Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-17
a Doomed City.

just what is to be the future fate of Memphis
is question that Is beginning to give serious
concern to her citizens, In view of the appalling
extent to which she has suffered from yellow
fever during the two summers last past. That
city has never had sewer, and point has
now been reached in her career where an extern
slye and expensive system Of sewerage must be
adopted If the place is to be longer habtable.
1t is In fact even doubted by some whether 1t Is
not already too late to prevent practical aOan-
Comment OF the entire locality, so thoroughly
has the soil underlying the whole city been
poisoned by the foul seepage or leakage from
her pTivies, cesSpools, etc. But, whether this
view be well taken or not, 1t is conceded by the
citizens OF the place and by all others who have
given the matter thoughtful attention that she
has no hope for the future except In a complete
system OF underground drainage and the clean-
Ing out Of tie filthy and sluggish bayou which
partially surrounds the town. And it Is at this
point that the difficult part Of the problem
presents Itself. How Is this work to be paid
for, and by whom? Where Is the money to
come from?
AS municipal corporation, Memphis has no
credit whatever In any money market of the
world, and probably will not have for many
years to come, If ever. Her rich citizens are too
mean or too timid to advance the necessary
amount If they had 1t. Under existing circum-
SlduCCo pllNdlC piOHClUy lCdl duU pGISOuil
In the city could not stand the heavy tax re-
quired to produce it, and if it were able to carry
such load the money could not be realized In
that way in time to prevent recurrence of the
fever next year nor two or three years hence
The state Of Tennessee might possibly furnish
the needed aid, If so dspoSed,-as any one
would think she ought to be. 1t is clear, how
ever, that the people of Memphis have little or
no hope Of relief from that source, and many of
them seem to be ready to give up in despair.
Others, more fertile in expedients, propose call
ing on Congress for help, in the form OF a CON-
mission OF engineers to plan aud direct the
work, and an appropriation from the public
treasury to defray its cost.
This is a singular proposition to come from
section Of country from time 1mmemorial COM
mitted to the doctrine of estates rights and
opposition to federal interference" But laying
that point aside, and, though apparently Serl-
ously made, 1t is not likely that such demand
would be for a moment seriouly entertained
For the national government to make and pay
for an improvement confeSSedly intended solely
for the removal of local causes Of disease work
which the people of the place themselves ought
to have done gradually years ago,-would be to
set a precedent so dangerous In its application
and results that few persons in or out OF Con-
greSs could be found to advocate it, however
much they might desire to see Memphis become
a healthy place. AS the case stands, therefore,
the outlook is most dlscouraging from every
point OF view, With little or no prospect for re-
lief from any quarter. The yellow fever may
now be regarded as permanently established
there; Or to state the case differently, the local
causes which have produced it during the last
two summers are likely, nay certain, to produce
1t again, summer after summer, until they are
entirely and permanently removed. AS there
seems to be no means for removing them there
Is grave danger that what was but little while
ago prosperous and promising city may in
little while longer become scene Of desolation
and decay,-a sad and suggestive memory of the
past. This is an unpleasant view to entertain;
but, without what might almost be called
direct interpositlon OF providence In behalf of
the stricken city, it is hard to see how any
other fate can be in store for her.