The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-11-01
The Back Bay Nuisance

1t would seem almost unnecessary after
so much has been said on this unsavory sub
ject, to say anything more, but our city atl-
thorities exhibit SO much apathy with regard
to it, that it becomes necessary. For sever
al years the columns of the city papers have,
from time to time, presented the complaints
of suffering citizens dwelling on the north
erly slope of the city; the complainants evil
dently faEcying that their walls would be
heard and relief granted. In this, however,
they have been mistaken. They have waited
patiently until weary with waiting and then,
perhaps, applied in person to the proper
authorities; have been pleasantly received,
and pleasantly assured that the subject Of
their complaints should be investigated.
Much elated, they have returned home and
reported to their suffering households that
their City Fathers would soon make all
things right, and another period of patient
waiting has followed. Finding that nothing
was to be done, and the vile odors increasing
and becoming more dangerous to the health
and lives of their loved ones, they have
made up petitions and trudged about the
streets obtaining the signatures Of hundreds
of the best citizens and largest taxpayers
thereto, and triumphantly presented them
through some friendly alderman, to the au-
gust body which sways the destinies of this
fair city. They learn with joy that at last
something practical is to be done, and that a
cdls1mission Of wen known and competent
physicians have been appointed to investi-
gate the matter and report upon the same
forthwith Soon the report is made and
published in the papers, plainly and minute
ly pointing out the causes of the evil so de-
structiye to their comfort and health, and
what is neceesay to remove it. Surely this
will end the matter, and something will be
done at once so that another summer they
can rest in peace under their own vines and
fig trees. Time, however, slips away, and
they see with painful apprehension that un
have to endure another summer or
flee to some refuge where back bays are
unknown, and so they make one more
effort, as the communications Of A. A.
S. and f. II. G. show. It would seem that
after the respectable petitions presented
some weeks age, signed by so many we'll
known citizens, and especially the very
strong one signed by all of the leading ply
sicians of the city, and after the able report
Of the Commission referred to, that our au-
thorities would promptly move in the mat
ter; but it has become evident that they have
no such intention. Such being the case, let
our people at the coming municipal election,
as we'll as in the election to the Legislature
soon to take place, select such candidates
for city officers, and such a candidate for
Representative to the Legislature, as are
pledged to sanitary reform, and will persist
entity advocate and push forward all meas
ures calculated to produce such reform. We
want State Board Of Health, and local
one, made up of competent men, who will
act in conjunction with the State Board,
one which shall have full power to act in all
cases. When we can have such Board as
this, our citizens will have no occasion to fill
the columns of the papers with their COM
plants, nor to petition in vain to our City
Government for relief from nuisances en-
dangering the health and lives Of their fami-
lies