Greenbelt cooperator., 1943-01-22
Nearly 20 Tons Of Scrap Meta 49,
Collected in September Drive :
Still Here Awaiting DisposalI 49,. 7
Fourffths Of all the scrap metal zealously collect
ed here last September still heaped up the Green
belt disposal plant officials admitted yesterday
3 Loads Taken

editor, Arthur Rysticken, assistant
town manager and commander of
the Greenbelt Civilian Defense
Corps, explained that although the
County Defense Council had
agreed to "take care of" Green
belts salvaged metal, only three
truck loads were ever taken. These
were channel iron, angle iron, and
other choice items. No compensa-
ton or acknowledgement has been
made to Greenbelt for this.
Aware of Shortage
Greenbelt's metal salvage drive
was a part of last falls national
campaign to produce enough
scrap to keep the steel industry at
full production. Keenly aware of
the shortage local residents
cleaned out their closets and
attics, and town employees and
school children combed the woods
nearby for the precious material.
Nearly 80 tons were piled up for
processing by the end of Septem-
ber. ,.
Since large percentage of the
collection was taken from ware
houses and construction areas
which are Federal property, it was
at first thought necessary to sell
the scrap only through the
Government or in the name of the
Government. However, when the
defense council for Prince Georges
County asked that Greenbelt pool
it's collection with that of all other
communities in the county a
Federal release was sought and
!. obtained. -.
The previous highest separate
bid obtained for the local pile of
metal was only $15. Thomas
Rosewag, head of the county scrap
program, announced that he had
contracted a junk company to
pick up all scrap metal which had
been accumulated, at a price of
50 cents per 100 pounds.
Cooperated with County
"This county cooperation not
only seemed useful in bringing
Greenbelt closer to neighboring
communities, said Mr.. Rysticken,
but it seemed the most feasible
plan from an economic standpoint
He explained that Federal equip
ment could not be used to haul the
metal, and that the town had but
q few men and no available trucks
for the transportation of the
scrap.
The County Civilian Defense
Council, according to Mr.. Rysti-
cken, agreed to have Greenbelt's
scrap picked up, and when the
sale was completed Greenbelt's
percentage share of the proceeds
was to be allocated here in civilian
defense equipment. Nevertheless,
after Mr.. Rysticken repeatedly
telling Mr.. Rosewag that the scrap
"is now yours for the taking"
little was accomplished.
Rusting Away
The junk dealer is reported to
have taken three truck loads of
the best material. All of the bulky
metal was left, and the pile seems
scarcely to have diminished. Mr..
Rysticken declares that thereafter
he communicated with Mr.. Rose
wag several times in regard to re-
moving the rest Mr.. Rosewag for
his part reports that he has asked
the junkman repeatedly to make
the collection. He added that the
scrap dealer claims to have made
two additional attempts to pick up
metal from the pile but found the
cate locked. Meanwhile, Green
belts scrap pile quietly rusts
away.
Some relief is promised, how
ever, by both Mr.. Rysticken and
NJ. Rosewag. The latter said
Wednesday that the scrap dealer
had agreed to resume hauling of
the metal before the end of this
week. It was further explained
that the dealer had been handi-
capped by limited collection facili-
ties, and that he had to collect
throughout the entire county.
Mr.. Rysticken made it clear
that any further metal salvage
should be deposited IN back of the
Greenbelt Consumer Services
garage, near the office of the
town gardener, and not at the
Service Station.