Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-11-19
MARSElLlES.
A City That 10 Accustomed to Suffering
From Plaques and Diatempers.

a City That 10 Accustomeo 70 SuHeTiuB
From Plaques and Distempers.
A CITY that has suffered from all the
plaques and distempers that have ever
afflicted humanity and that has at this
moment the reputation of being one of
the uncleanest. the most unsavory and
most insslubrious in the world, merits
more than passing notice. Favorable
notice it seldom gets of any kind, either
from the foreign press or from the
French Of the northern provinces, who
regard the people of Msrseilles with
certain disdain akin to that feeling of
superiority which all northern nations
en- ertain for those of warmer regions.
Foreign travellers do not shun the city.
but they have little occasion to come
here. unless they are on their way to
DAlgiers, Tupis or the far East IL is
something of = thoroughfare for the
French themselves, who are going TO
the Mediterranean ports or to their
Oriental colonies. Yet it is large and
important metropolis. having popu-
lation of 500, 600. flourishing com
merce. an air Of prosperity, and to the
casual observer some parts OF it have
even an air of exquisite neatness. There
would seem to be no reason why the
ci,y should not be clean. for i. is abund-
antly supplied with water from the
X yer Du ancc, eighty miles distant
Tie supply is equal to about four entire
meters (about six cubi feet) per second.
1t is brought by canal and aqueduct
through mountains and across valleys,
and generously and impartially distri-
butcd throughout the city. There are
numerous fountains that are literally
fed. and a large percentage, tempor-
ariiy diverted to serve as a motive
power to numerous oil mills in the ele
waited suburbs. is returned 10 the regu-
lar channels and aflerward used by the
inhabitants for domestic purposes. The
water so employed is not supposed to be
contaminated by the labor or product
of the mills. for it generally has
SIMPLY to pass over wheel, but
it use Of il which would not he tol-
Grated in other countries. Water is seen
everywhere in the streets. The cutters all
run with it, aud by means of watering
carls and garden-hose the dust in most
of the streets is kept fairly well laid.
But very probably because the
prOprietors are too economi"al-is al
lowed TO run either through hotels or
private houses. which are in conse-
Guence everywhere penetrated and per
Teated with bad odors. more unpleas-
ant than those of the streets, for while
the latter can be avoided in measure
by the pedestrian, tho-e Of his hotel
aud iodsinG-h house are. from the very
circumstances of the case, unavoida-
bic.
1t was not without reason that the
Mayor of Marseillcs, when goaded TO
madness by the iibcs and jeers OF the
daily press, retorted tn : it was not the
CIV that was unclean, but the people
The French standard of neatness differs
from that of England and America.
Ii is too often that Of merely the cup
ard the platter. In Marseilles and
elsewhere in the south Of France the
theories Of cleanliness have not material.
ly changed since the medieval epoch If
plague and infection. when gas and
sewers. when running water in cities
even. were unknown. and the public
highways were the common recep acles
of the garbage. filth and excreta of the
houses placed thereon. The hotels Of
Marseilles are poorly supplied with
bathrooms. The foot bath, which tar
Oily appears when demanded, supplies
its place. The idea Of the bath is so
foreign TO the thought of the people Of
the region that when more generous
supply of water has been demanded.
in which the whole person might be
immersed. the one appealed to has been
known to reply in a start ed tone:
What, is monsie ill?" Sea bathing
is common, but it ;s more a matter Of
pleasure than of cleanliness. Where
bathing is not too Familiarity known to
the middle classes of society, il can not
lie expected that the poor will consider
cleanliness a Christian virtue, even
though enjoined by the sacred bookA-
San Francisco Chronicle.