The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-07-02
sani,ary Condi,ton of Por,laud.


Dr. A s. Thayer's report on the sanitary con
dition of Portland read at the recent meeting
of theMain Medical Associat on, Is published in
yesterdays Star. After speaking of the pari-
flying effects of the fire, and noting that the
rate of mortality has diminished about per
cent. since that evert, the report dwells upon
the good results to be expected from the intro
duction of Sebago water next year, and closes
with the following practical suggestions:
The drainage of the city has been improved
during the past year. Several new sewers
have been laid, one of which, passing through
Emery and up Spring streets,) must have
salutary influence upon the upper portion of
the city, if the obj ect, for which it was laid is
accomplished, viz: the draining of the wet,
swampy lands in that vicinity. There are still
several low places in the city which need
draining, or filling up, and which l think the
proper authorities should attend to at once
One of these places may be found near the
corner of Mountfort and Adams streets, where
during nearly all of last season, there was a
pond of filthy, Stagnant water, from which
noxious gases ware constantly arising. Bowel
complaints with children was very prevalent in
this vicinity all through the hot season, and de-
pendent in great measure, think, upon this
cause In the vicinityof Back Cove, between the
depot of the Portland and Rochester Railroad,
AMI Green street. may be iount several of these
places, which it seems to me, have become per-
feet nuisances. Partially filled with water, a
large part of the year, the DRAWINGS of that
part Of the city, they of themselves become
v'ry filthy and disgusting; but add to this the
filth OF the city, which is constantly being
hauled off and dumped into these places, with
out being covered with earth, but left exposed
to the sun and atmosphere, and we have what
we now find, modern "valley of Hinnom,"
minus the purifying influence OF the fire which
was wont to burn in that ancient locality
Tn Sc places should he fill ed up, and am
certain that it cannot be done too soon for the
good of that part of the city.
In looking over the police records find that
during the past year no less than forty prosti-
tutes, the most degraded and loathsome char
acters in the city, have been picked up and
sent 10 the Almshouse, there to reeupera o
their lost energies, and to associate With the
children OF that institution. Their moral in
fuence upon these young minds 1 leave for
others to contemplate. Reform, radical re-
form is needed in and about this institution,
aud would that some phiianthropist might I'M
dertake this work, and never relax his efforts
until he has carried it forward to a successful
issue. y ia -F
Portland is still without hospital, and the
only substitute we have for one is that con-
nected with the alms-house, which is Poor
hOusecs oncern in every particular. During
the past wintersmeasles prevailed very extern
sively among the children of this institution,
and several deaths occurred, which 1 feel GER
tain might have been saved could we only
have had suitable hospital, where these
children could have been taken, and received
proper hygienic and medical treatment As
it was they had to remain where they were,
in a crowded condition, and the greatest won
der is that so many of them had sufficient
vitality to outive the disease.
Efforts have been repeatedly made, (princi-
pally by members of our profession) tor the
last twenty-five years, to establish city hospi-
tai, outside of the Almshouse, but they have
thus far proved unavaiing. How long the
citizens of Portland will suffer this matter to
remain in its present condition remains to be
seen. Certainly, one of Portland's greatest
where the sick stranger and her own sick
poor can be taken and receive such treat
ment as is due them from christian people.
THE SCHOOL TAX FOR 1S6S-Letters of in
quiry having been addressed to Warren John .
son, Superintendent of Common Schools, as to
whether under existing statutes the school tax
is seventy five-cents or one dollar for each in
habitant of the several towns, he has issued
a circular to the assessors of taxes embracing
the following opinion of Attorney General
Frye upon the question: "Chap 6,Revised Stat
utes sec. 6 AMI g. provides for the assessment
of taxes the first day of April annually. Chap
ter 1876 of the public laws was approved March
8, 1868, took effect same date by sect. 8 of said
act, and is therefore applicable to the assess
ment of taxes for the current year." Mr..
johnson therefore informs the assessors that
the tax for 1868 is one dollar and su ggests tl.'
vph sho assessmo~s LsssDeen based on tax
Of seventy-fve cents, the additional amount of
twenty-five cents be legally added, that no
towns may fall under the forfeiture expressed
in Section B. of the School Laws