The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-05-03

oeameal rxeeeeA1ngsss
CouHcL Roon. Nay |, 1865.
Council mst.
Pesssns-Tho Msyoe, md Aldssnso
Abbot, Cleghors, 0lllnoss, gaee9, esa-
ton, MANN and Tss.Eyek.
Aboent4- kn6wIos.
Tho minutes Of tie last meeting usre
rsad and approved.
The whafimastsr' report for The month
Of April, showing the net receipts to b
1886 %, vas accepted and ordered 70 b
fled.
The report Of the Clerk Of the CounoIl
showing The amount Of money in the
Treasury on the 7th Of April, 1865, VA
received and ordered to b. fled.
A Communication was received from
ns Chief Engineer Of the Fire Depart
menf, showing the condition OF the pub
lie cisterns, and recommending the re-
pair Of the same and the building Of three
new ones. Referred to the Committee
on Fire Department.
The Board of Health made the follow
ing report, which was referred to the Ju-
dietary Committee with instructions to
report sach IN ordinance IS may be neces-
sary to carry into effect the recommends
tions Of said report:
To the Hon tie Mayor
aad Council Of the City of Keokak:
GENTLEMEN: By the time the Board Of
Health wss organized after their appoint.
| ment year since, the season VS. some
what advanced, and tho weather warm.
Immediate measures however were enter
ed upon for the removal Of the accumula.
tons Of filth in the alleys, about slaugh-
ter houses, and elsewhere throughout the
city. To effect renovation it required
time and patience, but was finally Effected
to great extent without resort to the au-
thority and force Of law. In the main the
citizens complied readily with the require
msnh of the Board and yet the reuova-
ton was not as thorough rs il il had been
performed during the previous winter
months, so that the early spring raiIs and
late showers. would have completed what
otherwise by the ordinary means could
not have been performed.
The filth usually accumulating in the
streets and alleys, and which becomes of.
fensive during the warm weather, should
; be removed from time to time during the
winter season 40 fast a. it is produced
and generated, and all accumulations o.
wster which are usually left to stand
2 during the ssmmer, should be draines
D away during early spring, aod . provision
made sgainst further collection. 1t 10
fact proved by experience. that it is highl.
). deleterious to The public health to disturb
cess-pnols in the warm season Of the year
The better course to pursue Is to proven
e the accumulation. and if collected, to per
= mit them to remain at rest when one,
J. decomposcd, until the temperature of th
weather Is lowered.
The Board would respectfully sugges
. the propriety Of so changing the ordi
l. nance touobing the removal 81 nuisance
a as to avoid tAe slow and laborous metho
of giving notice for the removal Of often
sive mstkrs. AT present. it is require
,fl that notice be given to the owner OF csc
lot with full and particular description
of the nuisance thereon, . copy to BIO lei
with the owner, another to be retained b
the Marshal Of the city serving it, and I
y be recorded BY him as well as by th
J. Board of Health. One Of the City Mar
!, shals assured the Board that such proce
n dure would require elk months hard |,
Dor on his pare, of which the Board ha
: no doubt. We would therefore sugge.
that public notice be given by the Boar
for the removal within . specific time {
u ell kind Of nuisance with list of such Z
E. should be removed.
After the expiration o! the prescribe
y time all cases of non.comp liance to b
1t presented to the recorder for adjudication
The Board to exercise such discretionar
power in certain cases, where . comp.
70 ance within the time prescribed was in
possible, in extending the time. In th
: manner the city can be kept in bette
he sanitary condition, with more prompt
st tude. more efficiency and much less ez
f. psnse than by the present method.
p The Board would ako state to your hor
= orabls body that every effort was made I
induce the citizens to adopt without Ii
!" force Of law vaccination in their familit
d in order to prevent the further spread {
n email pox which Was then in our mids
\ An appeal was published with some d
rec.ions IS to the best course to pursue I
> avoid the further propagation of the in
% faciuous disease. These appeals we're ur
needed and then the Board appealed to th
Council who passed an ordinance increal
= ing their powers. Compulsory vaccins
ton Was promptly entered upon and
= medical man sent into each ward with in
3 structions 90 vaceinate and re. vsccinas
all that required it. They performe
their duty promptly and faithfully. IN
= the result was that the disease very 500
r disappeared. There are . few cases oe
casionally occurring in some Of the hosp
y tails, bat the Board is not aware of cas-
y among the citizens, nor has there been f.
> some time.
This furnishes an exempli6cation of tn
value and necessity ofprompt and decisiv
u action in time when An epidemic Of
dangerous character prevails. Il prove
y