Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-30

| summit near ftymOubn. n..................s..o o0&
kankakee river -..ool
namle5: ....-.---...-........-.--- -ooS
WanaGan .....-.--.'. ...-......'......''. saoS
Valparaiso. .........-...... ..-......-...lo8
Mneeler. 0oI
1ooarI. ~
Shicago ;.............. .0sO
The profiies Of the other railway lines give
essentially the same elevations and show salts
factorily the general situations of the surface.
The lowest level reported is 620 feet above
| the ocean, and the entire country east Of the
Louisville. New Albany and Chicago Railway
| Is over $50 feet higher than sea level.
The Wabash river south of the marsh coun-
| try shows the following elevations:
Wabash river at mouth of Eel river ....... .583
Wabash river at mouth of Tippecanoe. .... SIG
Wabash river at Lafayette. tte.................. sos
These levels show that the problem of drain
age is resolved into the engineering question Of
routes to the various possible outlets.
By strengthening the course Of the river the
length in the State can be reduced more than
one-half, and the surface decivitY doubled.
This improvement would give greater rapid
ity TO the current, and it is claimed that the In
creased flow would keep the channel free from
the grasses which now so seriously impede its
progress.
It's the opinion of some persons who have
examined the country that new channel
could be made at less expense than will be re-
quired for Strengthening the river along its
present bed.
In addition to this strengthening there is a
necessity, doubtless. for lowering the bed OF
the stream in order to secure satisfactory
drainage of the adjacent level lands. The
absence OF bluffs or hanks show that the bed
OF the river is very near the general surface,
and unless the main channel is considerably
lowered there will be no material improvement
in the flow of the lateral streams upon W hich
the drainage chiefly depends.
Ii the bed of the Kankakee river can be low
cred twenty feet the marshes will disappear,
and the entire area will be converted into the
best quality of upland.
a partial remedy for the upper part of the
section may be found by opening deep chan
mel from Mud Lake up the present channel of
the river to the source. and across the dividing
ridge few miles to the st. Joseph river at
South Bend, This would reverse the direction
of the flow and create a new tributary to the
st. Joseph, and would fairly drain a consid-
cradle part of the marsh lands.
Another suggestion is the changing of the
outlet of Yellow river by cutting a new chan
mel to the Tippecanoe river thereby reversing
the current and making an outflow from Eng
lsh Lake to this new tributary to the Tippe-
canoe,
A more important suggestion, probably, is
the opening of a new channel direct from the
kankakee, below English Lake, by short cut
to the Monow, tributary to the Tippecanoe
river, which would give a direct south outlet
| to the Wabash.
The difference in level between English
Lake and the Wabash at the mouth Of the Tip
pecanoe is one hundred and fifty. eight feet,
and the distance about fifty miles, giving the
splendid average fall Of three feet per mile:
IL the improvement is practicable, the drain
| age by the new river to the Wabash will be
etfectual.
As an economic measure the value of the
| territory reclaimed will more than compensate
| for the outlay that will be needed to make the
| improvement, and the redeemed acres viii
soon repay in wheat and corn the entire cost
| of recovery.
| This country lies at the threshold OF the chief
| city of the Northwest and it is crossed by the
| railway lines over which must pass a large
| part of the commerce OF the nation-so that
both pride and profit enter into the question OF
| converting barren wastes into slightly and pro-
| ductive plains.
AS a sanitary question its importance cannot
easily be overestimated. The diminution Of
malarial diseases has been in direct proportion
to the improved surface drainage-and 1t can.
not be doubted that the recovery OF the marsh
lands will still further contribute to the health
| fulness OF the State.
At the conclusion Of this paper the re-
naming two entitled, "The Disposal of the
Dead" by DR.. w. Fl. Curtis, of Illinois.
| and "The Relation OF Alimentatlon to In
| fantile Development and Diseases" /" by DR..
| L. q. Duncan, of Illinois, were read by
title, and the meeting adjourned until 7:30
p. m.
THE EVENING sESsI0N-FORMAL WELCOME.
At half past seven o'clock formal well
come was extended the association. A gem
eral invitation had been extended our citf-
zens to be present, and, notwithstanding
the inclement night, the attendance was
large, there being q number of ladies in
ing was opened by Mayor Wheaton, who
occupied the chair, briefly introducing
Captain George A Mercer, who represented
| the city on the occasion.
| Mr. President Gad Gentlemen of the A1szYienu
Public Health ASsoc ocidtion:
AS one of the General Committee charged
| with the reception and entertainments of y0ur
members. the grateful duty mas been ASSIGNED
me IN oehan or the Municipal authorities OF
| Savannah to extend to you hearty welcome
/ to our city. The simple assembling in any city
| or such body, composed of so many promi-
nent apd influential citizens and scientific men
| from ali parts of the country would of itself be-
| matter Of great significance. We cannot
forget that so far as Savannah is concerned
| within the past twenty-five years such an oc-
casion would be impossible, but it il
health of the United States is now
| restored, and we find such large and respect
| able body now gathered here for the considera-
tion of matters of Importance to the whole peo-
pie. There is great significance attached to
| this assembly, which impresses every intel
ligent man ana woman There is no city In
| the country that is not giving attention to the
| important matter of sanitation. There Is NO
| city, however great in science and art that
| Is not according to public sanitation careful
| attention, and which does not regard it as the
most important demandiDg consideration
That great thinker Herbert Spencer in his
| recent work on Education, refers in forcfble
/ language to the growing Importance of pre-
serving public health, the necessity Of making
man q healthy animal, in brief securing
nation OF healthy animals The speaker re-
membered some years ago asking a worthy
| lady living in the South why she remained IA
/ the South when her means would enable her
to cast her abode in the healthiest places in the
country. Her reply was that in the South she
| had greater opportunity for doing good This
| state of affairs exists to-day. There are many
| sections in the South Offering greet field for
| the work OF the sanitarian. Meny localities
are one hundred years behind the age ia the
matter OF sanitation, and the most Remarkable
thing is that they have not the slightest idea
| or their Woerul ignorance.
The speaker, in a beautiful tribute
to the late DR.. r. d. Arnold, the genial com
panion and distinguished scientist and faithful
| physician, the mention of whose name before
| the Savannah audience would invaria
| bly, cause the eye to water. related the
| following incident, which greatly amused the
audience; Some one once remarked to DIR.
/ Arnold that he thought Georgia was a good
missionary ground, and some effort ought "a
be made to send missionaries here The doctor
in his usual candid style, promptly responded:
| You had better send cooks There would
| be no use looking after the salvation OF souls
/ when the stomachs were imperfect Better
throw away the frying pan and the grease, ana
restore the stomach TO healthy tone.
It was important to consider whether this
/ section can be made healthy ard suitable
| homes for the people Of other countries We
believe in the future, and have faith that there,
| are secrets locked up in nature vaults which
viii be unlocked by science and made known
/ for the general public good The condition of
Savannah is one of serious moment to us The
public health, open we are to the introduc-
| tion OF diseases from foreign ports, and located
in malarial region. The speaker here
| briefly referred 20 the epidenaics Of
dengue and the fevers Of 1854 and 1876 and
| presented graphic picture of the teFrors Of
/ the last scourge. The speaker said he possi-
! bly, may have gone too far in his remarks in
| reference to Savannah. The Statements
would explain the peculiar Interest
and importance our city attached to this meet
| ing. Independent of the pleasure of meeting
| so many distinguished and prominent gentle
men from all portions of this broad land we
| anticipated deriving much profit from their
| learned discussions of matters In which All are
| paid by Burke TO the great phiIanthroDisf
| Howard. the speaker closed with saving thaf
/ in the prosecution of their noble purnose
| the association would be sustained by the con
| sc1ousness that in some sections their work
| would find its fruition, and that thew wonld
| have the blessings of many for the wisdom
| they had given and the knowledge they had
| diffused.
The address of Captain Mercer. Of which
the above is but simple synopsis. was
| warmly received and appIauded, and was
delivered with the earnestnees ana elo-
quenee characteristic OF the speaker.
Dr. r. ]. Num- was then introduced hv
the Mayor, and extended welcome 10 the
name or the Georgia Medical Society. sub-.
atantially as follows:
| MT. President, Ladies end Ese1sfEe,7aega rss,,g
| Members Of The american Public Health ~
sccsdttons have been deputed to perform =
duty which affords me great pleasure IL il tn
lC0lstsntted on b0uTtt PdQe)