The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-10
COUNCILS SANITARY WORK.
a Claim That some OF It Is Unconsti.
tutlOua-.

tutiOnai.
Editor Morning Netcs: | notice that
although the present council had promised
the public that they would not enforce the
ordinance in relation to privy vaults within
5O0 feet Of sewers, except ia extreme cases
when some vault mad becoms a public nui-
Sance-they are now enforcing il generally,
ana VIII Tut their constituents 70 an expense
OF at least SloO, 600 before they are done.
tho ght it was generally admitted that
lhls OrClnaDce was q mistake, it being Ouly
partial IN its character and totally insdi-
ucienf 20 preserve the hsalth OF this CON-
MUMMY, relieving persons from the burden
OF making this change IL only one foot over
0oO rect from sewer, and requiring of one
citizen what it did not require from another.
and consequently violating the constitution
OF Gsorgia, which requires all taxes and
burdens must be uniform.
IhiS measure is, N lrsover, a public in
jury. instead Of public benefit, as the
present sewers were never intended for
such work. They being of brick and open
Jointed, they will be worse than our present
vaults, With cemented bottoms, as the
tecal matter will lodge in all their
joints, producing sewer gas, to poison all
our houses, aud will soak into and cOntami-
nate all the soil adjoining said savers.
Councli Is only gging the question, in
stead OF commencing proper system of
VlTlAed pipe running through our lanes
ana contiguous TO our house. They throw
all the expense upon such persons as unfor-
tuhateiy have premises within the pre-
scribed 800 feet OF a sewer, whether there
Is any water pipe running near or not.
hen the town is poisoned by these public
prlvies and overlooking with diphtheria
aad Ike crypt graphic di eases public opin-
Ion VIII compel them to commence a proper
system, and we will then be put to the ex-
pehse OF cutting off these connections and
changing to the new system, thus spending
thousands on account Of the weak and
vaclilatlng policy of the present council.
What has become of the 500. 600 collected
from the ground rent lots: The excus in
taxing this was the public necessi les for sew
efs AMI waterworks. Has all the money been
wasted and none of these objects accom-
pllsbed! here is the water to come from
to supply 900 more closets, involving, as it
ooes, 100000 more gallons daily. | SUD-
posed that it was generally understood that
waterworks was the prime necessity on
which the first expenditure Of the public
money was to be made, as it was impossible
TO build system of sewers without water
70 hush them. and it being recognized fact
that the present water supply was totally
Inadequate to the public demands.
mi, has been o fatal administration to
bne property holders and business of this
community. No more bank capital will
ever CINE here. 1t is taxed out of exist
ence. The increased burdens property has
had to bear this year are: !, taxing ground
rent lots; 2, paving streets; 5, paving side
walks; 4. making water connections or
paying additional tax; s, making sewer
connections when within 800 feet OF O
sewer. Who ever heard such additional
assessment placed upon the unfortunate
property holder in one yearl What is
their objectl They have driven capital
from the town. Now I suppose they want
TO Kill the goose that lays the colder egg by
forcing property to invest in other cities
where they may have property rights 1t
looks to me as though cJuacil had gone
crazy, and were, by piling burdens upon
property, endeavoring to take away all the
income, AID make our property worthless.
This, together with an increase of state and
county taxes Is beyond all endurance.
Moreover, council is well aware that they
are infringing upon the constitutional
rights OF its people, to issue their order not
by the regular channel, the street and lane
committee, but under the direction of the
health officer What outrages the people
Of the community are forced to submit to
under the name Of sanitary necessity. In
this case, council is absolutely doing sani-
tary injury, instead Of benefit
The only remedy | can see for this is to
get rid OF the present council and try a
new set. We may not do any better. But
l cannot conceive that it is possible to do
worse. EQUAL Rights.