July 2013 Artown Walking Tours! See Pages 6-7 FootPrints Dedicated to Preserving and Promoting Historic Resources in the Truckee Meadows through Education, Advocacy and Leadership. vol. 16 no. 3 Summer 2013 Getting Control of Reno Garbage by Joyce Cox e take for granted our garbage service, our clean One man was hired to guard the dump and keep the garbage streets and neighborhoods. Today city and county burning. There were always problems at the dump with garbage Wservices regulate and control the disposal of our scattered by wind and rain, smells from decaying garbage, and garbage – but early Reno did not have this luxury. fires that spread from the dump to surrounding properties. There were 9,141 people residing in Washoe County in 1900, Those living near the new dump were against the dump loca- most living in Reno (City) and the surrounding Truckee tion from the very beginning. I. N. Lewis complained that Meadows. They were accumulating tremendous amounts of refuse washed onto his land when it rained. The City Council garbage – household wastes (pot- heard complaints in 1907 with tery, buttons, cutlery, food scraps), Mayor Wilson stating that the garden waste and tree trimmings, dump “is a menace to the health of agricultural and stockyard wastes the residents.” The REG reported (dead cattle, sheep, chickens), in 1909, “Hundreds of loads of slaughter house wastes, old or garbage and trash are hauled to the worn machinery including old northeast part of the city and there automobiles and tires. Where was dumped where a small portion is this garbage going? Some was being burned and the balance is scattered dumped down outhouses, some over the surrounding county by into the Truckee River, but most of it the winds thus spreading disease was being dumped on empty lots in and increasing profanity among the the city or county. farmers adjacent to these evils.” The City of Reno was sued in 1952 In June 1905, the Reno Evening because the smoke, trash and Gazette (REG) reported that the debris created a nuisance for those Reno City Council went on record living near the dump. as being in favor of buying land that would be used as a garbage dump. In the years 1907, 1909, 1924, and The article reported, “Heretofore 1950, the City seriously consid- the city has had no dump of any Before there was a McCarran loop or I-80, ered purchasing an incinerator description and this has caused the Reno City Dump was bounded by Sutro on the east, to provide faster and cleaner dis- much of the ammumulation [sic] of near Valley Rd. on the west, Wells (Alameda) on the south, posal of garbage and to replace the filth about town.” and what would become McCarran on the north. The Orr open burning at the dump. H. B. Maxson, the Reno City Engineer The ideal dump property would Ditch crossed through the dump. and Superintendent of Streets and have a ravine or gulch where gar- Sewers, highly recommended the bage could be dumped then later burned when the ravine purchase in 1908 and 1909. The incinerator proposals were became full. By August 1905, the Reno City Council had always defeated as too costly. found the perfect spot, a half-mile north of Reno in Washoe County, that belonged to H. H. Greer. The property was at George Trusi, a Washoe County Commissioner, told the Reno the north end of what was to become Sutro Street, near the City Council in 1924, “Reno is a city almost entirely surrounded University of Nevada and the race track. H. H. Greer deeded by garbage!” Garbage was piled up at the Sierra Street entrance ten acres of land to the City for $600 in August 1905. to Reno and on the road north of the race track. Trusi said this Continued on page 2 1 historicreno.org FootPrints Vol. 16 No. 3, Summer 2013 Getting Control of Reno Garbage (continued) Continued from page 1 for garbage service.” In August, Emilo In this era, residents paid $1.00 per Campagnoni and D. DePaoli, owners of month for one 37-gallon can of garbage garbage was “. a menace to the health Reno Scavenger Company, got the new that was picked up every two weeks. of the City. A breeding place for flies and garbage hauling and salvage franchise and They were asked to pay six months in germs, the drainage of this illegal garbage paid the City $485 per month or $5820 advance with many paying a year in dump flows into the Orr ditch east of per year to operate the franchise with the advance. The City began to differentiate Reno. Many people use this water for contract lasting five years. between trash and garbage. Trash was culinary purposes and that an epidemic of household articles, bundled paper, any- typhoid has not resulted is no fault of the The garbage hauling contract with the thing from your attic and lawn waste. garbage.” The citizens of Reno and Sparks City allowed Reno Scavenger Company Trash was picked up by a different truck were responsible for this mess by dump- the right to collect and sell all the salvage than the garbage truck. Downtown busi- ing trash around the City rather than tak- at the dump. A big part of the salvage col- nesses paid up to $150 for garbage service ing it to the dump. that often included Sunday pick up. City trucks picked up garbage in parts of the In 1935, Al Blundell, Washoe County county, but most of the county garbage Commissioner, reported that the Truckee 1905 — First City dump established with ten acres was picked up by Independent Sanitation River in Sparks was being contaminated owned by Ben Caramella. by the dumping of garbage in the river by 1936 — 75¢ per month for weekly the City of Reno. Blundell asked the City garbage collection An REG article on March 13, 1954 titled, of Reno to cooperate in prohibiting the 1941 — City of Reno finally owns the “Pictuesque [sic] View is Afforded from dumping of garbage in the Truckee. 40-acre City dump Reno’s Garbage Dump” reports, “High on a windy hill overlooking Reno and the There was simply not enough land 1950 — 45-50 tons of garbage per day Truckee Meadows to the south is one for disposal of garbage at the original of the area’s picturesque and panoramic 10-acre dump. The city was using Scott 1950 — $1.00 per month for one can Winter or Summer, Spring or Fall views, Island, a privately owned island in of garbage every two weeks The Location: Reno’s city dump.” the Truckee River, as an extra place to 1954 — 70 tons of garbage per day dump garbage. The 10-acre Reno City 1950 — $1.90 per month for weekly The Reno City Dump was closed in 1959 Dump, located on county land, grew trash and garbage pickup because there was not enough cover over the years, using adjoining land. In 1959 — Reno City Dump near Sutro material to support having a landfill 1941, Eugene Loomis, a Washoe County Street closed permanently system. A new dump located eight miles Assemblyman, introduced Assembly 1965 — 210 tons of garbage per day north of Reno on Highway 395 was to Bill 160 that gave 40 acres of land to take the place of the old dump. A Solid the City of Reno to be used “as dump- 1967 — Mandatory garbage service Wastes Disposal Study for Washoe County ing ground.” AB 160 passed on March required of all homes done in 1966 stated that this new dump 15, 1941, so the City finally owned the had enough space to last ten years if enlarged dump property. enough cover material could be found. lected was scrap metal from old automo- By 1968, the Truckee Meadows had six Who Hauled All the Garbage? biles. Scrap metal was needed for national sanitary landfills: Mustang located east City employees hauled the garbage begin- defense during World War II. of Reno and Sparks; Happy Valley located ning in 1905, but by 1921 the City was just west of the Mustang landfill; the Old looking for an independent contractor or Reno Scavenger Company was no longer Sparks Dump that was east of the hillside franchisee to haul garbage and be respon- in business in November 1942, so the “S” letter; Spanish Springs Valley located sible for the dump. A 1921 City ordinance City was again hauling garbage and hiring on BLM land west of Pyramid Way and required that the trucks or wagons used dump caretakers. north of Harold’s Gun Club; Old Highway to haul garbage be leak-proof and that 395 at Lemmon Valley or Golden Valley; garbage from businesses be picked up The Landfill System and Stead Air Force Base. daily and garbage from residents be The dump officially stopped burning picked up weekly. To avoid disturbing Reno and Sparks began mandatory pickup people during the day, garbage was picked garbage in 1952 and became a land fill by of garbage in 1967 with an ordinance that up between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am. burying garbage with dirt. However, the required all home owners to have garbage dump had little dirt to cover the garbage service by Reno Disposal Company. An The garbage franchisee let its contract so a mountain nearby needed to be blown editorial in the REG in 1965 recommend- expire on May 2, 1936, so the City again up to get more dirt. The cost of this ed that Reno, Sparks and Washoe County took over hauling garbage.