The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1885-06-13
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We ofter the following suggestion
! for the consideration Of our municipi
!. authorities, and while they come onl
as suggestions, ffor we fully appree
: ate the fact that it is no mans prov
3 iuee TO dictate TO the Town Council,
= still, believing as we do, and as a N,
3 joriiy Of our good citizens DO, thu
d ihey are Of vital Importance 10 ms 4
y a community, whose future prOsperit
t depends in a great measure upon ID
! health, that greatest Of al earthl,
: booas, we may be able to yOuehsaf'
10 those who may in the future desir
70 invest their capital in our midst, L
say nothing Of those who have airsad,
cast IN their lot with MS.
This mnch said as a preface for ouI
. suggestions, we proceed to state wlnat
! we consider to be very urgent neees
sity in order to guarantee to our citi
,zens some jnstreasons for hoping that
we may escape the scourgc this sum.
mer whicltpFevailed to sneh an alarm,
ing extent last summer, and which we
all know has been gradually on the
increase for the past two or three
years, and that, too, in the very face of
the facts that, naturally, we have no
local oause for disease, anu where sHeh
a thing as an endemic WAS never
known until within the past few years,
during which time we have been con-
stantly violating every sanitary law.
We suggest first, that Board of
Health be appointed, to consist of the
resident physicians of Lake Charles,
and Others if thought best, whose
privilege it shall be to call the atten-
ton of the Council to such measures
as shall improve the sanitary condi-
ton Of our city.
Now, we all know that none are so
well qualified to say what is or what
is not calculated to create sickness in
our midst, and, furthermore, none are
better able to prescribe the remedy for
existing evils, than physicians. Acting
in council as they wonld on this board,
the people might safely commit their in
terest into their hands as far as the
health of the town is concerned.
There are two things which would
act very materially in our interest.
The first being the establishment of
water-works this would give some
what a guarantee against the fire hend,
reduce our rate of FIRE insurance, as
well as the danger Of having the bus
mess of our town paralized by its fear
ful inroRds. Again, water-works will
add more 10 the health of our town
than any other one thing, except it be
the destruction by fire Of all refuse
from our saw-mills, shingle-mills, etc
There is loss enough sustained each
year by our merchants on account of
the dust in our streets, TO more than
pay for the wateT-works, TO say moth
ing Of the damage done in other direc-
lions and the unpleasantness Of travel
over streets that are from three TO four
inches deep in dust.
As we said in the outset, it is the
province of no individual to dictate,
still the position of town papers as
well rs their responsibility, in any
community, make it their bounden
duty to speak out upon questions that
interest the whole people, and we
would be recreant to the trusts placed
in our hands, were we to hold our
peace when we see things TRANSPORTING
in our midst that are calculated TO re
tard the progress or in any way inter
fere with the future prosperity of
our city.
The second, and most important
thing to be done, in order to destroy
the germs Of disease, and give US
healthy place in summer, is persistent
effort in destroying by FIRE every thing
that will decay If left 10 accumulate,
either about our mills or private resi-
denees. In this we not only destroy
that from which disease may in the
futuse germinale, bnt frequent fires
used in this way will destroy many
noxious glasses floating about in the
sir, and which will be attracted by
heat, thus purifying the air in two
ways, destroying Impurities and at
the same lime liberHting "a large guam
tity Of pure carbon, the most essential
element in pure atmosphere. 4
While these are simply suggested
remedies for existing evils, still they
are not only our opinions, hut are
echoed from the hearts of many of
cur best citizens, and we do hope that
others viii speak out their convictions
that we may be able 10 check the
widely spreading sentiment that Lake
Charles Is an unhealthy place.
THE West Baton Roage SE9ar
Planter, expresses our views exactly
in the following well said and