation Counsel
would become the defender of the con-
tractors"
Mr.. Chittenden said it was the Cor
poration CounsePs duty TO represent
every city department. In the agree
ment between the city and the con-
tractors, he explained the Street Clean
ing Commissioner was vested with the
power 20 see the contractors took every
precaution to protect the public in the
transporting of the garbage.
Edward Hatch, jr., chairman for the
last ten years of the New York Mer-
chants Association committee on pollu-
ton and sewage disposal, who has
made a special study of the fly as
carrier of disease, testified yesterday
he believed flies would follow the gar
bags scows unless their canvas covers
were deodorized. 1t would not elimi-
nate the flies. ne said, to put the gar
bage in sealed containers, as they never
would have the proper care, he de-
clared.
There are records of as many as
500 900 900 bacteria on one fly" said
Mr. Hatch. There have been over
300,000000 typhoid fever and dyson
terry germs. A house fly can travel by
its own energy not more than 1000
feet, but was able once to follow two
flies from Albany to Plattsburg. a dis
lance of l66 miles. They were on a
passengers shoulder all the way"
August H. Hansen, a sanitary engl-
neer. who inspected the New Bedford,
Mass, reduction plant for the Staten
Island Vigilance Committee. testified
that if 1000 tons of garbage were re-
duced daily at the new plant about
$4,000 gallons of overflow water
would be deposited in Fresh Kills each
day, unless the contractors could find
some other way to dispose of it.
Charles A. Van Etten. member Of
the contracting firm, said the garbage
scows would be thoroughly cleaned af-
ter each trip and their canvas covers
washed Unless there were objections.
he said, the water used for the latter
purpose would be allowed to drain
into the kill.
September II, at 10 a. M, was set
for the next hearing.