The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-06-01
Proceeding. OF city Council.
COUNCIL CHAMBER
COLUMBIA, s. O., May %, 1872


and Aldermen Carpenter, Hoge, Mitchell.
Young. Wilder, Carr, Carroll, Williams,
Cooper, Lowndes and Thompson. Alb
sent-Alderman Griffin. Minutes of
meetings May 14th, 18th and 18th were
read and approved.
PETITIONS, COMMUNICATIONS. &c.
Petition from John Agnew. President
of Columbia Oil Company, praying for
reduction of assessment on property of
Columbia Oil Company. Referred to
Committee on Ways and Means.
Petition Of E, J. Scott, Son & Co.,
praying for q reduction Of taxes paid in
1871. Referred to Committee on Ways |
and Means.
Petition OF Constantene & Lawless,
asking permission of Council to keep |
open their store on Assembly street ou
Sunday, for tho purpose of selling soda
water, nuts and fruits.
On motion of Alderman Carroll, above
petition laid on the table.
Petition Of Henry Hicks. asking per.
mission to keep open his place on Taylor
street on Sunday, for the purpose OF
selling Joe cream and cakes.
On motion Of Alderman Carroll, above
petition was laid on the table.
| Communication from DR.. j. W. Par
ker, asking to be excused from serving
az member of the Board Of Health, on
account Of infrmities.
On motion of Alderman Hoge, same
was granted.
The following communication was
read:
COLUMBIA, 8. O., May %. 1879.
Hon. John Alexander, Mayor-DEAR
SIR: desire to call your attention to the
burial Of the dead in the cemetery on
Upper Boundary street. From those
who are conversant with the fact, learn
T., that the lowest depths Of the graves is
but Ave feet. and in many cases but four
and three feet; this brings the bodies Of
; the dead within four, three and two feet
OF the surface. Such depth OF soil
offers but slight resistance to the passage
; Of putrid gases emanating from bodies
IN state of decay.
clay, and it allows OF the Immediate
} escape Of the gases through the soft
F.; covering of the soil just above the body.
and if there be no large deciduous trees
: to arrest their progress, they are born.
by the wind, in whichever direction il
! may be blowing, and as We have the
9 wind the greater part of the year from
the West, the consequence is that thest
i deadly exhalations are lodged amopga
l the homes of Columbia, and tend tt
!. breed fevers and other diseases.
The remedy for all this lies in the en-
6 acting of law comp cling the digging
IS OF the graves to che depth of not les
/; than seven feet for adults, and six fee
for children, and the planting this fal
ls in and around the cemetery large nun
bers of trees of the hard wood species
}. such as oak. walnut. hickory, eto. Those
as they grow up. will absorb by thei
n roots and leaves all the gases that aris
r from matter in q state Of decay.
10 I have but recently moved into th
D; walker House," on Upper Boundar
is street. One by one, my children ar
Q taken down sick with low fever Of
0; typhoid form, and at this present wri
is ing, two Of them are sick. I was some
what at loss as to what to attribut
. this sickness. but am now positive thu
the cause lies in the cemetery, for o
:: yesterday morning early, and also tn
oo ~ morning, the atmosphere iu my viciuit
aU aU WAS charged with the fetid smell that
w peculiar to grave-yards.
OO The welfare of the citizens Of this oil
- demands that an early action be taken
W ~ reference to the subject matter of tn
1u communication, as San ounce of prevel
10 tion is worth pound of cure." Vel
90 respectfully, JOHN McQU ZEN.
'do On motion of Alderman Hoge, cor
.0O Lmunication was referred to the Board
slO Health.
$40 The following communication W
|SS 90 read: 90
800 To Hon. John Alexander, Muyor-SI
DIG The respectful underslgned citizens
oi3 Columbia, residing in the immedia
Sto : tO vicinity OF Elmwood Cemetery, hav
10 with great astopish ment. read the sever
| 90 articles in the Daily Union regarding {
90 fetid odors alleged to rise from til
0C0 09S0 place, and feel constrained to say til
asI they have not known, nor do they kno
5 on OF suoh.
$50 Some of US have resided within
10 square of Elmwood Cemetery for u nu
. Der OF yeArs, and now. for the first tin
Ed ED. hear it alleged that odors of IL fetid |
I, tne tnre arising from there are eudanger
nas the neighborhood. We only will 81
nm further, that the party or parties "
TO are spreading this report must surely
nay Iaboring under mistake, or else wlfn