Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-08-04
THE CHINATOWN NUISANCE.
ITS CONSIDERATION BY THE BOARD OF
HEALTH LAST EVENING.
Ordinance Submitted by the City Trustees
Resolution offered to Abate the
Chinese Nuisance.

The City Board of Health held a regular
meeting last evening. Present, Drs. Hatch.
Tyrrell, Montgomery and Lame. DR.. Tyrrell
acted as Chairman in the absence of DR..
Cluness.
L. G. Chandler appeared before the Board
and stated that he had done no wrong in re-
gard to the Messick building, on the north
side OF I street, and he could satisfy aDy
fair-minded man that such were the facts.
He said some six years ago Mr.. Messiek spent
s., 600 or $4,000 in filing up the lot, laying
sewers and lateral drains for cesspools, etc.
There had never been any objections to it
until the present time. He explained the
plumbing Of the building, and claimed that
he mad removed s straiuer from the escape Of
a wooden cesspool by the order Of the Health
Officer, and this had caused ell the present
trouble, for which be had been arrested.
Health Officer Ferral was present and de-
MED emphatically that be had made such an
order, but on the contrary had forbidden the
removal OF the strainer.
MIR. Chandler stated that all he wanted
was to know what The Board desired done
and he was ready to do it. He recommended
that the individual Cinnamon be visited, and
when one was found with filthy surroundings
that he be arrested. He merely suggested
this, and wanted it understood that
he Is in perfect sympathy with all
movements tending to improve health.
He remembered when the Third street
sewer was pUi in, and it had not been cleaned
out for more than ten years. lie hoped the
Board would give the matter as careful con-
sideratiOn as they could, and hs knew it was
a difficult and intricate problem. For MIR.
I l. L.. A1,ae
be spared IN making sanitary Improvement,
Mr.. Alexander, proprietor Of the Jumbo"
saloon, on the west side of Fifth street, near
the alley, between J and X sirests, appeared
and complained that cesspool in the rear of
his place of business was offensive, and the
stencil arising from it was such as TO drive
customers from his saloon.
Health Officer Ferral corroborated the
statement of Mr., Alexander, and the matter
was referred to the Health Officer to abate
the nuisance.
The mortality report, showing that there
were forty deaths during the month, was
read and placed on file.
Health Officer Ferrsl reported that for the
month of July he had examined 800 nuisances
and made three arrests, each resulting in a
conviction. The report was placed on file.
4 proposed ordinance, providing for the
construction and ventilation of cesspools and
drains, and comforting certain powers upon
the Board Of Health" was received as q
communication .om the Board of City
Trustees. This is proposed as a substitute
for the ordinance recommended by the Board
of Health
Ordinance No. Providing for the construction
and ventilation of cesspools and drains, and con-
! ferring certain powers on the Board of Health.
Section l. All cesspools or privy vaults which
may be hereafter constructed, shall be made water
tight at all po1ts where sewers are accessible for
taking the overflow. They shall be constructed OF
ron concrete brick work, laid with full joints Of
mortar and well cemented on the inside with pure
hydraulic cement. They shall be 30 constructed as
TO overflow into the public sewers and the overflow
pipe arranged that only the liquid contents can
escape. AS new sewers are constructed the cesspoos
built upon the adjacent property shall be built
cording to the provisions of this section.
Section > All ces;pools which may be constructs
| as provided in the preceding section shall be
emptied of their contents and disnfeeted as often
as they become filed with solid matter but in no
case shall any such cesspool be allowed to remain
for more than one year without being thoroughly
cleaned and disinfected Such disinectants shall be
used as are approved by the Board of Health.
| Section s. When there are no sewers accessible
for taking the overflow such cesspo9ls are here.
after constructed may be built to allow their
conteuts to sipe away into the subsoi but must be
made water tight for at least two feet below the
! face OF the ground.
Section l. In thickly settled districts, where
there no sewers, the Board OF Health shall have
power to require such cesspoos as may be hereafter
constructed, to be built water tight, provided in
| Section ! OF this ordinance.
| Section g. All ces5pOols which have been may
be hereafter constructed shall be ventilated, by
Meeting Herewith ventilating pipe, which shall
not be less than three inches in diameter, and
red full size to the hight of not less than two feet
above adjacent buildings and cappedat the top
| to prevent down draughts.
Section g. All cesspoos which have been or may
be hereafter constructed shall have trap placed
in the drainage pipes leading thereto to prevent
the cesspoo gases from passing into the house
drainage pipes.
Section T. The plumbing and drainage of all |
buildings which may be hereafter erected shall be
done in accordance with such rules and regulations
as the Board of Health may prescribe, and in &C
| cordance with plans to be approved by them.
Section S. The Board Of Beath shall have power
to condemn such cesspools already constructed in
thsir judgment ale nuances or detrimental to the
health of those living upon adjacent to the prop
erty upoa which such cesspOOs located, and re-
qure the same to be Constructed according to the |
| provisions Of this ordinance.
Section 9. The Board OF Health shall have power |
| to condemn any such Plumbing drainage works |
| already constr csed as in their judgment nu |
ssnces, detrimental the health OF those living
upon or adjacent to the property upon which such
defective plumbing or draInaee works may exist |
| and to require the reconstruction Of the ac-
cording to the rules and regulations prescribed by
| them.
Section TO- All cesspools which may be hereafter
| abandoned, either by being condemned by the
Board of Health, or otherwise shall be cleaned out
and filled up with fresh, clean earth
drainage system OF any building, with any public
| sewer, shall be made by using vitrifed iIonstone
pipe, or other equally good pipe approved by the
Board Of Health, laid in cement mortar with water
tight joints, and with a fall of not less than one
quarter inch to the foot No drains from which the
contents can leak out to eontamnate the soil will be
! allowed.
Section IL No connection with any pub ic sewer
shall be made except permit for the same be first
obtained from the City Engineer and the point at
which such connection sh al be made shall be fixed
by the City Engineer, and also the manner OF max
ing the connection.
Section Is Any person or persons violating the
provisions OF this ordinance, Of the rules and
regulations Of plumbing and drainage prescribed by
the Board of Health provided in this ordinance,
shall upon conviction thereof, be fined in sum not
exceeding 500, by imprisonment in the city
prison not to exceed ten days, or by both such fine
and imprisonment
Section IA. All ordinances or parts OF ordinances
in conflict with this ordinance hereby repealeds
Section Is. This ordinance shall take effect from
ana after its passage.
After considerable discussion, the ordi.
nance was approved with the following
ameudme nts: In Section 2 strike cut
add the following: cor whenever it is
otherwise deemed necessary, all disinfeetsnts
shall be used rs are approved by the Board
| OF Health" In Section 4, strike out the
words 1.-THE Board of Health shall have
power to require" In Section 5, strike out
the words - three incneS IN diameter, and
insert "of size approved by the Board of
Health" In Section g. strike out from the
frat line the words 1.-THE plumbing and"
The Chairman announced that the next
subject fog the consideration of the meeting
was the question of abating the Chinatown
nuisance. He said he believed there was no
doubt in the mind of any one that there was
a nuisance.
DR.. Lame proposed that an order be made
| by the Board directing that sill lots extending
from the north side of 1 street into China
slough be filled above high water to the alley
between Il and l streets, and that the city
Gil the alley, making it a public highway.
Dr. Hatch believed that Chinatown should
be declared nuisance, and the Board of
Trustees be recommended to con6scate the
property.
After considerable discussion DR.. Hatch
suggested that committee of .he Board be
appointed to coasult the City Attorney in
regard TO the best legal method to pursue in
removing the nuisance, and request the City
Attorney TO inset the Board at a subsequent
meeting.
DR.. Montgomery thought something should
be done at once in the way of condemnation.
Dr. Tyrreil thought it would be better not
to try to DO too much at once, and il the
north side of 1 street was taken care of the
Health Officer could regulate the south side
of the street.