The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-08-01
VOLUME XXx1.".NUMBER 29s.

| citizens while drinking the ulfty water eenl
into their houses from the city basin think
OF the fact that the refuse OF at least S,0OG
people tiuds entrance to the riYerimmediate-
ly above and around the point OF supply 70
the basin2
"What contrast-aud how utterly rIdicu.
lous! The people Of Wheeling, during the
last tiftsen years, have paid In taxes not less
than $500 900 for school building purposes.
What have they toshow In works erected for
physical development, and for encouraging
the growth Of hearty boys and girls, without
which mental culture 10 worth nothing sub
stantiRl? Again, We have established and
equipped an expensive aud ornamental FIRE
| department, and thus iastened,upon the tax.
payers Of the city an annual expenditure Of
SIS 900 or $50. COO, not To mention the cost Of
engine houses, engines, carriages, hose and
horSes-all OF which has been done to guard
our houses from fire. What provision has
been made to guard tho public health, to de-
GsAd our families, our neighbora and our
selves from epidemic pestilence? The ser
vices Of one man, at O salary OF 5000 per
annum, Is the answer.
such, sir, Is the uninyiting picture have
been compelled 10 give you In answer to your
timely inquiry concerning the sanitary de-
fences OF Wheeling II the remarks make
about our own water supply seem to present
serious state OF affairs. what must be
thought OF that OF Bsllaire?p
HOW TO GET PURE wATEr.
"Have you become familiar with the pro.
posed improvement In our water supply2h
"ttyou mean by the word improvement
the proposed changes to be made at the watsr
works-tlat is the erection OF crib and the
sinking ot wells in the river, must answer
that have no confidence that the underlak-
ing will in the least improve the quality OF
the watsr we drink. can see but one sensi-
BILE solution OF the question Of our water
supply; namely, buid crib St the SIS er
Islands, three miles above the city, and bring
the wa.er from that point 10 an Glueduct Oi
sufficient size to supply the force pumps TO
the basin. or course, that plan would cost
thousands OF dollars, bnt We would have q
substantial improvement to show for the
money, and grateful posteriiy wonld praise
the memory OF the pea whose energisS gave
such an enduring monument OF wisdom.
"But, first OF all, before any changes are
made at the water works, a skliled sanitary
engineer should be consulted, so that what Is
done may haYs the approval Of authority In
such matters. Either Colonel Waring, OF
Newport, R. l or Charles Y. F.Wingate, OF New
York city, both OF whom have a national
reputation as sanitary engineers might he
consulted. We want not only clear water,
but water as pure as II Is possible to SECURE 1t.
There is vast difference bGtwsen matter.
In suspension and matters in ISOLATION, The
most deadly gases may be in solution. aud
yet the water be clear Us crystal. Indeed, II
Is stteIs In solution that are most to be
dreaded In watersupply."
FoETIFYNG THE CITY.
ut Is said by those who are capable OF
judging In such matters that we have State
health law which 10 almost perfect In its
provisions; why can not the State Board OF
Health give the city OF Wheeling the benefit
Of tie authority lodged with that body >"
suggested tae 1ETRIlIGxSctRman,
''For this reason: The ciuea aud towns are
independent 10 all that concerns Themselves,
II they haV0 established heIIth ordinances
the State Blard cannot supersede such pow
ere. But IL appealed to by municipal au.
thoTity, then the State Board msy come to
the help OF such auxiliary boards"
"What do you think OF the proposed es,
iablishment Of City Board Of Health u
take the place Of the present standing com,
mitee ol Council, kuoWn as the Committee
on Health a.
~ think the suggestion 10 wise one, and
In view Of he danger with which we are
threatened by u visitation of cholera, Council
should have no hesitation 10 passing such
an ordinance, and ming the Board with a
sufficient appropriation OF money 70 do ef,
tecIive work. The Stats Board hopes to have
appointed ia every county OF the State
live Local Health hoard, aud SEQ no reason
why the County Board Of Ohio county
would not, itsO requested by the City Coun-
Gil, engaged to extend It's la5ors over the city
OF Wheeling. To make the arrangement
complete aud effective in the highest degree,
a member OF the Board OF Public Works
should be alsoa member oi the County
Board Of Heath, eHc6 an arrangement
ToE9d insuEe activity, economy, aud II need
be command the whole power Of the Slate.
STUDYING SANITARY ECIEScE.
"Fipslly, | should be glad to see voiur.
tary sanitary association inaugurated In
Wheeling. Wby,indeed cannot there be found
among our citissns OF least fifty ladies and
gentleman who would band together, form
waId committees, distribute tracts on iami.
liar subjects concerning the public health,
aud In many ways aid the grand cause OF
rearing healthy bodies snd strong minds by
public Lecturer and Ihouse-to.house talks?
Wha; " wanted Is q genuine Salvation
Army OF sanitarisns 10 exhort the people on
the streets In full view Of theexsmples which
defAme and endanger the health and busi-
moss prosperity Of our citizens.
I'm many Of the cities North, South, East
and West such associations are doing In,
calculable good. In New Orleans the
AuKiltary Sanitary Association has accumu-
lated fund from contributions from Ito en-.
terprising citiS,us amounting to many thou
sand dollars. 0taugs, n. j., Is another city
in which such an association 10 doing good
and lasting work. Wheeling Is particularly
IN need OF such work as these societies slone
lan successfully accomplish In q reasonable
length OF time, and ! hopo 10 see the day
whea such henefcent work will be in
auguIattd."