, 1873-06-19
The Streets, Cutters, and Lots
Rocking with Filth.
Shiny Ccss-pools and Dcc0mp0sing
Vegetable Heaps Poisoning
Our People.
Timely Advice on the Subject Of
Cleanliness from q
Physician.

tho deficient aud insufficient drainage, md tho
filthy aud neglected condition Of our streets,
there can DO no longer any doubt It VAS shown
In yosterday's TRIBUNE t!lat in Wards whore tho
streets wore sowored, and thereby rendered COM
paratVoly clea1l, tho dcatl-rato was small, While
III districts whero tlero wore no aswors nnd tho
strceta filthy md neglected, the doath-rate was
large. ......
II this state of affairs Is allowed to continue,
and no energetic measures immediately takon
by tho proper authorities to mako the sewerage
and tho streets Of tho city what they should DO,
tho deatll-rate for 1878, even il NO escape an op-
ido.nic will still DO greater than TINT of last
yoar.
DR.. II. 4. johnson, for many years member
Of tho Board Of health, and d man of largo expo
rience in sanitary mntters, was interviewed by q
TRIBUNE reporter for the purpose OF ascertaining
his opinion as, to who waB most responsible for
the terribly filthy condition Of our streets, and
wlnt remedy Ind to DO applied to chango this
atato Of atrairs. Ills reply was us follows: "The
drainage OF tho city, and tho cloaning of tho
streets and guttors, is under tho Charge Of the
Board Of Public Works. Tho guttoss in many
parta Of the city arc eacavated below the
openings into tho catehbasina Of tho
Bowers, and. consequently thcro is left
= pool OF stagnant water. It is o
mnttor Of much Importance that this
should bs Immediately ro1nedied. Where
there ute no sowerB, tho drainage
must of necessity be very imperfect, tic soil
becomes i1npreguatod with organic matter, ever
ready, will, nn increase Of temperature, to pro-
duco diseaso and death. Each family, then,
should onieayor to provont the accumulation Of
filth of all kinds should hnye garbage ready
T. f1a inn nj IN n
notice that is left ut every houso in the city :;
should romoyo manure from stables, vaults or
boxeB duly, or as often as necessary to prevent
offenee cellars, out-houses and rear yards
should not only bo mado clean, but disinfoc-
tants should bo used wlorcyor thcro are oifen-
siyo odors The Board of Health should be no.
titled of my neglect Of their duticB. If the
scnreuger docs not pass through tho streets, or
COLLECT the garbage, it il Of tho utmobt lmpor~
aaes thet tho aet 1h9rd n bS ., mao %
lie Works should 1o held strictly responsible for
the cleaning Of tho streets, guttere aud alloys,
and for tho drainage Of tho city, both i'll the sew-
erol and unsewored parts. There aro ru'nors Of
fcnr that wo Biall have much sickness during the
coming Beason, oven II wo do not havc o vista
tion OF this fearful sco,trge."
The suroBt method Of finding tho dirtiest and
mont postiential BpotB and strcets, il to 80 to
those streets showing the largest mortality.
Tho district lying botweon tho river and Hal
ated, nnd Harrison and Twonty~gecond streotB,
is undoubtedly the most densely populated in
not excepting bridgeport, can be found.
Tho Ninth Ward, for example, which runa
partly through this district, and is bounded OH
the north By Van Buren, street, vest by Aber-
deem street, eaat by the river. and south by
Twelfth street. allows only 7G square yards Of
room to each inhabitant. This densely~popu-
latad district has but fow sswera although there
il moro noed Of them than in any othor part Of
tho city, the ground being low and the soil
clayey; besides, this part Of tho city is nearest
to tho centre OF the sewerage Byatom.
The want of sewers ia greatly felt IN tho dis
trict lying between the river and Canal street,
which has none at al. All tho sownrs running
cast empty into the Canal street sewer, instead
OF running through to tho riyor It may, there
fore, 10 surniael what pest-brocding spot this
district, Which lies in tho hoart Of the city, must
he.
On bratlcr street, only few pacos from
Canal, there ia large cosB-pool Of putrid liquid
Of the color Of nolnsses. 1t is thick, black, and
glinly, aud soothing, foaming, nnd boiling, as II
torrible commotion was going On underneath,
forcing up ita noxious cases. scattering stench or
going along the Pittsburgh d Fort Wayne Rail
sopor, Trainord s co.'s mandatory
in tho shape Of large ennEon, lot, filed with
but agreeable. Tho Intention Of the aforesaid
manufacturers being directed to this nuisance
by the Banltary Policeman accompanying Tuz
TRIBUNE reporter on his expedition, they prom
isod to coyor tue plece up with earth. Passing
on a little further, DoKoyen street la reached,
On both sides Of the street, from Canal to thu
railroad track, tho guttors are filled with green
thick, and sliny compound Of doconlposcd ycgo
tables. the smell OF which is very obnoxious. A
heap Of rotten potatoes, nearly in tho centre q
The stroot, and opposite the alley, wes placot
:hero by o conAlornte grocer, to add to the agree
ablenosn Of tho odor aud improve
the picturesqnenosa Of tho place, Cross
Thore is q very narrow street. lined OIL each sid
with dilapldatnt buildings, oAcl OF which Ia III
habited by Heyorai families. Near Canal stree
this street III almost under water, and the gaso
arising therefrom arc undoubtedly Responsible
for tho many deaths occurring in tho noighbor
hood, especially among children under year
Of ago. The street improves eomewhnt on com
ing nearor to Halsted On Twelfth atreot, nea
Despaines, r. lot ia ontirely under water, owink
condition for the last three month";. 1t il alreal
covered with q groom vegetation, mud II allqwet
TO rolnain there little longor will begin to scat
ter disease and death. forquer Htroot, run
la equally Rs had Us bunker street, Hill
of manure nro rolioyed by yalloys Of aIops, liner
OIL eithor Hilo with deep titcAes, full OF thicl
and nky substance which Inns no oxit because
bitches being obatructod ovory fow steps b.
hoaps OF rubbish. Ewing III another worry nar
row and dcnBely populated street. Tho dlteho
Oh both ndea Of thia, street arc filed with
green and nausoous substance, in which arc be
ing slowed all possible denominations, and til
odora arising from 1t arc not yery PLEASANT. Bu
tho Paved and aowerel streets in this ward ar
aluo III very dilnpidatel and unhealthy cond
lion. Canal "A y .{ full Of holoB mi. pools OF stng
.troot. 1Ialatel ntreet Ia tho sa..c, and Pol
ltroot ia still worso This lattot tlloroughfaro
frequently obstr,ctcd by heaps Of garbage, a
excellent specimen OF which Gun bo seen In from
of No. 334.
The Eighta M Wsra, Viii, Which Is nlyo worry donsel
Ninth, At tho corner OF Blue Island avenue al
Twolfth Btreet, largo coHs-pool may be observed
tAe atagnant water of which il Boyerhl feot daoE
and reachcs far undor tho Sidewalks and HOUSES
This pool il not only dangerous to life on ae
count Of its noxloua ex.,alatlons. but also tlu
on dirk night any ono pnSaing along thoa
drowned, no barriers being thoro to ptoyol
such calamity. Passing down Blue Ialand avt
nuo, Nu1well street III reachod, which runs fror
Diua Ialand a9cnl,a to URlatad atraat. pnfQf