, 1863-02-16
ANOTHER PHASE OF the WATER
QUESTION.
An Alarming Cause Of Impurity.
fNTEEftlENTS IN THE OLD
CEMETERY.

ouflng The past year, the papers hare been
nlleo with discussions upon the impurity Of
INC Chicago river, the freacnt intolcrablc con-
dition Of the drinking water, and their effects
upon the general sanitary condition Of the
city. In all these discussions md communi-
Gallons, a variety Of causes hare been get forth
as conducive to this impurity, many Of which
exist in fact, many in the Imagination. Tho
great increase Of mortality at Camp Douglas,
consequent upon the late acccssious Of rebel
prisoners, now brings another source Of i'm
purity to light, Of 4 most alarming nature,
and ono Which threatens the most alarming
consequences, unless 1t is Immediately rene.
died,
As NC arc Informed, few years since when
the improvement " Of the cemetery was de-
tcrn,incd upon, (since madc) 1t wns arranged
and agreed with the Roscllill cemetery that
in case tho city would discontinue the cxten-
sion Of the cemetery grounds, they would
bury tho dead, under the public chsrgc, for
ono and a half dollars each, and it WAS under
stood TINT burials in Pottcr's Field were to
cease. This, It will be remembered, was de-
cidcd upon at time when much discussion
on the cemetery had been had, and carnestand
just complaint had been found against filing
the low grounds Of the cemetery with putrify-
Ing bodies, scarcely covered, upon which the
sun and rain at,-nnd that, too, on The rery
border If a slonGa, into ,raieh tie fides Of Lake
Michigan .eos' and discharge; The points Of dis
charge being but &tofa distance north Of tie
city ,rafes' aco,ks.
TIC arrangement then made was considered
decisive; and that no intcrments would
thepceforth be allowed except in the private
lots.
What las been the result? Since the e5tab-
1lshmcnt Of Camp Douglas, sir hundred and
forty eo,pscs, Of rebels alone, have been buried
in Pottcre Field-and this done in defiance
of former arrangements, made in good faith,
and with complete disregard Of the public
health, for the consideration Of dollar and a
half cash, paid for each corpse inferred!
Nor is this all. The county poor, whose
house is located several miles west Of Chlca-
50, where they have their own burying-
ground, hare now, for some time been
brought to the city cemetery, and there
buried.
Indeed, the real extent Of this illicit burial,
Tor the benefit Of the city treasury, aud The
ruin Of the public hcalth-in open violation
Of the universal teachings Of science and ex-
perience III city intermcnts, in Europe rs well
rs America, is as yet not fully known. TAat
| such practices should be allowed, not merely
against sanitary policy, but against the cstab-
lishcd arrangements Of the city, to which it
is bound in honor, can only be heard with
! establishment.
| 1t must not be forgotten that our cemetery
Is intcrsccted, north and south, By this
| slough, which drains The whole cemetery: and
that it discharges 4 little north of the City
Water Works, which supply the entire city,
north, south and west, with the water they
daily consume.
Nor is this The worst Of the case. What is
! called The "Poitcr's Ffcld,'' where these
| Gi0 rebel corpsee, and others buried at the
| pnDlic charge, are inferred, is on the very
| lowest land, and on the immediate borders of
the slough, where the lake water constantly
cbbs and flows. Buried rs they arc, almost
| on the vcr; su1fi.ce, exposed to the sun, and
J atmospheric agency, what must be thought
/ Of the enlightened economy, that, for tho
| paltry consideration Of dollar and half,
| will thus leopard the safety and health Of the
| city! It has been bad enough to endure the
| yet unremedied impurity and corruption Of
! the river. But the wisdom Of our City Fa-
thcrs, inadequate, yet, for the relief OF that
foul source Of corruption, is now willing to
| add to the already corrupted waters nc daily
drink, tho get more foul and subtle ele-
I nents Of death, cxuding from our GENE.
tcry, almost into the very pipes which carry
| the element Of lift or death into every house.
| hold.
One cannot but speak warmly Of subject
so vitality affecting the universal health Of our
city. Is It surprising death so ofteu has
knocked ut our doors the past year: