Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-01


ing of tie city authorities and Citizens.
Association, called to discuss sanitary mat
tiers, and ask the use of your columns 70
present some views in opposition to those
advanced at this meeting After years OF
effort our people have voted an approprla-
ton to begin much-needed work of drain
age and sewage reform. In so important
matter. involving sooner or later the expen-
diture of hundreds of thousands OF dollars,
II would seem right to present various plans
To property-holders, and that one should be
adopted which, in the opinion of sanitary
engineers, offers the safest and least objec-
tionable features To pump the filthy sew
age of $4,000 people directly into river
from which they get all their water, is
very old plan, once universally
adopted, but now as universally
condemned by sanitary authorities
everywhere. Medical literature is full
of instances where the valleys of
rivers have been rendered almost unin-
habitable by the drainage of inland cities,
and epidemics of low fevers have often
been traced to the minutest quantities of
sewage matters found in such drinking
waters; and yet with such facts before us
our Trustees and Board of Health urge the
adoption of this effete plan, which at least
risks the purity of our own water supply
anc throws upon our river neighbors below
us frightful cause of disease and death.
Even if they avoid drinking the water, it is
certain that during low stages of the river
the sewage will be deposited along the
banks and the air will become vitiated and
low fevers will result.
In protesting against such disposition
OF our sewage, my reasons are not alone to
avoid river pollution, but are mainly to
urge upon our citizens the adoption of
plan to epurate our sewage by irriga-
ton and agriculture. Our city is
most favorably situated to put such
plan in active operation. We
have at our doors the poor land which
would become immensely valuable and
profitable when flooded by our lifted sew
age. 1t would be no experiment to try the
project, for the system is already in success
full operation in two hundred cities and
towns in England, and experience has
shown that sewage farms are very healthy.
Further, the plan will return to the city or
its owners fair rate of interest upon the
necessary investment. l cannot better
close my writing upon this point than by
quoting the following item from late
sanitary journal:
bennington, with $4,000 inhabitants,
spent $40 900 in chemical experiments, after
which the A B G Company in 1869 at
tempted to purify the sewage but gave it
up in 1871. 1t was then allowed to flow
into the river Lean. A lawsuit followed,
costing the city $4,000, in which it was
defeated, and compelled at an expense
of $500 more to purify -the river.
Lord Warwick then consented to receive
the sewage upon his estate, the city con-
tracing to deliver it at the highest point
of the farm for period of thirty-two years,
for which Lord Warwick engages to pay
ESQ annually. The sewage amounts to
a little over 100000 gallons per day, and
is distributed over the land which has not
been leveled by what is known as the
donkey-back' system : elevated open
drains, on the sides of which is the vege-
tation 1t has transformed the poorest
parts of the farm into soil of much fertility,
and financially has proved great success.
From eight to nine cuts of Italian rye grass
two feet high are made each year; celery,
strawberries and currants grow remarkably
well The beef, milk and butter are in
great demand and bring the highest prices.
The laborers are in the best of health, and
Lord Warwick has received numerous
prizes for one of the best-kept farms in the
Kingdom"
So far as our present drainage canal is
concerned, cannot agree with the Board
of Health that it should be abandoned,
even if our sewage is otherwise provided
for. For great portion of its length it
follows natural water-course and will al
ways assist in doing good work for sur
face drainage for the low portion of our
city. The right for its use was acquired
at much cost and trouble, and it only needs
ordinary care and cleaning to render it par
ticularly useful at certain seasons of the
year. If our authorities will order the
hundreds of thousands of gallons of water
now being uselessly thrown into China
slough to be turned into the sewers which
open into this canal the lazy current will
begin to move and the foul matters will
become so diluted that they will be less
unhealthy. CITIZEN.
BRoUHT FROM THE NEEDLEs-Two men
who had been engaged in rebuilding a
railroad bridge at The Needles, and were
taken suddenly ill., as were numerous
graphic dispatch to the RECORD UNION
were yesterday brought to the Railroad
Hospital Several other members of the
party of workmen were taken to Oakland.
The men in the hospital here are doing
well. They appear to be suffering from
the effect of exposure to a very hot sun.
The Bulletin of last evening had the fol-
lowing in reference to the men taken to
Oakland: " A party of railroad men ar
rived at Oakland this morning from The
Needles, bringing the body of William Alb
ner Mexican, the foreman, who died two
days ago. The men tell pitiful story of
sufferings and sickness from the intense
heat They we're engaged in rebuilding
Il. 1. L. Il.
They left Oakland about two weeks ago.
Several were taken sick almost imme-
mediately, and later were Frustrated by the
intense heat. Two men died-the fore
man, Mexican, and J. J. Crow. Just be-
fore the party left, six men were Frustrated
suddenly and almost at the same time.
They were carried into a train and bathed
and rubbed while the cars were moving
northward, but they did not revive until
the train reached Mojave. Mexican and
Crow both died very suddenly. While
working they fell to the ground in semi
unconscious state. and died within an
hour. Some of the men at work live in
Oakland, and their wives and families are
very anxious for their safety. DR.. WOolsey
made an examination of the body of Nc
| Kean this morning and pronounced sun
stroke the cause of death"
BODY RECoYERED=The body Of John
Miller, who was drowned while swimming
last Sunday a few miles below the city, as
| heretofore published in the RECORD L MON
was found yesterday about mile above
| Clarksburg. Justice Bright, of Washing
ton, held an Inquest, the jury returning
verdict of accidental drowning. The re-
mains were taken in charge by w. ]. Kava-
naugh, undertaken, who embalmed them
TO stop further decompositon-the body
| 10 be unrecogniZable. A letter having been
received from lady of San Francisco, Ne
questing to be notified when the body was
recovered. as she believed the deceased was
| her husband, the remains were taken by
Mr. Kavanaugh to his undertaking rooms
and placed in the basement preparatory &c
being put on ice. Before this could be
done, however, the intensely offensive odol
caused the people of the neighborhood tc
rise in indignation, and the Health Officer
was sent for. That official directed tina
prompt measures be taken to remedy thu
| evil, and was informed that when the body
was covered with ice the odor would cease
AUCTION SALEs.-Bell & Co. will sell a
auction to-day at 10 A. NJ, at the resi-
dence No. S04 X street, between Eight
and Ninth, all the furniture and household
goods, including 1 large plate-glass mirror
parlor set of pieces, walnut bedsteat
and mattress, cottage set and spring mat
tresses, center table parlor stoves, cnttin.
table, wardrobe, bed lounge, White sewing
machine, hall lamp, safes, crockery, etc
Sale posItive.....The same firm will sell to