Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-09
AN INSPECTION.
Result of a Visit by oHiciaIs to China

~
town.
In all Sacramento there is commend
able desire to make this city as Clearly as
possible to any place. The people have re-
solved upon it, and it is being now accom-
plished. This is not because the city is
filthy; on the contrary,it is one of the most
cleanly, but few bad spots would prove
breeding places for preventible disease, and
the people have resolved on their abolition
and on an improved sewerage system and
an abandonment of the cesspool system.
The sanitary agitation, therefore, instead of
" soaring anybody should give every one
greater confidence in this beautiful city
And this Is in fact, the result. But there
are some plague spots here, as in all towns,
and the chief is in the Chinese quarter.
The heated term has made that filthy spot
an object OF special attention, and the
health guardians of the city are becoming
buster. and consequently peer into the old
chronic plague-spot little closer Yester-
day the Board of Health, together with the
Citizens District Health Committees, met
in the Office of w. ?. Coleman to wrestle
with the old Titanic question-Chinese
slough ct al. Robert T. Devlin was elected
Chairman of the consolidated committees.
The Health Officers reported that they
were closely inspecting their respective dis
tricts, and were disinfecting and ordering
the abatement of nuisances with all speed
wherever found; also that they had
discovered many tough cases" in the
shape of fall cesspools, neglected closets,
and pest-breeding places generally. They
reported that the premises on the north
east corner Of Sixth and K streets were
found to be III a condition simply abom-
Unable However, this locality was being
thoroughly doctored. and L streets, be-
tween Sixth and Seventh, were mentioned
as being in certain places especially foul.
The case of Chinatown and China slough
was then taken up and Judge Beatty read
section of an old, forgotten city ordi-
nance, passed October 6, 1879, as follows:
1.-THE occupancy, living in or doing or con-
Quoting any kind of business, except storage of
grain, merchandise etc, in any wooden build |
ing, shed or platform erected over the waters of
Suffer Lake, CT slough, is hereby declared to be
q public nuisance; and it shall be unlawful for i
any person to lease or under-let either as owner
or agent, any building, shed or platform extend |
ing over the waters of said lake or slough for |
any OF the purposes above prohibited; and no |
person shall either wash, cook eat or sleep in
or on any such building, shed or platform, |
whereby the least filth, slops, dirty water or |
sweepings can or may be discharged into said |
Platforms
For this penalty is fixed of fine of |
$500, or imprisonment at 81 per day.
POndering over this bit of news, the COM |
mittees and a RECORD MON representa- !
tive, plotted by Health Officer Ferrall and |
his assistant (Pierrepont), visited the build |
ings Al the intersection OF Third and l |
streets. Going down through trap in the |
sidewalk the inspectors passed under a
large, barn like building, and stood on the
margin OF the slough. Notwithstanding !
The place has been disinfected, it was reek- |
ing in the disease-breeding foulneSs. In
water-closetS were found dis |
charging their contents into the pond.
Stops and refuse from the kitchens above
were dropping down into the water through !
cracks and scuttle-holes in the floors. Dead !
animals lay around amid the rotting vege-
iable-tops and melon rinds, and the bloated
carcass ola defunct dog f1oated waif-like near
The wall. The notwithstanding Chinese
tenants of these filthy rookeries
were either sitting out on the rotten
that overhang the slough !
tanning themselves III their delcctable lake |
side retreat, or peering inquiringly at the |
inuuders from dark corners of their dens.
The committee held q consultation in the
pest place, and all We're unanimous that |
this state OF affairs must continue mol
longer. But they were appalled, at the
of the labor of abatement. |
Every Chinaman that lives in the old shan
ties bordering Suffer lake is every day add.
ing 4lis quantum of filth to the water. and |
increasing the possibilities of this city be-
ing visited by some deadly epidemic soon
NJ one can close his ears to the whispers
that are becoming louder in regard to a
quick and sure removal of the whole Chi
nese nuisance from that portion of the city.
There is no need to follow the commit
tee and officers III their travels yesterday.
They went up and down the alley south of |
[ street. and found many foul places, the
ground soured and polluted, undistrrbed
piles of filth, and closets in an abominable
state. They were astonished at the filth of
the whole section visited between Third !
and Fourth streets on each side of | street,
Notwithstanding evidences that some dis
compounds had been recently
used. The certainty exists that, unless this
is speedily corrected, indignation
will get the better of judgment, and VIC
ence do what sanitation Should do. The |
evidences OF this feeling existing are too
patent to warrant any effort to conceal the
fact.