Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-28
NOW MY IDEA IS THIS!
Daily Talks With Thinking Phodephians Subjects They
Kno,u Best
pPndently. brought out largely by the high
price which waste paper commanded.

pendenty. brought out largely by the high
price which waste paper commanded.
I'm 1921. during the period of depres-
sion. when the price of waste paper went
down. we had comparatively little trouble.
put its rise in the last eight months has
brought them out again. but this time they
are operating as organizations. and it is n1
uncommon thing for one man to have tif-
teen or twenty wagons. Of course they
never undo the disorder they create.
neoIs Rut ,tha the trouble is principally with the
more intelligent of them do not know. but
because they will not take the trouble to
put the waste in the best condition for col.
lection. or course. in large city there
are many persons. especially in the for
learn unless we threaten them with the
law, which we are reluctant to do.
Trying Out an Area
We decided to try out an isolated nrea
OF the city which is surrounded with neieb
borhoods which observe the law regarding
waste paper reasonably well. We sent
nlacards in English. Hebrew, Italian and
Polish to every house in this section. having
our inspectors talk to the people in each
mouse SO that they all knew what they were
expected TO do. One week later we made
an observation and found an improvement,
not very great, but noticeable
Ihey were then given two weeks IN
cream up and the third week we had arrests
maze OF those people who were the wo-st
yylolators and who had been warned twice,
we found paper piled in the street. store
swccpings swept into the cutters and RI.
refuse OF several small slaughter houses also
placed in the cutters. We did not want
10 make Wholesale arrests. but we did mr..
rest the most fragrant violator in each blo.k
$14 in ALL A'"s
The activity Of the inspector, md III.
resultant penalties have effected n clenn.nn
IN this particular neghborhood that is
sIartnng' tefore the campaign the cleaning
wagons, which followed the collectors. mi.
tormiy picked up six loads of rubbish and
street dirt a day. After the arrests Ind
been made there was difficulty in gettin"
three loads. ''e
The Meaning in Money
II any one thinks this Goes NOT mo,r
anything in money he is mistaken 0no
teaIh can make two trips a day TO tbe
dumps, and estimating a team of S6 a dav
that would bring the cost of three loads
10 ~. This section. cleaned as it was,
saving OF $27 week for each Of fifty two
W. weeks OF the year. Thus Jhe cleaning M
OF this one small section means a snvingg
to the city of about $l400 year.
The garbage situation is Troublesome
from tn" middle of June to October / md
Is particularly heavy from the middle Of
Suy, When the corn and melon seasons
begin. until the close Of the canning soao
son at the end Of September. Inst seos"n
ana this. we had lot Of trouble with to-
matoes, which were a glut on the market
Ihe garbage is all reduced to grease anj
tankage (the base for fertilzer(' ast
month each individual In this city produced
nearly pound of garbage per day. We
collected during July "a 1888 tons OF gar.
page using 26O wagons and 400 men.
Guarding Against Epidemic
This is the one factor Of the work abop,
whlch we are the most careful, as It might
cause an epidemic In the city unless pron.
eriy taken care Of. 1t is liable to become
health menace IN many ways and is the
real fly breeding waste. For these reae
sons we are always careful to keen Tho
garbage collections strictly on schedule
Nothing but metal rcceptacles sbou,d ho
used for garbage and they should be covoreJ al
tightly. Every garbage pail should nIsn ba
washed after 1t has been omntied anJ Gr y.
possible disinfected with chloride Of lima a
The public can also help by putting ont
the garbage regularly and In the same plocs
every time. nope for the day when these
precautions will be taught in the scbonls
This will be the real solution. ''''
FIFTY per cent Of street cleonlnc no do,,.
today Is preventive; that Is, IL proper cara
were taken by the public, more attcntinn
paid to the laws of order and clconlinasa'
the problem would be that much ensior'
Proper habits. however. can only bc in,
culcated In the young UnfortunateIv
where no regard for habit exists. and there
Is no desire 10 learn, We must use more
drastic measnros-arrest and imposition of
penalties. The campaign as started viii
be prosecuted vigorously" W"