The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-03-23

| A@h aIOh Auou up Win inc SCaVenger'S 'S Oual Oh
the CITY, you G ome to one of the most infect
ed or all the districts of the city
Let us pause here for one moment to inquire
what has taken place in this neighborhood
| likely to account for this change in it's health
fulness. You will remember that tais very
| spot was referred to above as one Of those in
which even the stranger felt secure in former
| times from yellow fever The change that has
taken place is its conversion from marsh
| overf1owed twice in twenty-four hours by pure
| sea water, INTO porous, putrefying, undrained
soil, composed almost entirely OF the offal of
the city. Let me refer to one single fact in the
history OF this (infccted) district, before pass
| on to other places, illustrative of the effect
produced by the changes am referring to-.
The Jail and Marine Hospital have occupied
their relative situations for ffty years. During
| the whole of this long period the hospital
has received and treated yellow fever patients.
While was a student have taken my FIRST
who might have almost jumped from their
beds into the enclosure Of the Jail; but never
was the yellow fever known to have entered
that building till 1852; since then it goes into it
as regular as into the houses Of Elliott. street.
How does it get therep In virtue Of its ccnsa-
giors properties say the contagionisls. II that
Is SO, ask why it did not go Ia before 1852,
since m % 1t was frequently in the hospital previous
to that year? II it, the disease, is contagious
now, it must have been contagious then. II it
goes into the Jail by Contagious properties in
herent in 1t now, it should have gone in for
merly, in virtue OF the same contagious prop
critics. But we know, from the records Of tie
institution, that it did not. Can we think Of
any other way OF accounting for the change?
Let uE turn to the condition Of things in the
neighborhood, and we will find just such @
| change as has been shown to have been the
precursor Of the Introduction OF yellow fever
INTO all the other locations referred to above.
And the remarks made in reference to the jail
hold good with regard to the private resi-
dences around these buildings. The scaven-
gers offal Of the city makes the soil all around
Further north, on the same shore line we
tind along the indentations of Bepnett's Mill
Pond the same changes, followed by the same
results while along the river margin the
same state Of things has been brought about.
Hence. we now see the once safe resort in Can
nonsboro' converted into one Of the earliest
scenes of epidemic invasion. Not spot in that
formerly favored region is now safe; for the
low grounds ia all the numerous creeks and
marshes, which then cut up this whole district,
are now hot beds OF fermentation, and give eht
their deadly gases in sufficient quantities to
infest the entire district.
Ihave thus traced the introduction OF yellow
fever into the formey!; exempted portions Of
Charleston, IL every instance, around the entire
method of reclaiming low grounds, and the
criminal negligence OF all precautions which
the experience OF every country in every eli
mate teaches us to consider as Indispensable.
How tar this sequence is to be looked upon as
an example of cause and effects, or how much
of it is mere coincidence, will no attempt to
determine. But even if we take the latter alter
native and decide for the simple coincidence,
it would seem to be part Of the most reasona-
BILE prudence to put q stop at once and forever
to such unwelcome ooDjunctions.
Will our CITY authorities have the courage to
face the responsibilities of their situation. and
give us (the community the advantage Of our
own dear-bought experience. The venerable
DR.. johnson, in letter to the writer in 1858,
confirmed lis opinion. OF 1907 after an ex-
perence and observation Of ffty-one years.
a "a ot nr Wori MI
practitioners of the city. -nt
The written experience of several of our now
prominent medical gentlemen, who commenc-
ed practice forty years since, confirm the views
and statements Of Dr.. Wrasg. Among this
number, DIR. Elias Horlbeck, who. near forty
years ago, was surgeon ofthe arine.Hospitai,
states the jail was considered healthy, and
that strangers and unacclimated persons could
spend their summers on Back (now Franklin)
street, CONTIGUOUS to tho hospital, with immu-
nifty to the fever.
The city authorities in 1859 did have 'sthe
courage to face the responsibilities OF their
situation, !" and gave their constituents the ad-
vantage OF the mass of experienced lntelli-
gence they. elicited to guido hem in wise
legislation for the general welfare, and ON tho
18th Of January, 1859, passedaan ordinance for
bidding under penalties, for every offence com
mitted, fine of twenty dollars, and the same
for every day the material was allowed to re-
main thereafter.
Experience of ten years have testified to tho
wisdom Of the City Council Of that day in re-
strlcting the deleterious filing OF low lands
with the offal of the city. Charleston for Eve
leled, and wEicn no other city on this CONT.
nent has enjoyed. The entre decomposition
of the putrid masses, eliminating their poison
GUS and deadly gases, no longer exist. The
danger to generate disease and endanger the
public health is at an end from what has been.
Why renew the danger2 Why amend the or
dinance that has proven beneficial to the whole
city, and allow these deposits to be made dur
February? Mr.. Editor, the,whole community
| is interested in this subject; tho very business
existence Of Charleston Is at stake. One yell
low fever epidemic will paraiyze her so COM
ss sn' m IT, WY tSen ea nsj sopss
dlze the business, health and advance
ment Of our city, by permitting the Maud
| lots on Smith-street and elsewhere to be the re-
small addition Of taxes to the treasury? Or is
| it not moro tor the benefit Of officials interest
| ed in the matter? The ordinance was amend
ed on the 25th Of February, 1869, and passed.
time, is prompted entirely for the general
welfare Of the city. The great mass of statis-
tics on this important subject were lost during
the war, and very few OF the present popula-
them. The records Of the City Council were
destroyed in the co ofagration Of Columbia. I
presume that scarcely one of the present Coua-
Gil who amended the ordinance ever read or
| oven HuW tAo IopoItS tudU pAaCou Cno oIuluHuCo
| Of 1859 on the statute books Of the city.
At more convenient season will direct the
attention of7the community and the City
Fathers to the subject OF interments of the
of disease to a city population. Our Cty
Fathers should strictly enforce the ordinance,
now in existence, on this all-lmportaut subject.
! Thanking you, Mr.. Editor, for the use of your
| columns on this all-lmportant subject, 5;.
| lam, very respectfully,
| A TAXPAYER.
1 THE ENGLISH MARKETS. -0
The London Economist OF March 9Th re-
ported the markets in the manufacturing dis