The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-22
THE BRITISH CONSUL AS A SANTA
RAN.


THE BRITISH CONSUL AS A SANTA
RAN.
Mr.. DeFonblanque, the British Consul ut
this port, ls o gentleman who is much e.
teemed In literary and social circles in this
city. From his long residence In this city
during all seasons, and his intimacy with many
Of our best people, we do not believe him ca
pable Of meditating or intending wrong and
injury to our city. II he were not very dog
matte and opinionative gentleman, he would
lack a prominent characteristic of his race
and nationality That he possesses this charac-
teristic, strongly developed, will be conceded
by all his friends and acquaintances.
There is no reason, therefore, to impugn his
sincerity and integrity or to question his
friendliness to our city and people, because OF
the very Injurious character OF his report to
his government. and which has been repro
duced in the Pail Mall Budget relative to the
sanitary condition of our city.
Still, 1t must be confessed that this report
embodies grave and damaging libel as to
the facts, and aagrantly erroneous views In
regard to the causes Of academies which at
certain periods visit New Orleans.
That from the peculiar topography Of the
plane In which the city has been built 1t has
been found more difficult ana expensive to
effect as thorough a drainage as In other
cities located under conditions the very re-
verse of easy, we freely admit. But that the
drainage, such as Is practicable here, Is OF
the insufficient and imperfect character de
scribed by Mr. DeTonblanque, or that any
system ct drainage would be more complete
and effective, we not only deny, but affirm
that, by the judgment OF the best engineers
and sanitarians, the system adopted and
practiced here is the only appropriate and
the best system Of city drainage, In sanitary
point OF view, OF any other large city In this
or any other country. OF course we assume
that this system Is vigorously pursued and
enforced, and we freely admit that there Is
frequently a neglect and inefficiency such as
is complained Of In all cities on the part OF
the municipal officials In carrying out this
system. No such complaint has been made
this year. But regularly and properly en-
enforced, we believe that 1t can be- and has
been, demonstrated that the system Of sur
face drainage Is not only the best and only
practicable drainage for New Orleans, but
underground sewerage as adopted in other
cities. -M5~.
Mr.. DeFonblanque's description Of the ac-
cumulation Of fetid and corrupting material
In our drains and canals Is grossly exaggera-
tive. His assumption that epidemicg are
traceable to this cause Is not borne out by
facts or by any established principles of
hygiene.
On the contrary, In both dogmas MIR. De-
Fonblanque Is contradicted by the experience
Of this city since Its foundation. He admits
that 10 certain parts Of the city there Is good
drainage while In others the cutters are not
paved or covered, and that until heavy rains
fall the accumulations in them remain, de-
compose and emit poisonous emanations
which produce epidemics. On the contrary
the experience of all old residents of this city
Is that epidemics have always prevailed
with more violence In those portions
OF the city which were well-paved
where the cutters are shaded and
protected, and In which fetid matter
is never allowed to accumulate We further
affirm that Mr.. DeFonblanque not only ex-
aggerates, but exposes his ignorance Of an
important physical fact In relation to our
topography when he assumes 80 large and
violent fermentation in the canals and gut
tiers which receive the scourings of the city.
He forgets that the pores of our alluvial soil
furnish innumerable natural underground
drains, through which the water of the Mis-
sissippi seeps perennially into every ditch
gutter or indentation OF the surface Of the
earth. That this water Is pure and healthfuI
and prevents fermentation or stagnation:
that with the aid Of the agitation and access
OF this seepage water, and the use of the me-
chanical power OF our drainage machines in
the canals, the process of fermentation and
the decomposition OF matter in these canals
and drains can be more effectually guarded
against than In any similar drains of the
localities of other cities where this seepage
process is not commanded.
But before and above everything, these
proofs Of the erroneousness OF Mr. DeFon-
blanque's assumptions Of fact and conclu-
sions Of theory therefrom, how will he recon-
Gle Herewith the fact that the yellow fever
epidemic exists with much greater violence
70 other cities WAere these causes Of bad