Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-25
OFFICIAL TEST or new
.GREMATORY GOING ON
Collections Swamped Plant and
Quick Lime Being Used to
Help Out.

but they were inadequate to take care
of all the garbage the city trucks
were hauling TO the plant and about
one-half of the collections had to be
carried to the big hole whore the
garbage has been dumped Tor several
months and there quick lime used to
dispose of II the same as has been
done ever since the old crematory was
destroyed by fire, several months
ago.
The Official test inauguratcd this
morning will be continued for ten
days. II is being conducted by II. y.
Abel, superintendent for the Nye COM
pany and the man who had charge of
the building of the plant. and John
Walsh. superintendent of the crema-
tory, on behalf OF the Board of Health.
The test this morning was witnessed
by some members of City Council and
the Health Board and more of them
expected to visit the incinerator this
afternoon. The garbage was being
burned in its wet state, but city refuse
was being used as part fuel. Mr. Abel
made protest against the dumping OF
so much water into the furnaces be-
cause he contends 1t will damage the
IRE brick lining and the city VIII be
held responsible for any such dam
age that results from its use.
The city trucks were arriving at the
plant loaded with from two and one
half TO two and three quarters tons
OF wet garbage. Sylvester Healy, the
contractor in charge Of the garbage
collection, stated that his trucks viii
average in all about 25 loads day.
Mr.. Abel estimated that each truck
would average from one 10 two bar
rels of water in, the garbage. The
trucks were driven right into the sec
ond story of the incinerator and the
garbage was dumped directly into the
furnaces. This took some little time
because the contents of the trucks
had to be shoveled or forked into the
furnace openings. MIR. Healy claimed
this was causing delay and that a.
a consequence his trucks would not De
able to make their usual daily record
and that some of the trucks would
have their trips cut down to con-
siderable degree.
There were great quantities Of street
refuse piled in the building TO be used
as fuel. but about so per cent OF TINS
refuse was ashes. Mr.. Abel had ms
men separating the ashes from the
paper and other combustible waste
for he claimed TO dump ashes into the
fire pits would only clog them UP and
would have TO be removed later anu
would not help in the combustion. Tin
cans and bottles, and even old bod
springs, were found among the refuse,
but an such material had TO be sorted
out. as it was claimed il could not be
placed in the fire boxes for fuei.
To Run Continuously
Mr.. Abe, stated that it would re-
Quire about three hours for the con-
sumption of one truck load of garbage
as it was being burned this morning
He intends to keep the plant COINS
day and night for the next ten days
and the fires viii be kept burning
continuously during this period. Ths
fires were started this morning with
coal for fuel but during the day and
| throughout the remainder of the test
waste paper and other combuslble
street refuse will be used. Mr.. Abe
said there had been no instance on the
part OF the city that coal alone be used
and anyhow coal alone would not con-
sune the wet garbage without waste
TO aid in the consumption
Mr.. Abel explained this morning that
the plant will burn about 25 tons OF
garbage in its wet state. This will
take about 25 tons of street waste for
fuel so that the total consumption of
the plant will average about 80 tons
a day. which is all that the company s
contract with the city calls for. He
explained that the incinerator will not
consume SO tons of wet garbage a day
and was never built to do SO.
Many. of the city officials concerned
in the building of the plant seem to
have been under the impression that
the city's contract with the Nye Com
pany called for the burning of from
40 to so tons of straight run city gar
bage a day. but il was clearly demon
strated this morning that this cannot
be done and Superintendent Abel ad-
mitted that il could not be done He
said % tons of wet garbage was the
best the incinerator could do ped day
even using street refuses as fuel This
situation is altogether contrary to the
apparent general understanding on
the part OF the majority members of
City Council and the Board of Health
but the city's contract with the build
ing company is said to clearly set forth
all that could be expected of the crem-
atory and the company contends the
plant has done all that the contract
calls for.
Mr.. Abel said today the work which
an effort is being made 10 have done
at the incinerator is not feasible. He
what should be done in this city was
said he gave warning months ago that
TO have the garbage wrapped. He de
ciared the people of Wilmington are
the most cooperative of any com
munity he has ever been in and with
in two weeks time he estimates they
could be educated into wrapping gar
Rage and show the benefits that would
result from such a method. With
garbage wrapped he claims the present
lincinerator could easily take care OF
approximately SO tons day
DIR. C. NJ. Handy, president OF the
Board Of Health, with DIR. Murray and
Secretary F'rantz were at the plant
this morning 10 see that the test was
started. Howard M. Ward, president
of City Council, and j. T.. McNabb, the
member from the Third ward, were
present and other Councilmen stated
4