The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-08-21 00:00:00

THE SANITARY STATE OF WAREHAM.

The Mayor of Wareham (Freeland Fillliter,
coevened • meeting of ratepayers at the Town.hall lad
Saturday morning, to consider whether my' and what
Ktervi should be taken to Improve the sanitary condition
of the town. As one walked along the principal street
that morning, which was beautifully fine, the disagree-
able odour dieing from the gutters was ample evidence
of the neeedity for the movement the Mayor very
properly initiated. But two or three meetings hare
been held with a similar object previously, and all have
ended in talk, for there seems to be an unrraeoning
epposaition to any project for cleansing the town and
providing a proper supply of good water.
About a hundred persons attended shortly after the
appointed hour. The Mayor was called to the chair,
and amongst those present we noticed :—The Rev. S. R.
repel, rector of Wareham, Dr. Willcox, Mr. C. 0.
Bartlett, Mr. W. C. Lefty, Mr. Harland, Messrs.
Poynter, Spicer, sen. and jun...l. Byres, Carr, Davis
Brett, Drew. .1. Penton, Beet, Beer, Wise, Gilliegham,
Selby, Hardimen, Bellingham, Dean (2).&e.The MATOS said be had thought it his duty as Mayor
of the town to convene that meeting for the purpose of
their taking into considendion the aanitu7 worthies
of the town. They were all aware that tho cholera was
clod at their own doors, and it was necessary that they
should look about them 11hti put their own borough in
order. A very Important Act of Parliament had just
been pared, which contained highly necessary and
valuable provisions, some of which, at some time or
other, might come into operation there. But he we
anxious in the first plane that so far as pore:l6le they
should " paddle their own canoe. " and he hoped they
would Minded their geed sense by doing what wee right
amongst themselves The tianitaiy Act to which he
referred gave the authorities power and meana for
effecting improvements which they did not now possess.
He had not the slightest doubt but that it would be
greatly to the benefit of all if they could get good
sewerage and a proper water supply, but the purpose of
their meeting was to eonaider what they might now best
do with the means at their disposal. A gentleman who
was a member of the Corporation, and who bad lately
been made an Aldermen—Mr. A. B. Tritvenets, bad
made a very sensible suggestion on the subject, in which
he eutirely ooneurred, seeing that Wareham Corporation
bad not the extensive powers the Councils had at
Dorchester, Beldport, Blandford, and other places.
He had hoped that Mr. Trevenen would himself
have been pent to have made hie suggestion to
them, but he bad to go to Dorchester that moralm:.
His proposition sae that the Corporation, hOW eon-
stituted, which he hoped possessed pretty much the
ooefideoce of the Inhabitants, or some:competent body
in the town, should be made a voluntary committee to
form districts and rucks an inspection of the same to
find where nuisances existed, and then to do the best
they could to remove them ; for 'edema., to see if
measures could not be adopted for flushing the filthy
abominable gutters which are such nuisance&
bad inserted notices of the meeting In the petters, and
taken other steps to make the meeting known, and he
had hoped to see Ur. Csieraft, Mr. Ferrer, and others
present, but as they had not some, they must do the
best they could amongst themselves. Finally he pointed
out that the new Sanitary Act gives power by the 45th
section to complain to the Secretary of State if proper
measures are not adopted, We have given an epitome
of the Act in another part of the peper.
Mr. K. Des, asked if the Mayor bed not had some I
communication with Mr. Caleraft on the =Meet.
The MATOR replied that Mr. Cale/aft bad said be
should not attend the present meeting.
Mr. Dian: He treated it am perfect rubbish.
The MAYOR: It remains to he seen what we think
about It. The stale of the ratters and pigdyes has
been mentioned. If we do away with the sources of
filth, there will be none in the gutters
Mr. firtega, syn., raked if it wee lawful for people to
throw filth into the gutters.
The Mato*: Most assuredly not.
Ur. firma In his young days he never knew of it
being done, as it now was. He suggested that if several
tonnes were erected, and people took care to cleanse
their houses, &great improvement might be effected, and
that the inhabitants gettendly would willingly co-operate
to provide pumps at certain plasma
Mr. E. Dade asked what wee the result of the
Mayor's application fee tenders for • drainage scheme
for the town.
The Maros add be had been communicated with by
Messrs. Hiekeaud haste, of Beth, on tbe subjected' these
gentlemen mute to ask if they could have an Interview
with him, to which he replied that he should be happy
to glee it, hut telliog them that it was merely •
speculative matter. y. Criekmay also said that with
Ilawksaley he should be happy to eroded a plan,
bat all thine things required m they t
expos' people to come and makeeeilLer for c."othiZ
Mr. Phillip Brannon, of flhanklin, ale of Wight well
known here as a compiler of some useful d4d)! had ales bees in cWnsaunmsuon with him relative to the
_

I : I tgionght you offered Ire guineas tor •
pk..
The M 470111: So I did, and would willingly eve it,
bidthat is very littler to oiler to eminent civil
*Aeneas.

Mr. W. BrIOU naked it the musting did not think the
erection of several pumps would be a good plan and
said no doubt money for snob a purpose might 40111/
be obtained, out the intiat !tants generally saw uo weer
sity for underground sewerage and an expansive water
supply. In snob a small town, and with their httle
trade, they could not meet such a great outlay.
The sistoa thought the erection of pumps would be
a good thing as affording • supply of cater 1. r the poor,
bat hoer were the nuisances to be tweeted away.?

_
Mr. SPICER said there were great nuitanets from two
bur bowies to Pforth•street.
The UATOII mid it did not come from his.
_ _

--
Dr. Wiu.cox said be quite concurred in the views
of Mr. Trevenen sa to the Corporation dividing the
lowa into districts, to examine tho state of the drainage,
ko., rind iree what raissurcs *ere necrusry. They
might al., he thought, add to their number some of
their fellow townsmen interested in the matter. lie
wu happy to say that the town was very healthy now:
Dever more so—(applume)—but at the same time he
felt there wan a deal of room for improvement in sani-
tary matters. He 'demisted an increased water supply,
the eleaneisg of gutters and draiss, and • free use of
disinfecting powders and fluids where required. The
water out was rely useful, but it was not sufficient.
Mr. &nowt said if they could get extra funds the
water-cart could be used all day instead of as now only
psrtially. He also suggested the use of Motile's dry-
earth system for closets. . . . . .

Ii reference to e remark that they had no power to
enter private premises to disinfect, Mr. Spices said he
wee sure no one in the town would object to We being
doom _

Mr. Rater inquired what the committee proposed to
do. He apprehended they would make an inspection,
and report what they found to be done, and
estimate the wet He thought 'gore would be no
difficulty in raising voluntarily £5O for such a purpose.
Mush he imagined might be done in cleansing the abodes
of the poorer inhabitants by recommending the free use
of whitewash. It might be objected that such work
should be eluded out by the landlords, but he thought
the committee would be able to make such strong repre-
sentations to the landlords of its necessity that th,g
would have their houses eleansei in that manner. Soch
a cleansing of houses, the providing of more pomp., and
the application of the disinfectants Dr. Willcox had
referred to, would prove highly advantageous to those
more iintnediately concerned and to the town genendly.
This MAYOR said Mr. Selby had asked • very waned&
question—what result arm proposed to be effected by
the visitation of • committee, if appointed, and he rightly
apprehended the same: it would be to report as to the
state of the town, &rise the best means to make whiff
Improvements were necesmay, and take steps for collect-
ing by subscriptions the necessary funds to effort what
was requisite. He then spoke of the power of public
opinion, and said lilt could be bronchi to bear on this
subject, he was satisfied that they would soon feel it to
be their interest to cury out whist sanitary improve-
ments were necessary.
Dr. WILLCOX then proposed that • committee be
formed to consist of the Corporation ex ellkio, and a
certain number of Use inhabitant., for the purloin of
improving the sanitary condition of the town to the best
of their rower, under existing Acts of Parliament, and
to make such arrangements with that view as they may
find most expedient.
The Micron seconded the motion.
kfr, W..Sricen : What about the Acts of Perla.

ment? I thought you were going to form • committee,
to go about the town tering disinfectants, to arrange for
• more extended use of the water cart, and to nee the
beet means within their reach to improve the sanitary
state of the town, without any Are of Parliament / Do
leave out 'Ants of Parliament," if you please—(ap..
planes).
The Rucron :I beg to say that I sarend the motion
•:th all my heart, because of the words " Acts of Par.
lament."
Mt. J. DIMIT said he thought it was quite understood
by the whole of the meeting that whatever wail intended
to be done, the expense was to be defrayed by voluntary
eitheerlptions, whether the words, "Act. of Parliameut"
were inset ted or not. As he took it, thou words only
meant to convey that they bad suMeient powers to (tarry
out the measures raggeeted, not that there Would be any
compulsory tato. or anything of that sort.
The MAYOR: Quite so. The committee would be a
voluntary body, not paid, t nd whatevo they did would
be earned out by voluntary subscriptions.
Mr. &WA asked if the Baud of Guardians did not
now supply disinfectant' to thou requiring (hi in with-
out *barge.
Mr. W. Belong said he understood that the Board
authorised Mr. Hallett to have a supply of chloride of
lime to give to person. requ'ring it who oould not afford
to buy it.
In answer to Mr. Willeox, Mr. Malutithsw, Inspector
of NU/11110tell, said be saw no objection to the mature
proposed to be adopted. He went on to say that there
was an opinion expressed by some that pigs should not
be kept in the town, but he thought it would be rather
hard to prevent a man keeping a pig if be took core the
stye era+ kept olean, which was generally done. He did
not think that any public places in the town would be
found in a bad state, and be had no authority to enter
private_premisee.
Dr. WILLCOX said he could not go so far as that; he
eve., day came across nuisances, from which emanated
noxious gases, injurious to health.
Mr. Mammals considered it would be an admirable
thing to erect pumps at the higher end of each street;
at present many of the inhabitanta were obliged to go
to the river for the water they required. Since his re-
membrance two rumre hest ditappeated—nre In West
'trust and the other in Northatreet If they were
reinstated, ho would rather go begging round the town
for money than that they ehould become useless for
want of repairing.
Mr. BUT spoke from olr xrienee as to how much good
might be effected in the way of removing nuisance.' from
the gutters if for a few minutes one man woe employed
to pump and another to sweep the goiters.
Mr. OILLINIGHA said at the bank of the premises •
filthy smell arose from the getter, but thorn was no
pump to assist in cleaning it, A better etapply of water
was much eeedod.
Mr. Laminae said that in one place there were
five houses belonging to the game person without any
cona:enence, he had given notice to him to remedy it,
but it had not been done, so he was about to apply for a
11117112101111.
Mr. W. SPICIa remarked there was power at once for
them to abate nuisances. He proceeded to Nay that
14Iba. of chloride of lime had been ordered by the Board
of Guardiane, for Mr. Hallett to use at the public
school and other public places at Bare Rept and if that
woe no, he did not see why they should not have the
some at Wareham.
Mr. GILLINGHAM : How can JOU do without water.
Mr. Eines' : Use the water out more, and employ a
man to sweep the gnaann
Mr. Boos suggested they should embody in the
resolution that the committee should be requested to
call on the Inhabitants for subscriptions to erect pumps
at as outlay say of 00, and when they they had got
that, they ehould cell a meeting of the subscribers to
determine how the money should be expended.
The MATO, suezested that they had better form
another resolution. The first thing woe to appoint
• voluntary oommittee of those interested to do
their best economically to improve the state of
the t 0... He assured Mn. Bpicer, who he said
was • meet peered and energetic man in the
town, that there was no. need of alarm at the words in
r .

the Motion " under existing Acts of Parliament." The
only Act they were subject to in Wareham at present
was the Nolmnees Removal Act, and there was no
one leas inclined than himself to run his fellow towns-
men Into expenses when it might be done without.
Mr. Glit.Unonan, as a member of the water-cart
committee, sold that in his district • tolerable liberal
response had been made towards the water•art for
three years, and he thought that with • few more
subemiptions,—Elo or £l2a year they might flush the
gutters, and cleanse them ; and if the lord of th•
manor would erect one or two pumps in places be
would point tint. it woold he greatly to his credit.
They raised MI for the water cart last year, which had
done great good in the town, anti whether the Guar-
dians would allow them anything or not, he was sure
that If they raised about £I2 extra they could buy
sufficient chloride of lime, and Ming to bear such a
quantity of water, that with the assistants, of their
inspeatcr of Nulaancts, they Gould greatly improve the
town.

The bfayor then submitted the motion, whoa four or
eve hands were held up in its favour. and thirty or
forty against it. His worship said the motion was lola..
bat he felt be done his duty In calling the meeting, and
now those who objected to what bad been proposed
mOot a 2 the best they Gould.

-51i.-8-eini-e-aid-1-I•.th-O;git-t their objection was rather
to the wording of the propoaltion than anything else ;
be could not 'mediae do inhabitants would be eo stupid
is not to come to an understanding is to the propriety of
doing somethisg. He proposed that the Corporation
and some others be appointed • committee for improving
the sanitary eeeditioa of the town, and that vueb com•
mittee should report the result of their examinatloo of
the town, and that a fund should be voluntarily raised
for meeting any mimes which the committee recom-
mend shall be fiteurred—(applatise).
Mr. GILLUM:MAN seconded the motion.
The Rwroa wished to explain why be approved tlie
words "under existing Acts el Parliament" in the first
resolution. H. had been there for many years and
had seen various propositions for improving the military
state of the town fall to the ground ; therefore when it
was proposed to carry out measures in consistency ii:th
Aid of Parliament he thought that tended to give some
real measure of security for its being done. lie kg 55
the matter was voluntary, it might campy their atten-
tion for • abort time while they were alarmed, but after
a few weeks bad passed, and their alarm bad subsided,
thee the whole thing dropped agaln, and nothing was
done. Within the laid three weeks another Act had
named. for Orin greater powers to get rid of matters '
prejudicial to health than existed formerly. At
Wareham hitherto, through there being three parishes,
and there having to get • majority In each before ob-
taining power to do anything, they lied been frightened
to make an effort, so nothing in the way of sanitary im-
provement had been allotted for 25 years, with the
exception of Jim:ding the water cart, which bad doe*
much good; but even that was not got through any
of their meetings about sanitary matters. With
the exception of the water-cart no improvement had
been made, but the date of the town had rather get
worse. They were told that two rather im=
pumps had been allowed to fall into neglect, and
011•4114 and his exportation and fear we, that ma scow as
the cholera disappeared, wbieh all trusted would be the
ease before six months had parsed, that all interest or
farther movement in the question would have ceased.
It. thought the propoeition made by Mr. Willcox was •
very judicious one, and it struck him that if carried
out consistently with the Act of Parliament some good
might come out of it. Of course, if it could be done
voluntarily so much the better. Although they were
all very fond of the little money they had rot, and were
all poor enough, when they really feared they might
loci, their wives, and children and relatives, if they did
not lay some of it out in sanitary improvements. they
were willing to do so, but it was very hard work to get
• few 'billings now; so, perhaps, it was a great Needed
that now and then a fright touching these matters
lamed emus the country. He very ranch feared that
the present movement would pass over and that very
little good would be done.
Mr. Ct.i.exe : You soy the town is going back; you
won't—And • cleaner place in England!
The Ramos : I do/0011111k you can point out soother
town where there are more offensive open drains than
there are hare; I was never in • town in England
during my life whom matters are worse in that respect,
though I have mu some woos ou the continent.