South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-11
CLUBHOUSE BILL IS
PASSED 6 To 8
Council Then Turns Attention
to Garbage Question at
Mayors Suggestion.

After passing, by a vote OF 8 10 3.
the clubhouse ordinance, on which a
favorable report was returned by
the committee o. the whole, the
city council, in session last night.
turned its attention 20 another
matter concerning public welfare
the disposal Of the city's garbage.
An ordinance was introduced for
its FIRST and second readings which
changed the present method of gar
bage disposal. Instead OF burning
the waste, as is now done, the new
ordinance provides that il shall be
sold for use as food for hogs. The
new ordinance, if passed, will take
effect April l. 1918.
Approve Mellett Contract
A second ordinance concerning
the garbage question was also in
troduced for first and second read
ings. This ordinance approves a
contract entered into by the board
of public works and J. II. MeIlett of
Anderson. Ind, whereby the latter
agrees to pay 81 per ton for all the
city's garbage for the next 10
years. the contract 10 begin on April
4. 1918. Both ordinances were re-
ferred TO the committee of the whole
and will come up for discussion next
Tuesday. Dec. is.
Following the meeting the coun-
ell adjourned to the mayors office
where Mayor Keller read from a re-
port of the Springfield (Mass.) bU-
L
was concerned with the disposal of
garbage. The report showed that
for "a city the size of South Bend, d
garbage reduction plant was not a
paying proposition, that a crema-
tory, such as at present is being
operated, is waste, and that the
selling Of garbage for food for hogs
was profitable, sanitary. and alto
gethCr desirable.
Mayor Explains Situation.
Several other reports were read
and an informal discussion follow
ed. Mayor Keller explained the 10
cal situation briefly and set forth
conditions in other cities "Our
present garbage crematory was built
about 10 years ago. at cost of
$500. The cost of operating is
about $4,000 a year, for coal, labor
and the like. Added TO this, inter
est on the investment and depreci-
alton charges, together with neces-
sary repairs, makes the cost per
year not far from $1,000" explain
ed the mayor.
About 5000 tons Of garbage are
burned annually, according 10 esti-
mates. Now, il the operation of the
crematory were TO cease. and the
5000 tons Of garbage were to be
sold for 81 per ton, it would mean
difference of $4,000 in the citys
funds. Besides this, there is, more
garbage which can be collected, so
it is safe 10 say that more than So
600 per year could be realized from
the saving Of expense and the sale
of garbage.
1T costs about $1,000 per year TO
collect the garbage. This cost is
for three teams and wagons, with
two men on each wagon. If this
contract is completed, by ratification
by the council, il is probable that
dHoliltI wagon viii tbe duutQ 10 the
city's equipment, thus increasing
the amount of garbage we will have
10 sell.
Hog Feeding Sanitary.
From a health standpoint. all
authorities agree that the feeding
of garbage TO hogs is not detri-
mental 10 the public health and,
on the contrary, if properly done,
is a sanitary way Of disposing of
he garbage"
Figures showing that the price
offered South Bend-$1 per ton
was as high as is obtained by any
city in the United States, were
quoted by the mayor. That % per-
cent of all the hogs in Massachu-
sets are garbage fed was the asser-
ton Of Mayor Keller.
The Clubhouse ordinance consumed