The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-23
The Sanitary Problem.

2ac 0ohAbdIy ILobloAis
If looks very much as if no effort would
be made this winter to provide the city, or
any part Of it, with house drainage sys-
tenn. The city council made great show
OF doing something in this matter, and
went SO far as to adopt system proposed
by the city surveyor, but it has done moth
ing more, and the indications are that it
doesn't intend to do anything more What
is the troubled Isn't the council satisfied
with the system it has adopted Is it
afraid that it won't answer the purpose for
which it was intended In that case why
doesn't it call an expert sanitary engineer in
whom it has confidence, and submit the
system OF the city surveyor to him? An
expert would quickly point out its defects,
If 1t have any, and suggest the necessary
changes. This is the course suggested by
the MORNING NEWS weeks ago, and it is the
course that will have to be- adopted in all
probability sooner or later. Why not adopt
it at onces
Does the council think that there is no
necessity for house drainage system vet
awhile? If it does, it differs with a great
majority Of the intelligent people Of the
city. 1t is safe to say that a very
large percentage Of the residences are
in IN unsanitary condition, because
of bad drainage, or no drainage at all.
Only yesterday the MORNING NEWS called
attention to a house on Liberty street, the
drainage pipe of which was discovered to
be completely filled from lone end to
the other. 1t was choked up. It leads into
an old sewer that has long been closed, and
which is now nearly filed with disease
breeding matter. A leading physician,
when the condition Of the above mentioned
house was brought to his attention, said he
now knew the cause of the death Of a
patient of his who lately died there.
Doubtless there are hundreds OF houses in
tho city IN just as bad sanitary condition as
the one on Liberty street. They will not be
discovered, however until it becomes neces-
sary TO overhaul their sewer connections.
But in the meantime how much expense will
be incurred for medicine aud services of
physicians, how much suffering will be en-
dured and how many lives will be sacri-
f1cedi
Is the council hesitating for lack of
money? ESQ, it has only to inquire among
the people to find out that they are willing
to bear any reasonable tax to have their
houses made healthy. They are not object
ing to the expense Of house drainage sys-
tenn. They are not anxious to sacrifice
health, and even life, to save a few dollars
But are they saving anything by the de-
lay in giving the city proper drainage
systeml How much will it cost the owner
Of the Liberty street house above men
toned to put it in good sanitary condition +!
Probably twice or three times as much as
his share of a drainage system would be.
He must run pipe one hundred and fifty
feet to get connection with saver, and he
must pay 81 for permission to make that
connection.
1t is not probable that the sewer pipes of
half the houses which have sewer connec-
tions are out Of repair, or choked up, and
that the houses with which they connect are
unhealthy! The cost of putting these pipes
in good condition would be a verv large
per cent. Of the cost of a house drainage
sy stem for the whole city. That being the
case, would not public sentiment sustai1
the council in collecting two-thirds of the
cost of house drainage system from
the property connected with the sys-
tenn. There is a law authorizing
the council to do that. Why not
take advantage of it if the difficulty in
tine way of providing the city with house
drainage system is a financial ono, and go
ahead with this much needed sanitary i'm
provement at oncei
But il the council insists upon a do
nothing policy, it should at least encourage
householders to make connections with the
present sewers by repeating the tax now
required for permission to do so, and it
ought to inaugurate the pail system in
those parts of the city where there are no
sewer connections. The health of the city
is of far more Importance than any other
municipal matter at present. To secure it,
however, the coun il ought to inaugurate
radical reforms, and not depend upon
make-shift remedies of questionable value
The great, the imperative need of the city
is house-drainage system. Is the council
lacking in the qualities that are necessary
to supply this need!