The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-01-17
What Can We Do with the Cans and
the Cats!
(By r. T. Patten)


/ have q tin can at my home. A
few brief days ago 1t stood with its
companions in handsome array on
the shelf of local grocery store
The label, in red and white, inviting
ly announced that the contents was
tomato soup. More recently its
beauty was destroyed and its contents
devoted to furnishing me about two
good meals. All this is fitting and
proper but | come to the problem
now OF what to do with the can.
The Kennebec River runs by my
home. In my daily coming and go
ing from office to residence | pass
bridge at the mouth of Written Brook
from which anything can be conyen-
iently dropped where it is not likely
to be heard from thereafter. The
temptation is to take this can with
me and toss 1t off that bridge. The
laws of the state, however, distinctly
specify that I shall not do this.
Municipal statutes also prescribe
that / shall not throw it out on the
river bank and | presume there are
more cruel restrictions which prevent
my placing it in the highway or de-
posting it on the land of my neigh
Dor. | can't forever keep this can
and the accumulation of its success
sors around my home so what's to be
done?
The town has provided dump
Several years ago there was one,
little to the east of the upper end OF
Steward avenue on land belonging to
Joseph Turcotte. Even earlier than
that there was one on property owned
by E. L. Greenwood, used for the
same purpose, in both of these cases
by agreement with the owner. In
May, 1922, arrangements were made
with Charles C. Cleveland for
dumping ground on his property just
west of Madison avenue and not far
from Cold Brook. The trade was
made between the board of Select
men, of which Clyde H. Smith was
then Chairman, and Mr. Cleveland.
The understanding was that the town
was to pay $4,000 a year and that
the refuse was to be put into the ra-
vine.
This gully is something like 200
feet long. At its lower end, it is 30
feet wide at the top. At the upper
end it tapers away to the general
level of the plains land Somebody
better versed than | am could calcu-
late the number of cubic feet but do
not know that that would make much
difference. 1t is quite evident that
if the dumping was carefully done IL
would take ten years at least to MI 1t
with old cans and other debris which
is proper to take to such place.
Oh, | forgot about the cat. | haven't
one just now but suppose | did have
one that had passed away. what
would | do with pussy's mortal re-
mains. In the good old days we
used to toss them in the river but as
above noted that and other methods
have become unpopular with the pas
sage of time. The town does not
recognize my dilema to this instance
as il does with the can. The empty
Campbell soup container ! could car
ry up to the dump above mentioned
and, standing on, the edge of the
gully, toss 1t off. But the cat, oh
no; the town distinctly states in its
rules and regulations that material .
of that nature is not welcome to the
home of old tin cans and other dis
carded material. | must take care
of pussy some other way. Crema-
ton in the heating plant or burial in
the garden are resources still avail
able.
Immediately after the above ar
rangements were made between the
town and Mr. Cleveland tile refuse
commenced to arrive For a little
ipY ~ vino
At first also the material brought did
not contain more than minor por-
ton of decaying offensive matter
AS time went on. however, people got
more careless and regardless. Grad
ually a ridge Of refuse gathered
around the edge of the gully and, as
succeeding loads were brought, each
driver would be very careful not to
get his horse near enough To the pre-
ceedng material to run the risk OF
getting him cut on broken bottles,
pieces of iron, etc Consequently
the most of the later arrivals
dumped their loads on a constantly
increasing area The result has
been that the dump bids fair to
spread ont and disigure and destroy
land which was never intended for
dumping purposes at all.
Perhaps worse yet all sorts of
things have of late been mixed with
the cans and the bottles. Vegetable
and animal matter which is proving
perpetual Christmas to the rats and
the mice has been a delight to no one
else Things got so bad in this line
that the local and state Boards of
Health were appealed to. BY both OF
them Mr.. Cleveland has been notified
that if he did not abate the nuisance
he would be promptly indicted. Mr..
Cleveland has felt that. as the town
or it's individual citizens had mis-
used the privilege which he agreed
to provide he could not be justly held
responsible for the result. In the
meantime the sclectmen took cogniz-
ance of the matter and had the most
offensive material removed or burned.
In the burning process, the heavy
damp ill-smciing smoke spread over
the adjacent area, got into the houses
o,o -, l..r .f41 for hYti9f pnripJ