Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1919-05-20
AWARD GARBAGE
CONTRACT FOR
THREE YEARS
Graham & McKeon Get City
Contract for $127, 500 at
AIdermanic Meeting

After hearing the report of the
street committee on visits made to
nine cities of the state to investigate
garbage collection costs. the Board
of Aldermen last night awarded the
contract for collection in this city
for three years to Graham & McKeon,
the lowest bidders. for s127,500. If,
at a later date, the city decides TO
furnish a dump for the contractors to
use instead of their own ground the
contract cost will revert to the lower
figure bid where the firm was to use
a city dumping ground.
In figuring per capita costs Tor the
cities which the committee visited
Perth Amboy stands well, consider
ing the method of collection here, the
board believes. The per capita cost
In this city estimated on the contract
figures is !: {Using 1910 census of 32,-
l121), s1.33; (using estimated popula-
ton. 1919 of 45.00O). sos.
The report of the committee was
J prefaced with the following comment:
your committee on streets and
sewers respectfully report the system
| of collection, disposal, frequency OF
| collection and costs as per attached
summary of nine cities visited and in
spected as per your instructions.
1--WE also find a great diversity OF
opinion as to the relative merits OF
the combined and separate systems of
collections and vice versa. All sorts
| of sanitary and economic claims have
been made for each system.
'It is the opinion of this committee
that combined collections are un-
doubtedly more convenient to the
household"
The rIport of the committee show
ed that Elizabeth, with a popula-
ton of 74,409 used the combined sys-
| tenn of collection, with dump disposal
| day time collection twice a week, paid
| $4,000 for three year contract,
which expires on July 5. The contrac-
tor has been allowed extra money as
] he was losing on the contract figure.
The per capita cost in that city u
twenty-seven cents. The new contract
will be much higher. Four convenient
dumps. which are not covered, are
used.
in Bayonne the committee found
the collection combined with dump
disposal and daytime collection twice
a week. The population figured is
55.546, and the 1918 cost was $74.-
| 1866. or a per capita cost of $1.3S.
! West New York, with a population
| of 1880, uses the combined system
with dump for disposal. daytime col
lections twice a week at yearly con-
tract cost of $4,000 or a per capita
cost of Sill.
Weehawken. population, 1929,
uses the combined. dump disposal,
twice weekly daytime system of col
lection. The contract figures for the
first year are SIS. 900 and for the sec
ond year $4,000, and the per capita
cost in 1919 will be $1.34 and in 1920
$1.43.
North Bergen. population 10000
pays $4,000 on yearly contract or a
per capita of SIS. West Hoboken
with a population of 35,403, pays
$27, 1000 on yearly contract for pei
capita cost of SIT. In New Brunswick
the cost is s30,778, or per. capita fig
ure of 1892 for a population figured
at 23,328. Incinerating and dump are
used there and collections are made OF
garbage, ashes and combustible mate
rial separately. Trenton pays a pei
capita OF $40 and Plainfeld. where
the collection is done by contract with
residents by private contractors pays
per capita cost of s2.40 a year.
| The aldermen found that this city
[ is the only one known of which col.
| lects garbage at night and that is fig
ured as a splendid advantage which
shows true pacemaking spirit in this
city in the opinion of the council.