Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-10-29
Law. "aealts'' ct al. Versus Sewers.


From most reliable estimates it may
be approximately calculated that one
thousand two hundred and fifty barrels
of excTeta, offal and other refuse from
human habitations is the daily scav-
epger product Of our city, or, with a
third N re added Tor stable and street
cleaning ), in round numbers, the whole
amount per annun will reach about
seven hundred thousand (700O O00) bar
rels. This, if utilized on fertilizing
land, would furnish over six hundred
barrels per acre for farm containing
one thousand acres. Why intelli-
gence should contemptuously overlook
or enterprise knowingly disregard
such a sourse of speculation at home
while scenting from afar gusno fields
and costly substitutes thereof, seems to
be mystery though actually fact.
An article lately published in the
Tribune, over the signature of
Health" intimates that, if it were
not for the provision of State laws
prohibiting the pollution of rivers and
other streams, sewers might be con-
etructed accessory TO our water works,
which would more cleanly, and, pos
sibly, more genteely, do the work than
it can be done by either hogs or tur-
key -buZzards OR lazy men; but he very
appropriately suggests that probably
the sewers would prove more detri-
mental to health, and might be a
greater nuisance than either or all of
the triumvi7ate above mentioned.
Health" in consideration Of the
above figures. may have Granger
visions of rich fields and pasture !,
and hills of thousand cattle
thereon, and such like.
He is certainly not jabbing after
mickles and muckles with plumbers
tools among drains. pipes, sewers,
traps and water closes 8. We com
mend the gentleman for his g ,odness,
If not for his sincerity Of purpose, for
certainly the question is eminently
pertinent for the people Of Knoxville
at or ce to consider whether the creeks,
beautifully meanderiDg through the
city, which Nature designed for orna-
ments and bleS jngs, snail be made
permaLent sanitary sUandlC ;, and
whether the placid Tennessee, now
furnishing fscatorial food for our
tables, shall be converted into foul
open sewer, like many rivers
ia England, whf beautiful
banks have beea depoL ulated
because If their wOrisome exhalations,
and whose waters are too filthy for The
survival of fiuny tribes.
| But how about this question of seWa
ers being injurious To health, and
about the law Of the state fOrbidding
ihe pollution of streams? True we
have them in nearly all large cities in
| spite Of law. and not withstaDding
sanitary science has decided against
them ever since the destruction Of the
Old ctoGca marina of Rome. But
modern science is strikingly like
modern religion in that they are both
so different from the ancient, being
much more mixed, they occasion
much greater noise, possibly, too. al
the expense of the genuine stuff May
be the advocates of sewers among mod.
ern Scientists, and sanitarians have
been missionaries playing Indian
agent, or jtmGgogues and political
shisteTs daIIying with the judicial er.
mine, while The laws vntaries ignor.
| antiy held the candle. II our young
Romulus wishes to stick to the text by
striking for the first principles of San.
itatiOn for the interest of our city
which ia rapidly developing into met
ropUlitan proportions and now de.
manding reforms proportiongte to hel
near future greatness, we commend
him for both honesty and sincerity OF
| purpose, for he is certainly neither in
the political trade nor the scalping bue-
| 1ness. STUDENT,