The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-08-30
Annual
Death-rate

iynn ...... $1,000 & 2l.5
Springfield. .... 81 ,OOO 50 lS.3
Wheeling. 2,o6O l2 49,
Thus 1t is shown that the mortality OF
the city of Providence, with population
of lOO,675-more than three and hall
times larger than Wheeling-wss l5.4
less per 1000 than Wheeling with y pop
ulaton OF only $4,000; and that of all the
cities with which it is here classed, 1t has
Welded the largest harvest OF death. This
unenviable showing against Wheeling Is
the natural result of the poor sanitary
defences of the city; and the sooner this
sad truth is fully understood by all
classes OF the people, the better their Sc
curity for the future. But 1t was not
necessary for us to go away from nome
to prove that even moderately good
hygienic surroundings yield the bless
lnss of good health, and prevent high
death. rate. We have, indeed, but 10
look over into the Seventh Ward-the
Island-for abundant proof. There, out
of n populstion of 1906, but deaths oc-
Cured in July, and one of these from old
are This ward is situated Immediately
opposite the most densely populated part
of the city: is little over mile
in length, with an area OF about 4oO
acres, and one of the newest wards OF the
city. At least three-fourths of its resi-
dents live in their own houses; and hence
along with natural advantages OF loca.
ton, more attention is there paid at all
times to domiciliary cleanliness than Is
usually observed by families who rent
from year To year.
The Fourth, Filth, Sixth and Eighth
wards invariabe furnish the largest NOR
tality returns; and this is not al all sur
prising wheu their sanitary situation is
understood. The Fourth and Fifth wards
in the very heart of the city-are sep
arated by Wheeling Creek, which is
nothing less than an immense cess-pool-
80 foul, for the distance of half mile or
more from its mouth, that neither fish
nor frogs can live in its sinking waters.
Along its banks, which are the dumping
grounds for all manner OF filthy scrap
ings from the streets and alleys, are stu.
ated several slaughter houses, two or
three soap factories, the City Gas Works,
oil refineries, ect, besides, it is the re-
ccptacle OF the sewage from North Main,
Market and other streets.
But the banks of Weeeling creek are
scarcely more disease breeding than that
portion of the unpaved wharf at the foot
of Fourteenth street, in the Third Ward.
Here there Is a nightly deposit of gar
bsye from the restaurants fronting the
Ohio river, and of rotten vegetables from
the "green grocery" houses in the neigh
borhood. And this is not all--even the
contents OF old privy-vaults, full to over
fowipg. have there been dumped over
the bank; and with every wind from the
south and west, the sitting odors from
these sources of corruption are swept
over the city.
There are IN Wheeling, probably, 36
miles, of streets, and about the same dis
tsnce of alleys Of the streets, 81 miles
are paved with boulders; and from q to
g miles Macadamised with limestone
They are never swept except by the
winds, and then the dust thus raised is
often binding and chokiI 6. The cutters
are constantly unclean from accumuls-
tions of wash-water, soap. .suds, kitchen
slops. etc. Three or four times year,
thew are usually cleaned by simply SHOW
elling the filth into mud piles, there to
dry for several days before being carted
away to the creek bank, or to some low
place in a street that may need filling,
or it is more quickly disposed of by
throwing it into the middle OF the street,
whore, with the dung OF animals, and
dead rats and cats. 1t is dried and ground
into dust, which, noIens roiens, must be
breathed and swallowed by the peoplein-
doors as well rs out OF coors
The system of sewerage is plainly de-
fec,ivc. None of the sewers are tapped;
and from their openings at various points
for the reception OF surface and gutter
drainage is constantly inhaled the most
sickening gasses. In hundreds ofhouses,
with so.called modern improvements, the
kitchen. sink and bath-tub waste pipes are
untspped, and communicate directly with
the street sewers.
The Sixth and Eighth wards are
scarcely severed At all, and yet they
have at least natural advantage of sur
face drainage. From them, We believe
come every month the larges: mortality
returns according TO their population. In
these wards, there arc many unlmproved
lots which are covered the year round
with staguant water.
Over the public markets, there is no
sort of sanitary supervision exercised;
and, like as at many private stands,
tainted meats and stale vegetables are
sold without binarance.
The water supply-with the exception
OF few wells which are still in use in
the Seventh and Eighth wsrds-ls from
the Ohio river; and from the basin, on
the side of Wheeling hill, it is distribu-
ted through the street mains without FL
tering. In preof that it is not free from
contamination only requires the fact TO be
stated that there are at least 600 people
including both sides of the river, Mar
tins Ferry and suburbs, on the west, and
about three. .fourths Of the population of
the First ward on the east living above
and within mile and half Of the
point of supply TO the force pump of the
city water works.
10 all these sanitary imperfections
add about 5000 old-fsshioned privy-
vaults, many of them oyerfowing and
sstursting the surrounding soil, and the
question, !" What are the sanitary deteHces
OF WheelingT il answered.
The Secretary of the Treasury has de-
cided that the new four and half per
cent. bonds may be deposited as security
:...l..;,o m otas of National hanks