The Washington times., 1919-05-19

HEADS WITHIN
LAW, ISCLA|N
Commissioners Make No Move
To Stop Erection of InCiner-
ator Near Mt. 0IiVet.
By BILL PRICE.

The District Commissioners did not
today show any inclination to alter or
change the permission given to the
J. ]. whitehead Co. TO establish a dis
posal plant for miscellaneous refuse
on the plot OF ground adjoining Mt.
Olivet Cemetery on the west, lying
between that cemetery and Ivy City,
with the Columbia Institution for the
Deaf and Dumb adjoining at one cor
ner and the populous subdivision Of
Trinidad adjoining on the south.
The storm of protest has brought
many insinuations and limitations
not rejecting upon the Commission
ers, but the latter are severely con-
demned for permitting the location in
that vicinity.
Colonel Kutz, Engineer Commits
sioner, who has handled the matter,
takes the position that the White
head Company have located the plant
upon their own property; that so far
they have violated no health law or
regulation or other laws or regula-
tions, and that unless the plant be-
cemoG a public nuisance ii is not with
in the power of the Commissioners to
legally interfere with the operations.
The disposal company is fully
aware, Colonel Kutz stated today,
that il it permits its operations in
any way to become a nuisance, there
by violating District laws and regu-
Istions, it will be suppressed.
Consult ID. C. Heads First.
II il admitted that the Commits
sioners were consulted about the To-
cation before the property was bought
by the Whitehead Company, and that
the answer given was that the Com
missioners had nothing to do with
the matter legally so long as the COM
pany kept within laws and regula-
tions.
The engineer office believes that
there is q mistaken impression on the
part of the public, which, officials |
think, have an ideal that it is a gar
baEs disposal plant The contract |
with the Whitehead Company, it is !
stated, is for the collection and dis
posal of miscellaneous refuse-tin
cans, rags, paper, etc.
The company is putting up an in
GENERATING plant for the destruction
of such things as can not be salvaged
and IL the incarceration produces Of
fensive smoke the plant could be sup
pressed or repeatedly fined for viola |
tions, II il pointed out It has also
promised to surround the place with
. high fence.
Hint at Spite Claim
Among the many intimations float |
ing in the District Building is that
one of the men conducting the agita- |
ton sought to sell to the company
a piece Of ground in the same vicin- |
ity and failed to do so.
Strongest complaint is that citizens |
sought to obtain a hearing on the |
matter, but were unable to do so, the |
that il could not forbid a company |
using its own property unless it was |
evident that the business would vio- |
late some health, FIRE, or other law.
1t was intimated to the engineer |
office at the time by citizens, that if
the company had sought to locate |
this plant on the beautiful property \
At Connecticut and Florida avenues
the Commissioners might have taken 1
, > different view. To this the engineer |
office stated that il could not legally /
have prevented the location at any /
point
The protests are growing, in volume !
every day. The Ivy City and North 4
east Washington Citizens Associa-
tions; President Hall, Of the Deaf anj
Dumb Institution: Father O'Brien, OF |
81. Peters Church. and also head OF
the Mt. Olivet cemetery corporation,
nave Joined the sight. in which there
is much feeling.
History Of the Matter.
In 1918 the Commissioners Iet to
John G. Fairbrother. who was private
secretary to Representative Parks Of
Georgia, the latter having shown in
Ierest in many matters centered IN
the District building. a three-year
contract for collection and disposal Of
miscellaneous refuse, for which he
was to receive $4,000 the first year,
beginning July !, 1918. The incinerat-
ing plant was located in Virginia II
was destroyed by fire, and early in
March of this year Fairbrother found
himself unable TO longer perform the
terms of the contract.
The Whitehead Company Of which
1 ". T. Kelly, of this city, is vice presi-
dent. Whitehead being a New York
man. took over the performance OF
the work in an understanding with
Faircloth's bondsmen. A new con
tract was entered into by the Com
nissioners to pay Fsircloth S15.75O
for doing the work from March 16 of
this year TO June 80. In the next
rascal year he is TO receive S35. 400.
and for the third year, ending June
90, 1921. he is TO be paid $4,000.
The contract calls for trash col
4eGllOuS SSNeIdi liAitS q "eFN III On'
city proper and at least once a week
in thinly populated suburban regions.
The Commissioners had much trou-
BILE with both ash and miscellaneous
refuse collections during the war.
ISSUE FOUR LICENSES TO FLY.
The Joint Army and Navy Board of
Aeronautic CogniZance has issued
rfle following civilian flying licenses
10 Washington. No. I64, Donald Gift
ford Vande Water; No. 472 Henry c.
Eenly: No. 475. William l. Kcnly and
No. 40. F. L. Carter. i
Who carried hot coffee and chOcO-
Iste into the front Iinest Ask any |
dOughbOy. 4: