Evening star., 1919-10-11
GARBAGE SERVICE
COST|S|NCREASED
High Wages and Reduction in
Receipts From Grease
Chief Cause.
LAW CHANGE SUGGESTED

High cost Of labor, coupled with the
lev price received from the sale OF
grease. made the cost Of Washington 8
garbage service greater under District
operation last year than when the work
was let out on contract. according to the
annual report OF Norris Hacker. super
visor Of city refuse.
"The cost Of this garbage service:
the report states. was considerably
greater than when done under contract.
city and high cost Of labor during the
past year as well as by the low price
received for the grease and tankage pro-
duced from January I to June 30. In
order to operate the service as EN-
GENTLY and economically as possible. II
given the authority to operate 1t as a
business proposition. They should be
permitted to buy or sell hogs. grease and
other products, and as the market die
tated. without the formality and delay
OF taking bids"
Mr.. Hacker tells the Commissioners
that the proceeds from the District S
garbage reduction plant at Cherry Hill,
Va, were reduced by the practice OF
many families of sending their table
refuse to nearby farms to be fed to hogs.
Suggests Change In Law.
'"T11e present law" the report states
permits the transportation by private
individuals Of table refuse to points
outside OF the District to be fed to
poultry and pigs. This license is be-
ing taken advantage OF by a number
Of pig feeders and results In disad-
vantage to the District in that the
garbage richest In fats Is selected fol
this purpose and tho city is left the
lean garbage to collect. so that pro-
duction OF grease has fallen of notice
ably since this law went into effect
Specific recommendation is made in
the estimates for this division thai
this law be changed"
Service rendered by the contractor
for the ash and refuse collection waa
seriously affected during the las
fiscal year by the shortage Of labor
and the increased cost Of both labor
and material. according to the report
Since the beginning OF the new
operation Of ash collections. Mr.
Hacker tells the Cbmmissf oners thai
| If the city il to take over the trash
| collection service at the expiration Of
| the present contract in accordance
| with authority already granted BY
congress provision should be made II
| the 1922 appropriation bin for thu
| carrying on of this service.
| The section Of the report ON stree
l fcleaning is taken up almost entirel!
with figures to show how wages o
employees increased during the las
fiscal year.
In connection with his report on tn
garbage service, Mr.. Hacker expresse
| the Eelief that the District could sue
icessfuI1y go in for hog raising as
means Of profitably dispcsing Of garb
age which isl poor in substances whic
make grease.
| Mr.. Hacker reports that the net cos
Of the entire garbage service fror
July 1. 1913, to June 80, this year. in
icluding cost Of the plant purchased
was $265, 1884 AT the reductio
plant there were produced grease an
itankage to the value of $230,328.9
This money was covered into tn
| United States Treas asr1ry as a credit, t
show the net cost Of the service.
The report states, that garbage 1
lcollected from 66.56E places. including
residences, apartments, business es
Establishments and Institutions.