Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-22
SHOULD EMPLOY
COMMON SENSE
IN CLEANUP
No Need to Instill Fear Into
Minds of Boys and
Girls
BY MRS. ANNA II. WOOD.

Mrs. Harvey Smith, recording sec
fetary of the Harrisburg Civic Club.
in line with the earnest energetic wo-
men of that progressive organization.
is of the opinion that the streets of the
city must positively undergo thor
ough cleanup before the warm wealth
er begins, But she says that common
sense should prevail and not the pan
icky fear bred of tho oft-repeated
words, "epidemic," disease" and in
fantile paralysis"
THE children hear this talk" said
Mrs. Smith, and their little minds are
poisoned by fear There Is so much In
the power of suggestion that no tell
ing, what may happen to the boy or
girl over whose head the dread of IN
fantile paralysis hangs like q sword.
Mrs, William Henderson, as presi--
dent OF the Civic Club, has answered
for the housewives of Harrisburg gem
orally that they will each and all do
their part toward accomplishing TINS
work undertaken by women for the
sake of the lives and health or their
loved ones,
Miss Mary Miller, of the Visiting
Nurses Association, has started
campaign through the medium OF
practical education in the homes at
tended, Wherever a visiting nurse
finds unfavorable conditions she per-
Sonally undertakes the responsibility
of seeing that an improvement Is be-
gun. Motherhood is the same the
world over and women of the poorer
classes will struggle, and fight TO the
last ditch for the lives of their chill
dren once they can be convinced that
danger threatens them,
Unfortunately, convincing is some
times difficult work, Not long ago the
city of Chicago was spending in the
neighborhood of S6,000,000 annually
for the removal OF It's garbage and
ashes by contract, and Ii was not be-
ing done satisfactorily, After due
study of conditions in other cities and
abroad, Miss Mary Mcdowell, the
representative OF the City Waste
Committee of the Woman's City CUB
approached the City Council with the
suggestion that she be allowed to eN-
plain to them the benefit of municipal
control of the situation as 1t had been
worked out elsewhere. The permis-
sion was refused and her repeated ef-
forts won her the appellation or the
Garbage Crank" However, Miss Nc
Dowell bided her time and the day
came when she was sent for by the
Council, her advice listened to and
acted upon and to-day the city clears
$4,000 a year profit and the work Is
done with satisfaction to the property
lJullllS
riod of watchful waiting suffrage was
passed in Illinois but l am stating this
rs fact and not as a suggestion, that
it had any influence upon the QUes-
ton under discussion,
The point of economies is probably
one of the chief stumbling blocks for
municipal adoption of ash and gar
bage collection. 1t is undoubtedly ex-
pensive to build the necessary reduc-
ton plants, employ the necessary
force of men, etc, but when the sys-
TEN is once in good working order II
has been proven over and over again
that it becomes paying proposition.
In 1909 the amount received by the
city of Glasgow, of which I have
spoken before, for cGnkers for build
ing purposes made from its burned
refuse was SS,559.60. The grease
which can be derived from garbage
sells from cents TO cents per pound
depending upon market conditions
Rndf fertilizer tankage sells from SO
TO $40 ton. In Columbus and Cleve-
land, Ohio, where reduction plants
are municipality owned, it was found
that a net profit could be secured of
from 80 cents to $3.50 per ton. In
Furth, Germany, city of $4,000 in
habitants where the most up-to-date
and scientific method of disposing of
city waste is used they are confident
ly expecting that in a few years the
income derived from the paving mate
rial and electric power generated by
the municipal reduction plant will
equal the cost of collection and dis
posal of refuse.
But primarily this should be sani-
tary and not financial question.
Who complains because a sewerage
system is not self-supporting?
The Telegraph urges all household
ers, all men and 'romen who have an
interest in their city's development
and in the health OF themselves and
their families to write their opinions.
Make your letters say what you think
who represent you in the citys gov
ernment. 1t is your privilege, your
right and your duty.