Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-10-23
SEWAGE IRRIGATION.
Opinions of the Residents
South of the City.
TESTIMONY ON BOTH SIDES
An Afternoon Spent in Trying to
Get at the Truth Of the
Matter.

with people from the Vernon dlstrict,
and those who were interested in hear
ing testimony in relation to the effect OF
the sewage when used for irrigation
Those present of the Sewer Commission
were J. E. Jackson, J. P. Culver, G. W.
Knox, B. Cohn, Major E. w. Jones, ex-
Mayor W. H. Workman, L. N. Breed
and Councilmen Hamilton. .Shsfer. Sum-
merland, Brown and Wirsching.
Chairman Wells, of the commission,
was absent, and on motion of Mr.. Culver
DIR. Sinsabaugh was chosen Chairman
pro tenn.
DR.. Sinsabaugh read the resolution
adopted at the meeting Of last Friday, in
which all those interested in the dis
tribution of sewage, or who knew from
personal observation its effects, we're in
vited to give their opinions as to the ef-
feet of sewage on the health of people
residing in the district.
On motion of Major Jones Councilman
Summerland was elected temporary Sec'
rotary.
On motion of Mr.. Knox, all those pres
ent who were desirous of giving testi-
mony were requested to take places in
side OF the rail and to step forward in
turns.
Mr.. Cohn moved that each person be
allowed to make his statement with out
being embarrassed by questions.
Upon the suggestion OF Major jones
and others, it was decided that the conn.,
mission could ask questions after the
statements had been made.
The first witness called was M. M.
Quimby who said he resided in Har.
mony district. He said that he lived
about two miles from where the sewer
empties. The odors from the sewage, he
thought, we're very unpleasant, and at
one time the school in the district had
to be closed. The witness also spoke of
the sickness caused by cesspools in the
city. He had moved into the city and
his children were taken sick and then he
On being cross questioned he said that
his family had not been sick when they
lived in the Harmony district. One OF
his children had caught the intermittent
fever in the city, and had been troubled
with it ever since. He consid-
cred the proximity to the sewer
farm a detriment to the land and
he would rather have no water than sew.
age. At the present time he obtained
water from zanja and rented his land
for 500 per acre. Without water he
thought he could obtain S. or Sc per acre.
He repeated his statement that he would
rather have no water than sewage.
81. B. braves, residing on New Main
street, said that the sewage was 80 dis
agreeable that it made him sick at the
stomach. His family had enjoyed good
health, however. About two years ago
there was great amount of sickness in
the district and doctors had told him ii
was due to the sewags. The school had
to be closed. While he had no sickness
in his family, he thought sewage was un-
healthy. He had ten acres of land irri-
gated with city water and if he could not
get water he wouldn't have sewage. His
house was quarter of a mile from where
the sewage is being used and he could
smell it at bis place, especially when the
wind blew in his direction.
G. w. Kendall, residing on Vernon
avenue, said that the sewage was now
used it up to a year ago and then he had
stopped. 1t was filthy and he did
not want it under any considers
tion. The money made by its use
had to be paid out to the doctors. He
had a daughter who had been made sick
by the sewage, and he had taken sick
himself. He would rather have no
water at all than have the sewage. In
the meantime the sewage filed up the
wells, and this he did not think was
healthy. He would much rather sleep
next to pig pen than next to place
irrigated with sewage. The physicians
had told him that the sickness was
caused by the sewage, and since it had
been taken away both himself and
daughter were better.
John A. Pirtle, residing on Central
avenue, said he moved there year age
with his wife and two children. He had
not been there long when he noticed the
atmosphere was full of an Objectionable
smell. This, he found, came from 9
place which was irrigated with sewage.
The smell became very offensive and his
wife and children became sick with
fever after he had lived there month
He lived there three months, and
bis wife and children were sick
for two months of that time
Then he moved back to the city and hif
family got we'll. After the sewage was
taken away from his place he moved
back, and his family had been we'll eve,
since. He also related the troubles of a
WOA6a 6duOO 11I6s 1AOAP5OA WAV A6O
sickness in her family caused by the
sewage. He objected to the use ol
deodorized sewage for the reason that
the deodorizing process would not kill
the microbes which caused the sickness.
Witness said that he had been druggist
and chemist for II years, and had made
. study of the subject. These microbes,
he said, were left on the surface of the
earth as the water filtered downward.
The sun dried the microbes, and the
wind took them up and scattered them
broadcast, causing sickness.
T. Young, residing on Wilmington
avenue, said that the sewage smelled
very strong, and he had frequently to
close the doors to his house. He had
lived there about four months when his
children were taken sick. He had asked
the officers of the South Side Irrigation
Company to take the ditch off from his
property. They had not done it, and he
stopped up the ditch. Mr.. Young
then related the story of his
fight with the South Side Lrri-
CATION Company. the particulars Of
which were published in the HERALD
at the time. His daughter had been sick
ever since, but was getting better since
the sewage had been taken away. 1t
was still being used about half mile
away, and the odor was very plain at
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