Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-11-20
A u1cTease OF. .................... 80:
Or saving of the lives of 2O3 people, ani
OF SO much of the population of our city.
I report these facts not only for the nnh

VI 30 uucH oI Ine pOpuiatlOn or our city.
l report these facts not only for the pub
lie good, but for the benefit of such per-
sons as have not believed it good policy
to aQitate sanitary matters in this cham
Der; who claimed that il injured the city
to do SO; who have always proclaimed St.
Paul as the healthiest city in the world,
with no need of improvement, and con
temned any who would question the per
fiction of our official dealing with health
matters, or critioise our public servants.
The result of the four weeks of agitation
of these questions il March and April last
resulted in doubling the rumber of sani-
tary inspectors, and putting nav life
into the administration Of this
department of the city government. Citi-
zens have been compelled as consequence
to pay more attention to cleanliness, and
the good name of the city which was being
injured by eastern journals publishing cur
hig h death rate, has baen redeemed and
placed at the top of the list of all Ameri
can hcities in tbs matter of health on ac-
count of its low death rate, which is re-
duced from 90 50 in 1881 to 11.65 in 1883.
We are about TO spend $4,000 to prevent
one or two lives year from being lost at
our Third street crossing, and this cham
Der has spent weeks this year and previous
years in discussing this matter and crit
cising the want of diligence OF city
officials. But here are 800 lives
saved, not entirely of course, but largely
by the agitation of these sanitary matters
resulting in arousing little more interest
and attention to these subjects. If this cham
Der could induce 100 families to settle here
= nd s,6d 400 m r,r,r -,ov,-f1tfC- int,
ducing a mandatory or other business
enterprise it would be heralded IS q great
achievement But here are 300 people
saved TO our population by the improved
health of tho ciby-which adds az much TO
cur wealth as if 300 rev citizens had been
induced to settle here.
The only object IN pointing q moral by
these reflections is to show that Il is no
injury to our city to agitate sanitary
matters IN this chamber, but great ad-
vantage.
L IS not proper 20 attribute all this
improvement 10 The improved sanitary
condition of the city. The health OF
the country generally Is improved,
and cur good health has come in spite
Of our unsanitary condition, cud
owing largely TO the heRIthfuiness of our
Climate.
1t would be great mistake to fold orr
arms and felicitate ourselves upon cur
cleaniy condition. We are very III
clean city still. In our very houses We
are poisoned with sewer gas in the name
of sanitary plumbing. Bad cistern water,
well water contaminated by cesspool and
privy, foul cellars and vaults, a want of
any system fo- removing garbage, e filthy
habit of cleansing vaults which poisous
the air in the whole neighborhood. These
and many other sources of disease and
death call for earnest ard persistent
eEorss directed by intelligence and pub
he spirit to cleanse the Augean stables,
and place cur city whsrs she belongs-at
the front OF healthy American cities.
Respectfully submitted,