The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-04-21
Communicated
A Serious Nuisance.

The time has come when it behooves the
people and city authorities of Staunton to
adopt effectual measures to rid themselves of
nuisance which seriously affects not only
their health and comfort but their pecuniary
interests. We refer to the pond of stagnant
water in the Fair grounds, erphoniously styled
"the Lake!" That pond spreads over very
considerable surface, about one-half of which
is covered at all times by the water, while the
other half consists of sedgy marsh, which is
overgrown by rank growth of coarse grass
and weeds, which furnishes an excellent
spawning place for frogs and other disgusting
reptiles. When this crop of grass and weeds
attains maturity, the process of decay com
mences, and the water and atmosphere for
some distance around are poisoned by noXious
exhalations, which breed ague and fever in the
immediate neighborhood, and doubtless, to
some extent, affect the salubrity of the atmos-
phere at more remote points, During the last
two or three summers, there has been general
complaint of the impurity and unwholesome-
ness of the water supplied from the reservoir
How far this has resulted from the pond" we
are unable to say, but we are inclined to suspect,
that if the matter were investigated it would
be found that there is a close connection be-
tween them.
There is another annoyance of very seri-
GUS character, which we think, is fairly at
ITlUuCdUlc w IillS SAINT HOnu w W
the pest of mosquitoes The Oldest citizens,
men who have lived in Staunton for more
than half century, will testify that until the
"Fair Ground Lake" was created mosquitoes,
as general nuisance, were unknown. 1t is
true that few were occasionally found, in
particular localities, but they were always the
effect of some local cause, such as neglected
rain-barrel, stagnant water in some old cellar,
or like cause. This exemption from the
pest of mosquitoes, was one of the attractions
OF our town as place of summer resort, and
was always mentioned by our citizens in con-
nection with our salubriOus atmosphere, as a
reason why people from lower Virginia should
seek health and recreation in Staunton, dur
ing the summer. Alas! that happy day has
passed, and know no place now which should
be more studiously avoided by persons who
are seeking pleasant summer resort.
think, then, we may safely assume that
four serious evils flow directly from this often
sive pond: LIST, The health of the neighbor-
hood is injured by the malaria which are en-
hailed from it; I'd, the purity Of the city supply
OF water is seriously affected by the decay of
vegetable matter along the marshy borders of
the pond; Sd, The comfort of the whole pop
ulation of the city, is, for three or four months
in the year, almost destroyed by the myriads
of mosquitoes which are generated in its pesti-
lential sWamps 4th, The value of our proper
ty is Deprecated and our business interests
impaired by banishing from our city numbers
of persons who would otherwise make it las
was the case in former years. place of sum-
mer resort. Situated as Staunton is, about
1900 feet above tidewater, in the heart of the
great Shenandoah Valley, where the atmos-
phere used to be proverbial for its salubrity-
and in city presenting as many advantages
on the score Of society, schools, churches, and
picturesque surroundings, we can see no rea-
son why it should not be crowded with visi-
tors during the summer, provided we can get
rid of the crying evils above complained of.
1t is hoped that, in view of these facts the
city authorities will at least take measures to
have the subject investigated, and the proper
remedy applied.
We are inclined to think that the mischief
might be palliated, if not entirely removed, if
earth were hauled and deposited in the
marshy portions of the pond, SO as to reduce
it to much narrower limits by converting
what now is swamp, into solid ground and
giving "the pond" distinct margin of solid
earth elevated a foot or two above the surface
Of the water.
1t is at least worth the trial, in view of the
magnitude of the consequences involved es-
pecially as the cost would be inconsiderable
But if that remedial measure should prove
Intellectual, then we think that stronger
measures should be adopted to abate the
pond" as dangerous and noxious nuisance,