Evening journal., 1916-08-24
SYSTEM
AGAIN fails CITY
Health Board May Cancel
Contracts With the
Collecting Company
OFFICIALS INSIST
THAT WORK BE DONE

Following a Joint meeting between the
health committee OF City Council and
the Board OF Health last night. DR.. 5.
c. Frederick, president Of the Boarl Of
Health. and Secretary Isaac W. Bowers,
conferred today seeking means 20
clear up the garbage situation. At the
Joint meeting last night CITY Council,
through its committee, gave the health
department authority to collect garbage,
and it was to formulate means to bi ing
about this end that the conference was
held today.
AS a result of the conference this
morning. men were dispatched to in
vestigate garbage conditions in the
city at frs; hand They will report
to the board this afternoon. Just
what the board will do to bring about
the prompt and thorough collection of
garbage Mr.. Bowers was not pre-
pared to state this morning, but he
declared that the garbage must be
collected properly. The board will
probably insist that the Wilmington
Sanitary Company do the work prop
erly or give up its contract and for
felt its bond. AS far as City and the
Board of Health are concerned the
main point at issue is the prompt col
lection Of the garbage.
1t was stated at the Joint meeting
last night that, as the Wilmington
Sanitary Company holds two contracts
with the city. one for the collection
of garbage and the other for its dis
posal, the situation is more difficult
to handle. II was the opinion of some
OF the members Of the Board of Health
that both the contracts OF the Will
mlngton Sanitary Company should be
cancelled IN view Of the company's at
titude. While the company desires
the reduction end of the business. il
does not care for the collection end. il
was pointed out
Speaking for his department. DR.
Frederick said that conditions in vii.
mington, due 10 the non-cOllection or
garbage, were a menace and had beer
that way for years. He said as presi
dent of the health board he wanted tc
do everything in his power 10 remed,
the present situation "Rut in thi.
the Board Of Health is the goat" saiC
/ DR.. Frederick by law we are helC
responsible. and by law we have no
the means nor the money to get equip
ment 10 make collections. We hav,
received as high as 400 complaints il
one day At one time we had foul
wagons on complaint collections ant
certainly had improved the situation
when the Wilmington Sanitary Com
pany officials came to us asking tha
we take OFF our wagons. as they coul
handle it. We did so. Yesterday W
received about $50 complaints I stan
strongly for any measure that vii
do away with the present system q
things and give Wilmington a sani
tary garbage system. For a city q
10000 people, this whole garbag
muddle is the worst kind of a dis
grace"
Joseph Martin, president of the D
B. Martin Company, of Philadelphia
which controls the Wilmington SAM
tary Company, told City Engineer Ed
gar NJ Hopes, Jr.: You did wrong
to queer us with our bonding com
pany" This was after the Board o
Health had notified the American
Surety Company. which company
holds the bond for the Wilmington
Sanitary Company, that the sanitar!
company was not living up TO it'
agreement.
There will be a later meeting. no
/. definitely decided upon. to go into th'
situation thoroughly and discuss
methods and means whereby the citl
could take care of its own garbage
and get paid for the reduction Of ii
} rather than pay out a large sum o
= money to a privte concern.
City Engineer Hopes also spok'
for the health department and said
, There have been evil influences a
work in this situation"