The daily gazette., 1883-08-27
CAUSES OF DEATH.
A state OF Affairs That Ought to bs
Remedied without Delay.

Remedted Without Delay.
To THE EDITOR OF THE GAzETTE.-There
was a considerable increase in the number
of deaths, last week-One accident from
drowning two deaths from diphtheria, two
from typhoid fever and one from malarial
fever. Some cause can be given for the
deaths from the three diseases mentioned,
the question is could they have been pre-
vented?
At present the sewers in our city are what
might be termed death-traps Numerous
omplaints have been made to this depart
ment of the stencil arresting from Shipley
run sewer. Mr.. B. Beste, residing on Ninth
street between Jefferson and MSaison, says
his property is ruined by the s. som
the sewer he has petitioned Council but
to no effect. The danger is increased by cess
pools being continually drained into the
sewer by permission of Council and In viola
ton of the ordinance. Staulcup run sewer
Is In the same condition, and the residents
have no redress. The nuisances are being
increased from day to day instead of an ef-
fort being made by the authorities to dimin-
ish or abate them. The time is not far dis
tant when our people will awake from their
slumbering disinterestedness by being
| called upon by our courts to
give those who are justly aggrieVed, re-
lief. But who will bear the responsibility
for the deaths emanating from this neglect
The Board of Health No; they are power
less in this matter of regulating the sewers
in this city. The ordinances are being vio-
lated every day, and by whomG The time
will soon come when more attention will be
given to the sanitary condition of our city.
These nuisances must be abated. Our city
is growing rapidly, and the longer this mat
ter is neglected, the more 1t will cost when
we are compelled to abate them.
There are other sink holes in our midst,
which contain the germs OF disease, such as
streets that no person or persons own, filthy
alleys on every hand, and the afr
from overfowed cesspools, dirty
cutters and stagnant ponds of water
in various parts of our city. The Board of
Health is doing all in its power to give the
people relief, but many rebel against its
authority, and suffer themselves to be
brought before the Municipal Court as viola
tors of law, and having no regard for the
authority vested in our Board Of Health,
whose sole ohjert is to give our people
healthy city, aud the comforts OF happy
homes. Board of Health in city with
a population of $4,000 people cannot do
much with an annual appropriation of
81 200, aud in til abs nee OF sufficient
u oney To ahaie the nuisances brought ~
their attention, the only alternative is to re-
| sort to law, which is verv unpleasant Tor all
| connected with the department.
Mr.. Editor, how would ur city, which
has fair reputation abroad, look advertised
in The Sdn0tdridn, of New York city, as
Patterson, New Jersey, is. nave the re-
port before me, which says Patterson is one
of New Jerseys first-class cities, has
population of upwards of $4,000, extensive
manufacturing Interests, etc, but her repu-
tation is exceptionally bad, and
| deservedly so, with an impure
water supply, no drainage or sewerage
worthy of the name, ground surface, par
| ticularly in her backyard inclC sures, almost
literally covered with filthy outthrow OF
every conceivable kind, and with an aver
| age Of at least one cesspool or prlvy pit to
every house. Many of these cesspools and
pits are filed to the surface Of the ground.
Her best hotel reeking with filth and YER
min, filthy water closets in the midst, and
urinals reeking stencil, with foul odor
from the backyard.
How would our people like to have a repu-
tatiOn like Patterson's and see it published
to the worldl Go on IN the old ruts and we
will soon have such reputation.
E. B. FRAZER.
WILMINGTON, August 25. 1888.