Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-06-12
cosT OF COLLECTING GARBAGE COMPARED

In view of the undoubted increase In the lax ate Id
Perth Amboy next year the Board of Aldermen have a great
responsibility in giving out the contract for garbage collec-
ton for the next three years. The tour made on Friday
when several municipalities in New Jersey were visited lor
the purpose of getting information on the matter OF garbage
collection, probably threw some light on the SITUATION put
there are so many things to be taken into consideration
when making such comparisons that it is not always possible
10 arrive at proper conclusions.
Take, for example. Montclair; Perth Amboy has moth
ing in common with such a place. Montclalr has a popula-
zion of 20, 900 against Perth Amboys $4,000. But Mont
clair is strictly a residential town, being one of the wealth
lest communities in the country. The situation there comes
pretty near being ideal, but they have the money to pay for 1t.
Perth Amboy is a manufacturing city with an enormous
foreign population. As far as character is concerned, it is
more like Passaic. Yet Passaic has nearly double the popu-
lation of Perth Amboy. Bayonne and Elizabeth resemble
Perth Amboy somewhat as to the character, but both places
are much larger than Perth Amboy and both have a great
deal more wealth than is to be found here.
New Brunswick, perhaps, furnishes the best compar-
ison for Perth Amboy, although the census shows that this
city has about 10000 more population than the county seat.
But as a correspondent, whose letter is published in the
Evening News today, points out, the colleges and public
buildings, which do not contribute a cent in taxes are taken
care of free by the city and the garbage and ashes collected
from them alone will equal the amount collected in an ordi-
nary town.
The letter we publish today also calls attention to tie
fact that the SCI, 900 quoted for New Brunswick covers
street cleaning and every similar phase of municipal work
This makes quite a difference. Perth Amboy's appropriation
for street cleaning is a considerable item in itself and added
which New Brunswick pays. But then Perth Amboy's streets
are Kept cleaner than New Brunswicks.
The figures for Orange are significant. With a popula-
ton of SO, 900 the cost of garbage collection is $40, $50 per
year. In Perth Amboy the new bids would average $50, 500
per year. Yet the character of population of Orange is vast
w different from that of Perth Amboy. While there is more
manufacturing in Orange than there is in Montclair, say,
such Industries as Orange has employ mainly skilled me-
chanics who draw a high standard of wages. But, in the
ilain, Orange is looked upon as a residential community of
the highest class and the people demand and usually obtain
the best of service.
Considering all the facts that have been brought out
nus FAR, 1t looks as if the bids for the removal of garbage in
Perth Amboy for the next three years are high. Of course.
the bidders are yet to be heard. 1t would be only fair to
have the lowest bidder present at the meeting of the alder
men tonight in order that he may get his side of the matter
clearly before the public. But there can be no generalties
about losing money in the past, and so on. In view of the
figures secured from other cities, Perth Amboy is paying
literally for the kind of service it is receiving.
The desire is to be fair with everybody, but in view
of the almost positive increase in the tax rate next year it is
absolutely essential that money be saved in every way pos
sible and there is no time like the present to begin.