The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1919-11-20
Temporary Cleanup of Business
District Fails to Convince
Fire Engineer
WRITES The MAYOR AGAIN
Tity Must Adopt Systematic Method
of Taking Care of Downtown
Rubbish

nrotection, has written Mayor George
Tweedt again to inform him that the
once over is not sufficient to establish
Kennewick's business district in the
good graces of the state surveying
and rating bureau. Mr.. Maury says
that his second visit to Kennewick
convinced him that the clean up of the
down town back alleys was only of a
temporary nature and that the busi-
ness houses will have to "come again.
or have their insurance rates raised.
The writer holds that burning rub
bish in the open in the business dis
trict is almost as hazardous as letting
it accumulate and says this practice
must be stopped. f. ...- +.
Mr.. Maury's letter was read to the
city council Tuesday evening. There
is city ordinance which prohibits
the burning of rubbish in the streets,
alleys, or vacant lots of the city, but
it is claimed its provisions are too in
|. definite to efficiently carry out the
Recommendations of the rating bu-
reau, consequently the city attorney
was instructed to draft a new ordin-
ance embodying these recommends
lions.
Mr.. Maury's letter to the mayor
follows:
aAs you are aware, two inspections
have been made by this Office of rub
bish conditions in the mercantile dis
trict Of Kennewick during the last
FIVE weeks, the last inspection on the
18th inst. At both inspections rub
bish conditions were found to be bad,
altho we are pleased to understand
that a reformation thereof is in early
prospect.
sNo permanently satisfactory cor
rGtions of such conditions can obtain
unless regular system is inaugural
ed for the removal of such rubbish at
intervals frequent, enough to keep the
district clean. The burning of rub
bsh in the district is a wholly un-
satisfactory method of removing such
rubbish. Furthermore, such burn
ings out of doors are seriously OBJ
jectionable and should be positively
prohibited by ordinance. Our inspec-
ion indicates that it is frequent
practice to burn rubbish in the open
in that district. Even on MINDLESS
days such should not be permitted,
and there are many days in Kenne.
wick that are windy. We doubt IL
proper safeguards would be generally
used even with reference to enclosed
hres out of doors, for the burning OF
rubbish. Such enclosures would not
only have to be specially and effective?
" designed to contain the fire, but
would have to have constant attend
ant during such bnrnings and sucn
burnings under no circumstances
should occur when the wind is blow
ing. 1t would be impractlcable, we
think, to rely on all of these condl-
tons obtaining. We therefore urge
that the ordinance prohibit any burn-
ing of refuse out of doors.
I'VE respectfully state that II at
the next inspection of KenneWlck rub
bish conditions are still found to De
bad, or if there is evidence OF burning
rubbish out of doors, an advance OF
rates will be due, On the other hand,
If Objectionable conditions of rubbish
and the burning of rubbish are per,
manently corrected, this office would
be very glad indeed to make some
reduction in present insurance rateS
In that district at the next genera
rerating of Kennewick; and PROVIDED
further the following important re- re-
commendations are complied with, VI.
~ Procure not less that 300 feet OF
new and first-class 2k k-inch fire nose,
] to be added to such hose as is now IN
the department; (2) Moreover, pro.
vide at least three additional shut-on
nozzles. There should be at all t1mes s
two nozzles on each hose cart, those
Of the shut-off type to be located Pre-, pre-
ferably in the mercantile district. we we
found no nozzle whatever at the nre
station located in the residential dis- is,
rict in what is known as the GarTeii Ms' !
Tracts, serious omission indeed. ine
above recommendation would allow
for one extra nozzle in case OF loss OF
accident to the other" ~@.