New-York tribune., 1917-08-31
Garbage and Odors
Why No Stencil From Staten Island
Scows Can Be Detected


To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In your issue of the oath Sidney A.
Reeve purports to reply to an article which
appeared in The Tribune on August p under
headlines: New Garbage Plant Emits Little
Odor: Staten Islanders Who Fought 1t Didn't
Know It Was Running"
Your own representative by personal inves-
tigaLion proved the headlines and Mr.. Reeve
himself admitted the truth of their statement.
So far, so good But Mr.. Reeve also stated
that It was not the admittedly odorless plant
that was worrying Staten Islanders but the
transportation of the garbage from the city
dumps to this odorless plant.
This is what he charges:
During the recent hot wave, when people
were dying by hundreds for lack of fresh air,
and when the big Staten Island ferries were
jammed from rail to rail all day long with
people seeking relief even at the cost Of
standing for an hour at a time, what did they
get? Crossing the alleged finest harbor IN
the world,' they were greeted by stencil from
garbage scows so dense that even the men
had to hold their noses. One was sickened
both at stomach and at heart by the trip,
which should have refreshened."
Now Mr.. Reeve went wrong, as many others
seemed predisposed to do, in assuming, at
leas. inferentially, that certain nauseous har-
Dor odors emanated from Staten Island gar
bage scows This in face Of the fact that
Commissioner Fetherston of the Department
Of Street Cleaning had assured Staten Island
people that the transportation of garbage to
the new plant would not be attended by any
nuisance This also in the face of the fact
that at the period mentioned by Mr.. Reeve
2s5 horses died in the streets of New York
in one day, and these deal animals, with
probably hundreds of others, were in process
of being removed to a Barren Island plant.
Also that other scows laden with ashes and
filth were moving to points other than
Staten Island.
As matter of fact, neither Mr.. Reeve nor
any one else has ever smelt Staten Island
garbage scow in transit, for the following
reasons, as certified By the Department of
Street Cleaning:
l. All scows loaded with garbage consigned
to the new Staten Island plant are protected
by imperyious tarpaulin coverings, so tightly
fitted that any one with sensitive nostril
may circle these scows in the harbor and
fail to ascertain by any odor the nature of
their content
g. In addition to the successful deodorant
methods applied to them, all scows carrying
garbage to the Staten Island plant are moved
in the small hours of the night, when people
are in bed and asleep.
Therefore, in all fairness to the efforts Of
city officials to abolish the garbage nuisance
and to the contractors, who not only, against
great opposition, have introduced an odoress
system of garbage reduction but bonded them
selves in the amount Of 100000 against
creating any nuisance, Mr.. Reeve might cor
rect his statement, or at least take the trouble
to inform himself as to the facts before again
rushing into Print with statements detri-
mental to an enterprise in garbage disposal
which is a credit to New York City and is
to-day creating nationwide attention on
account Of its perfect sanitary qualities and
effectiveness. L. FLETCHER SNAPP.
New York Aug. 20, 1917.