New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-19
Garbage Plant To Be
Odorless-People Have
False Notions, He Says.
NO SNAP JUDGMENT
IN GIVING CONTRACT
Present Disposal Concern Gave
Mistaken Impressions, Mr..
Mitchell Asserts in Letter.

Mavor Mitchell declared yesterday
that false notions concerning the gar
bage disposal plant 20 be erected on
Staten Island wero put into the minds
Of the people Of that borough; that inc
plant would be odorless and inohet siFe
and that there had been no snap judg-
ment or the part Of the Board Of Esti-
mate IN letting the contract The May
or's statements were made IN letter
20 Nathan A. smyth. lawyer living ct
Doncan Hills. Mr. Smyth wrote the
Mayor. Directing 20 the idea that me
residents Of the island were not IN
ccnsed over the matter and complain
ing that they had not been granted a
pubiic hearing on the subject
The Mayor has invited Mr.. Smyth
and other prominent citizens Of Staten
Island TO meet him at the City Hail TO-
dav and talk matters over. The ap-
pointment is irrespective Of any organ
led delegation which may intend 10
call at tho City Hall to protest.
Staten Island Unduly Alarmed.
81 believe the people Of Staten Island
are unduly alarmed over this situa-
ton" the Mayor wrote. III had
,bouqht for one moment that the cree
,ion Of this plant would create a nui-
.snce I would not have voted for the
award Of the contract or the erection
Of the plant. either IN the Borough OF
Richmond or elsewhere IN the city OF
New York.
The genuine and popular feeling
AGAINST the establishment Of the plant
springing from the mistaken belief
that the plant will prove a nuisance
WAS IN the first instance fomented IN
the interests OF the owners Of the pres
ent plant. who in and out Of court have
done all in their power 10 prevent the
award q this contract 10 new oldoei'
Notions concerning the new plant
which are mistaken and false were put
into the minds Of the people OF Ken
mond."
Will Not BE Nuisance.
The Mayor said that the proposed
plant would not menace the health or
nor create q nuisance for the people
residing on Staten Island.
Referring 10 the two forms OF con
tracts presented 20 the Board OF Estl-
mate some months ago. the Mayor sand
that the Riker's Island location mad
been the first choice Of the Board OF
Estimate. but had been turned down by
the Board Of Aldermen. The only
course left, the Mayor declared, was
TO approve the award for the staten
Island contract
There was no snap judgment taken
in this matter" the Mayor wrote, Tor
land I believe every other member
of the Board Of Estimate made q care
ful study of the terms and conditions
of this contract during the period when
no public action could be taken, be-
cause of series Of injunctions that
had tied the hands Of the board since
he opening OF bids"
Public Hearing Impossible.
Referring 20 the failure to grant a
public hearing on the matter, the
Mayor said: every one knew that
should the Board Of Estimate accede
70 the request for public hearing
after the dissolution OF the existing
injunctions such hearing would serve
only as means Of permitting the ser
vice of a new injunction. Moreover
the merits had been argued and re-
argued in court, and every fact which
could be adduced at Il hearing before
the Board Of Estimate had already
been presented i'm the legal proceed
ings and hSd been before the members
Of the board for some time. Delay
meant the loss 20 the city Of the OPP
rCrtunity Of securing an infinitely more
favorable contract and the establish
ment Of a satisfactory and inoitensiv'
plant"
To Eliminate All Odors.
The Mayor pointed out that the con
tractors would install tho CobweN sys
tom in the new plant. which had beer
shown TO eliminate all the dlsagreeabl ID
features Of similar plants at New Bed
ford, Mass, and az Los Angeles. Tho
Mayor declared also that there would
be no odors or gases from the garbage
in transit from the city dumps 10 The
plant. "a the Street Cleaning Commits
s.oner had received ample authority
under the terms OF the contract q
compel the contractor 20 use such de
vices for the trans portatiOn OF garbage
as 20 make IL entirely inofensive.
The Mayor called attention 20 th'
fact that Borough President Van Mani
of Richmond was IA member of the com
mittee Of street cleaning Of the Boar
Of Estimate. and as such signed ~
report recommending the plan OF th
garbage contract and specification
which had been adopted, which LEI
staten Island open as site for Oh
plant.
please remember" the Mayor con
cludcd. "that the plant will be locatcl
~ q considerable distance from any eX
isting residences or development; in
district remote and isolated whore fac
-cries and plants are now located"