The Garbage Crisis: Seattle’s ‘Primitive’ Streets Demand a Permanent Solution

One of the most important matters for deliberation before the Council on Friday was connected with the disposition of the city's garbage. Makeshifts, as was well said, have been good enough for a long time, and it is time that the ways and means of primitive towns and villages be discarded for the better methods of cities.

The handling of garbage in Seattle for the few years seems to have been under the supervision of each individual who had any garbage to dispose of. The result: streets and alleys have been cluttered up, alleys filled with all sorts of unpresentable refuse, and unoccupied houses and lots generally covered with a mass of dirt, piles of barrels, straw, ash cans and other equally disagreeable debris.

It is needless to say that this is a disgrace to the city and a loss to the owners of property which has for years been competitive for a thousand and one unused and unusable acres. There has, perhaps, been some reason for this, since the refuse rubbish and refuse has not received the attention deserved at the hands of the government, and as no proper system has heretofore been arranged for getting rid of the garbage, it naturally follows that the easiest way should have been adopted without regard to the safety of the city or the health of the dwellers there.

The time has arrived, however, that some permanent place has become necessary, and a disposition is likely to prove attractive as to the disposal of the garbage. The Council thought that sufficient and good service might well be secured by allowing the same to be deposited on the flats, if such exercises were found to be consistent with the best sanitary regulations. There is not a little of our water front which might be filled in to advantage and the result of such work would certainly add to the appearance of certain not very attractive spots west of Front street.

The health and police committee will doubtlessly give the matter the attention it deserves, for it cannot fail to be impressed upon the minds of the members that the question is an especially important one at this time and that the sanitary condition of the city and its general appearance depends to some extent upon their judgment and the report they make at the next Council meeting.