The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-08-27
CLEAN THE CITY.
WHAT IS DOING TO PRESERVE
THE HEALTH OF ROANOKE.
INTERVIEWS WITH PHYSICIANS.
DIR. Luck PrOnOunccs the ely In
Good COnditiOn-Dr. Gray Against
Unnecessary Excavations What San
itary Inspector McEaiI IL Doing.

THE TIMES has recently shown
that Roanoke is a healthy city, and
has already called attention TO the
need of taking every precaution
necessary at this season of the year
to keep it so.
A TIMES man yesterday interviewed
number of physicians as to what is
being done to preserve the sanitary
condition of the city.
DR.. r. S. Luck, chairman of the
board of health, said: The city
was never cleaner than now, and the
sanitary officers are doing all they
can to maintain the present healthy
condition. There are always accumu-
lations in the cutters and low places
after rain, but they are Immediately
covered with lime. think the citi-
zens are paying more attention TO
the cleanliness of their own premises
than formerly. You might suggest
that business men see that their back
lots are kept clean. In a large prac-
tice have but one case of fever, and
th.t was developed outside Of Roam
o'le.'
DR.. A. g. Koiner said: The sapi-
tary condition of the city is neglected.
The city is not kept as clean as it
should be. We unjustly haye-had z.
bad reputatiof1f-taE- hea!-hl with the
outside public, and every precaution
should be taken to enable us TO live
it down. There is no increase, but
rather diminution in the sickness
OF the city. think money is being
expended that would be more wisely
appropriated if spent in improving
the sanitary condition of the city
DIR. Gray said: ~ think the authori-
ties deserve praise rather than cen
sure for the present hcalthfuI CON
dition OF the city. 1t was never more
clearly. In the fall of the year the
greatest care should be used. Ii will
not do TO attempt to provide hotter
drainage at this season Of the year.
As few excavations should be made
as possible. OF course .ome must be
made for buildings and street work,
but these should he immediately
covered with lime to destroy the pol
son in the earth. The rank weeds IN
vacant places in different parts of
city should not be allowed 10 dry up
and decay where they are. They
should be cut down and removed i'm
mediately.
II suppose the garbage of the city
is hauled outside and dumped in
heaps or thrown into the river. This
should rot be SO. As suggested re-
Gently by Councilman Mcconnell,
there should be potter'> field for the
garbage, provided with lime houses
and everything necessary for thorough
dsinfecting: or, the garbage should
be buried, fer there is no better disin-
fectant than clay. With these pre-
cautions the health of the city is not
in danger
Mr. r. c. McFall, city sanitary in
spector, said that while there were
1ome filthy places, yet the sanitary
condition is much better than it has
been for some time. \ number of
cellars and ponds have been drained,
and, in some instances. flied, within
the last two months. About the fist
of July the use of lime as II disinfec-
tant. was commenced and during that
month about thirty barrels were
used. More lime is being used now
than at any time in the past, the
amount being about twenty-five
barrels per week. The ground
around the market is lined every
day, and the cutters and wet places
in the main part Of the city are
lined three times week.
The city has formerly allowed Mr..
McFall but one one-horse wagon
with which to remove the garbage,
and he has recently been compelled
to engage two extra wagons He says
he will ask the Council, at its next
meeting, to give him two wagons aEu
horses, with four hands. With these,
he says, he will be enabled to keep
the city clean. The garbage is all
hauled to the river and thrown in,
and one team can make only four
loads a day. IT requires the force
employed at present more than half
the time to clean mp around The mar
ket.
Mr.. McFall said that nothing is be-
ing done to clear away the RANK
weeds in different parts Of the city.
He thinks that the people are more
careful than formerly about their
own premises, but says they are not
yet as careful as they should be.
Some, he said. are often careful to
conceal the filth from the sanitary
officer, thus riskipg their health 10
save quarter of dollar.