The state journal., 1884-01-19
The MAYORS MESSAGE,

Gentlemen Of the city Councils BY the
requirement of the act of MAY 23d, 1874,
l respectfully submit a resume Of the
condition of the city during tho yeaI
lust closed, and such views as in my
opinion the interests Of the city may re-
Quire. | congratulate the council and
the people upon The improved sanitary
condition Of the ci;y; no epidemics hav-
ing prevailed during The year Small
poy, scarlet fever and diphtheria made
their appearance, but by stern sanitary
regulations the former was completely
stamped out almost upon It's appearance
and the ruvagys Of The latter greatly re-
strictcd in comparison with that of
former years. | would suggest that in
view ofthe contagious character Ofscarlet
fever and diphtheria, now generally re
cognized by the medical authorities, that
the same restrictions be placed upon
families in which Tie disease prevails as
is now D!aCeG upna families afflicted with
small -pox-tha. complete isolation Of the
peoyle ard TIE destruction of all infected
property be required BY these means
and proper sanitary regulations connect
ed Herewith, have 70 doubt but that
scOurge OF the nursery may be almost
councils my suggestion made 10 your
Joint Committee on Sanitary Affairs some
time since that arrangements he made
for the frequent flushing With water Of
the public se5W GTS and by 50 doing de-
stroy the germs Of disease lurking
therein.
The extension Of public and private
sewers on Front street to low water mark
has been source Of great public benefit
ina sanitary point OF view. 1t Is to be
hoped however, that some measures
may be adopted in the early future
whereby the sewage now emptlcd along
city front may be conducted beyond the
lower limits Of the city and thus prevent
the pollution OF tue waters and air along
the river boundary. During the past
year the condition Of Paxton creek has
engaged much Of my atlention-lands
along its borders, which have been hith
erto successfully drained by the opening
Of the channel, arc flooded at stages OF
water previously unknown. An invcsii-
CATION revealed the fsCt that numerous
dams exist near th1 outlet. Bars ana
grass -piats formed along The line, heavy
fall Of water from The acqueduct Of the
PENNSYLVANIA canal, and the Inadequate
channel Constructed by The Reading
railroad company to conduct The waters
away from The line Of Their StccltOn
branch railroad have combined TO raise
the level of the stream TO such an extent
as to cause the flooding named Efforts
were at once made to remedy the evil
the Reading company making immediate
preparations for the widening of the
channel constructed by them but were
stopped BY legal notice served by the
owners of property through which the
channel runs The L0chiel iron com
pany, feeling secure in what they be
lieve vested right to ObstruCt the creek
by a series Of dams, have declined to
accede to my request to remove their OBJ
structiOns | have therefore to respect
fully request the necessary legislation by
councils to open and straighten the chan
mel of the creek from point at or near
the canal acqueduct to the mouth of the
stream and Inc removal Of all ObstruC-
tions therein as provided by existing law
This is the only method. in my opinion
whereby tho wafer level of the creek
may be lowered and relieve the lower
part Of the city from the malarial intlu-
enCes Of the Undraincd lands along its
course.
The ordinance relating to dogs which
has been living dormant for several years
past, was but into force during the year
lust closed Our city has been oveTrun
with dogs, the majority Of which are
worthless Notwithstanding the heavy
tax laid upon these animals, no less than
1,068 were registered, yielding a gross
revenue to the city Of 81, sos so. The
number OF dogs within the city limits
has been computed at at least four thou
sand. AT least fifty persons have been
reported at police headquarters during
the year as having been bitten by dogs,
many of them seriously, and in one in
stance a human life destroyed. The OBJ
stacles in the way Of successful enforce
ment of this ordinance have been the
difficulty in securing permanent dog
catchers-those performing the duty re-
naming in service but a few weeks at
the farthest, owing TO the unpopularity
of the business and the opposition of the
people. If our citizens believe that the
ordinance is oppressive or so unpopular
that they cannot Submit 10 its enforce
ment, it is clearly their duty to secure its
expungement from the Ordinance Book
The CRiefof Police has earnestly endca-
vered TO enforce the ordinance and the
authorities Should not be subjected toun-
friendly criticism in the enforcement of
laws which they arc sworn to do and
which the people themselves have per-
mitted TO 60 upon their statute books
In any event revision of this ordinance
is desirable and hereby recommend it.
The enforcement Of the ordinance will be
continued as soon as the weather permits.
would earnestly urge upon your at
tention the question OF the removal Of
garbage, night soil, etc. The methods
adopted and now in use are too crude for
a community the size Of this. BY the
adoption Of garbage cart lines under
contract, and the licensing of night soil
men or firms, all TO be subject to police
surveillance and designated points of de
posit outside the city limits will lot only
avoid great trouble and annoyance, but
the health of our citizens be greatly ben
fitted. and this too at no greater expense
than is now entailed,
During the month Of November last
received information that the Harris
burg city passenger railway company
were about to Constru ct tracks on certain
streets not heretofore occupied for the
purpose. without first having obtained
the consent Of the city authorities so to
to do, and further that the materials to
be used in the construction of said tracks
was not such as is used In the construc-
ton of street railways Believing the
act of the company to be an invasion Of
the rights of the people, | notified them
that they would not be permitted to
construct said tracks unless by permis-
sion Of the city authorities formally OBJ
tanned, and further that they would not
be permitted to lay the tracks proposed
by them, it being an undoubted obstruc
ton of the highways The company