Daily Republican., 1882-12-11
No Wa Need sewers ?

favor 1t to examine lhe uo"iVA
of cities that have net work OF sewers
and ascertain whether there Is NOT 'uore
III health and contagious diseases in
1hoss cities than there is in Whining
4opq An article we publish from the
Wilmingtonian, edited by an eminent
phy sician of this city, shows thattherels
1ouhla yes. four times az much diph-
tb4ria and malarial diseases IN Phlla-
delphia, New York and other large Cit
ian in proportion to the population than
in our city. If Clerk of the Board OF
Health, Mr.. Frazer, were to examine
his health records and correspondence
we will venture to say that the fSots
stated in the article alluded to WILL Do
verified. Why is it that Wilmington Is
no highly favored and 80 far exempt
from the irfiictions Of disease when
compared with other cities? Ihere
must be scme reason for it. Let these
acientists demonstrate the matter
They tell US that we have swampy
front on the river that naturally Dreeus
disease. Would sewers, elnptylng the
offal and filth of the city into the slug
gish Christiana that at high tide over
flows these swamps, help the matter!
To offset these swamps nature has
blessed us with high back ground
away up in the pure atmosphere sur"
rounded with cheerful views OF the
landscape on every side, amidst hills
and wales, which the pure rain from
heaven washes clean whenever rains
fall, Providence has provided Will
mington with natural sewers, more pc
tent for health than sewer in every
street.
Even If sewers did not cost so much
money, it is a question whether they
should be constructed when the health
statistics of the city are taken into con.
Eideration. What are sewers ? They
are GREAT subterranean caverns extend
ing along the streets of the city, into
which all the ctfal, the fifth, the wash
inus and contents of water CLOSETS art
accumulated and carried away ant
emptied where? Into the Christlans
or the Brandy wine. Or course 1t Ii
we'll understood that wells are to b'
done away with and hence every dwell
ing must have connection with thes
sewers. There must be drains laid Il
the threshold of every house and from
these drains iron pipes must permeat
the dwelling and connect Will
water closets. When the traps put il
nv plumbers, are not in perfect order
the dwelling will be filled with tou
odors drawn up by suction from tn
aewers, The least crack is large enougl
for the admission of nauseous stenches
and with these odors the insidious seed
fmalarial, ,diphtheria andether disease
of a like nature are injected all througI
the dwelling, This is not an overdrawI
picture. Only few years ago the Git
was shocked at the number OF death
hat occurred along West st., and othe
.etired and wealthy sections OF ou
.;ty. Even then it was hinted that i'm
perfect plum bing had something to d
wssh it. We can only imagine hoV
IN ach worse it would be were the street
severed and all the noxions gases an
Odors from filthy sewers would ha7
free access into dwelling houses throug
traps that cannot be constructed to pre-
ue admission Of foul and gaseou
odOrs
AIy think of the refuse coming dow
50 ver from places infected with ty
phoid, diptheria, small pox, measlt
and other infectious diseases and draw
by suction up the drains into pipes an
from thence through traps into parlor
sitting and bed rooms. We are not su
prised at the large percentage OF lntet
tious diseases in those cities that hay
this areat blessing (?) OF sewers A
investigation is at least demanded beto
we proceed farther in the way OF built
inp sewers at an additional expense
the city of $75O,OO0.
The non partisan citizen,if he watc
ca this scheme closely, will be apt
find political agrarianism at the bat
of IT, Democratic politicians are wht
ling their teeth at the prospect OF col
structipg net work of sewers throu(
the city and extending the water work
C6mhiue the two and there will be
rouud million of dollars to be expend
by a water commission appointed
the Legislature, and the tax paye
will have to foot the bill. Nearly |
the leading Democratic politicians fav
the project, 1t will give them fat jc
no matter what becomes of the hi
rassed tax payers. Democratic gre
appears to be at the bottom of the whC
matter, and whatever capital they C
create amongst Republicans in favor
it, is 80 much clear gain. Let our p'
pie pause before they enter into t.
stupendous enterprise, that will plur
our city iHtoan ineTtricable debt an d
tail up IN us sewerage system that v
as likely as not increase the mortal
OF our city. We are now struggl
along under 81, 400, 900 debt, and an
ditiopal million will increase 1t to
400. IF taxes are onerous now,w
will they be then Pause and think
--4z--s--SN-------
Yru1rV Rfn nd