The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-08-11
AtnASy AND rrs WANTS.

IN the prevalence Oh usaldEial liouoieS
is traceabla to some source, and 1t
behooves the good citizens of Albany |
to find out the source, and II possible |
take some steps q rid themselves OF
this evil, by making use In time of
proper remedies. The present Mayor
and City Council have shown them.
selves enterprising gentleman and
safe custodians OF the property and
health of the citizens. They have
done all that could be expected OF
them with the limited reve aue al
hand, and the work accomplished
has been such as Will be n permanent
benefit, both to the appearance of the
city and general health of the people.
We do not, therefore, intend to find
fault with our present efficient ofn-
GERS or any body else, but merely 10
call attention to a few facts of very
grave Importance to our citizens.
1t is now an established fact that
the health of a city Is good or bad,
as the sewerage is perfect or imper-
feet, and the first thing TO consider
is,has Albany such system Of sewer
age. as is necessary TO meet the wants
of the present population ? II is WELL
known that in the early days OF the
city, the system was iuaugurated, of
digging ditch along under the
whole length ofevery sidewalk that
was put down. This mistaken sys
tenn is fortunately growing out of use,
but even now the efTt cts of errors
now abandoned arc being felt. There
are many places in town where the
waste water, aud slops Of every kind,
are run off into these bitches
under the sidewalks, there TO rot and
offend the nostrils OF passers-by as
well as to endanger the health of
whole neighborhsods. Whilst this
is more noticeable in some places
than in others, il is only because of
the extreme care of most of the peo-
pie that the above remarks cannot be
made general in its application.
The result OF such "a state of affairs
is inevitable The air becomes im-
pregnated and infected by The pro-
ducts of organic decomposition and
putrefaetion AMI thus impregnated
its devastationg fruits are observable
in the various forms of intermittent
and remit,ent fevers, and as many
authorities claim, of putrid sore throat
and even of scarlet fever, and the
like. Il has been proven beyond
cAvii, that the mere opening Of a
sewer in districts subject to malarial
troubles, when the general health OF
such districts IS good, frequently en-.
genders the most frightfnl epidemics,
What risks then must We incur who
spend our days walking over and
along these frightful sources of dis
case, suffering and death ?
The remedy for these evils Is with
the people. Pleasantly situated in the
finest county in the State, upon the
banks Of the beautiful Willamette,
Albany is in position 10 teach the
cities Of the State a lesson in hy-
giene. No town or city in this or
any State is go favorably located for
the most perfect drainage, and this
is more particularly the case since
some Of our enierprising citizens
have placed running water at the dis
posal of all wto desire 1t. Without
such drainage Albany must soon lose
it, prestige as the healthiest location
in the valley, and the water works
which could so easily be turned into
Il blessing, will but add to the causes
of our trouble.
There is one great OBSTACLE in the
way of efTecting the drainage of the
city. The council cannot levy more
than five mill tax and the revenue
raised from 50 small levy, is not
sufficient to meet more than the ordi-
nary expenditures IN addition TO
this the Indebtedness 0f the city can
not exceed $1,000. 90, so that however
much the cosncil might desire to
improve the city they are restrained
by faulty charter. The only thing
left then is to discuss the matter
thoroughly, and have the charter so
amended at the next session of the
Legislature, that the council will have
some discretion in the matter of
improvements. The sooner the city
is provided with good and sufficient
sewerage, the sooner will the citizens
be relieved from malarial fevers.
An individual may be ever so parfic-
ular, in the care of his person and
his premises, but If he habitually
breathes an atmosphere loaded with
malaria, he will almost certainly at
some time be Frustrated with some
form of fever. Verbum salts sapienti-
bus.
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