The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-26
bURRUSS WANTS
 |NC|NERATORSFOR !
 GARBAGE DISPOSAL
Area of Birmingham Too Great and Dumps Too UnheaIthfui to Permit Continuance of
 Present System

Centrally located, a gar bage incinerator for Birming- ham is the aim of Henry Page Burruss, commissioner of pub lie improvements.
 So acute is the problem of moving the garbage, requiring both thought and money, on account of The large area of the city, that Mr. Burruss be- lieves such .ant lld b. a money saver.
 The cost of moving garbage in Oc- tober and November of 1920 was ss,6S7 per month, about 1000 in excess of the budget for that purpose, accord ing to MT. Burruss.
 This garbage moving is a harder problem in Birmingham than it is ia many other cities in the same class. said MT. Burruss. 'It is- a far bigger one in degree and kind than we ap- preciate, unless we have thought about and had experience in dealing with
 
 This department is glad at any time to receive helpful suggestions and criticism from those who have studied the problem I, as head of the de- pdrtment, will be glad to receive any individual or delegation who feel they have constructive suggestion to make.
 EFFECTS EVERYBODY
 "The removal of garbage involves the health, convenience, comfort, clean liness and appearance of the city as . whole. The problem originates in the life and habits of every family in the city and it's successful solutioa rs sts largely in the cooperation which the citizens are willing to give.
 "The problem is affected by the con- struction of every house and backyard in the city. If they are so constructed that disposal of the garbage is ia cilitated, 1t helps just that much. Many houses and thoroughfares were not constructed with any consideration of the problem of the sanitary disposal of garbage. The ingress and egress of homes, if arranged with reference to the disposal of refuse, saves time and money to the city.
 Another serious drawback to this city in the disposal of the waste is the vast area of the community and the condition of the streets and alleys. Richmond, Va, in the same class among American cities, has an area of "A square miles, while Birmingham is burdened with an area of 56 square miles. One can easily see the multi piled difficulties which Birmingham faces as compared with the problems in Richmond
 ."The haulage in Birmingham is long and excessive. In Richmond it is short and the delivery is quick. Money is saved every day in Richmond by the two centrally located incinerators Of the city. There the haulage of gar bage converges to a central point. In Birmingham the haulage diverges to four widely separated points.
 WERE TOO SMALL
 The incinerators which were for merly used in Birmingham were small inadequate, nuisance and a breeding place of law suits. They had to be abandoned in defense of the health and finances of the city. In place of them the primitive garbage dump, covered with ashes and earth to prevent odors and decay, had to be used.
 "A centrally located crematory to reduce garbage to ashes and further insure health and sanitation in Bir- mingham Is much to be desired
  has been impossible in Birmingham in the last three years on account of a lack of finances, but the necessity for such a plant is growing in the city every day and it will soon have to be built. When such an institution for handling refuse has been built it will be a great day for the health and eco homie conditions of the city.
 NEED SERVICE
 Tn the great cities of the United States demands for service along this line have been doubled and trebled People are calling for municipal ser vice in the care of. garbage no. thought of IS years ago. Statistics show the service has increased mu- nicipal costs heavily, but better ser vice in the removal of garbage is very necessary. It means a vastly cleaner better life for the people, both phys ically and mentally.
 'I am struck every day with the valuable help rendered in the gar bage department by thoughtful CO., operative citizens.
 "A