Evening star., 1947-10-19
Sanitary Director Asks
PrivateC Citizens Adm
Autumn Leaf Disposal

Washington residents should re-
turn to the good old days when they
burned their own autumn leaves,
District Sanitary Director Harold
A. Kemp suggested yesterday.
In the Sanitary Divisions annual
report to the Commissioners, cover
ing the 1947 fiscal year, Mr., Kemp
complained that the Districts leaf
disposal problem is more acute
than for any other type of refuse in
the city.
If the law is responsible for the
fact that private citizens don't help
out as they used to, Mr.. Kemp in
dicated, the law should, perhaps,
be changed. He put it this way:
"The inordinate expense of
handling such enormous volumes
of leaves as are produced in the
city would argue for a relaxation
Iof the regulations governing the
burning of this class of material by
private parties on their own
premises"
22,000 Loads Cleared.
Washingtons leaf-disposal prob
lens has become more and more
aggravated by the increase in the
number and growth of trees" Mr..
Kemp observed. The refuse divi-
sion, in $4,000 loads, now gathers
approximately 175,0O0 cubic yards
of foliage each autumn.
Mr.. Kemp did not say precisely
what laws governing the burning of
leaves ought to be relaxed. Ac-
cording to 1t. Charles Laschalt, act
ing Fire Marshal. a private person
may burn leaves on his grounds dur
ing the daylight hours, provided the
fire is reasonably far from infam.
mable property, is guarded by an
adult and does not cause a smoke
nuisance of which neighbors COM
plain.
The Highway Department, how
ever. does not allow leaves to be
burned on streets or sidewalks. be-
cause it is said to injure the pave
ment.
Some Leaves Given Away.
Most leaves collected by the Refuse
Division are burned in the city's
incinerators or at city dumps. The
rest are given away for compost
to such organizations as the Ma
tional Capital Parks, the District
Trees and Parking divisions, and to
private individuals.
Mr.. Kemp's report covered opera
tions of the municipal sewer division.
sewage disposal plant. public con-
venience stations and water di-
visions in the fiscal year ending
last June 30.
The refuse division, Mr.. Kemp in
dicated, had more than the autumn
leaves TO worry about. Streets and
alley sweepings, up 81 per cent over
1910, came to 290, ,496 cubic yards,
and $129.61702 had to be spent re-
moving the years snowfall of 3l.9
inches.
In addition, he said, the refuse
division picked up slightly less than
100000 cubic yards of trash. most
of it frem Government and COM
mercial buildings, as we'll as 59.137
tons of garbage and 1892 dead
animals
Years Water Consumption.
The city, Mr. Kemp said, used ST.
745 ,005, 900 gallons of water during
the year-156 gallons day for
every person in the District. At
the same time, Mr.. Kemp's figures
showed, the District had pumped
58,505 ,0l9,000 gallons of sewage
through its main pumping station
and four substat tions in the IL
months.
The annual report of the Wash
ington Aqueduct revealed that Is
per cent of the water consumed in
the city went to the Federal Gov
ernment.
Mr.. Kemp said $3,576,979.19 had
been spent on the city's sewers dur
ing the year. The constructing of
almost 80 miles of new sewers
brought the total milage to nearly
1888
Operation of the sewage disposal
plant at Blue Plains cost the District
$26l ,255 for the year, Mr.. Kemp re-
ported. The department. he said,
spent all but $192.49 for its $25, ,130
appropriation for operating public
convenience stations at PENNSYLVANIA