Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-07-29
A NATTER OF HEALTH.
TIE sLAuGRTeR-PENs MAY GENE
RATE SERIOUS DISEASES.
The Question of Their Removal Now
Geing ConsidereS-Dr. oppcnhtmer
win Urce This.

To-day DR.. 0pponhimcr. president OF the
poard OF Health, will accompany some OF
tho butchers of tho two markets 20 then
slauehter.peus. near tho banks OF Bacons-
ouartor branch. and the question OF re-
moving them 10 some place moro distant
from the city viii be considered IN us
several phases.
That these pens must be removed at On
early day IN order to protect the health OF
the citizens who live In that vicinity there
Is no doubt. and II would be happy solu-
ton of the matter II the butchers could
sec 10 10 their interest 10 ron0Ve then now
before the consequences Of their remain-
ING whore they are become more serious.
TnE pANoEE TO HHALTR.
ANY person having even q limited know,
icdrc % the science OF bygc,ne who visited
The vicinity Of the pens during the late
dry spell was impressed with the fact that
n fhov ere allowed % remain much longer
IN their present location diseases wall be
ccrerated which may have n fatal effect on
fho citizcns of that neighborhood. Not
lone eco a youth died near thore from
hlDo1-poisoninp Of its worst form. which
was caused from the filth and refuse mat,
ier from the pens passing down the mn
through his fathers back yard to the
stream below.
AMATTNn or IMPORTANCE.
Tf was tho knowledge Of the cause OF the
6csfh of this person that lead DR. Open
hi,ner 70 consult with Mr.. Charles Il.
Braucr. n member of tho City Council. ana
one Of the parties interested IN the slaugh-
fer-pens. Mr.. Brguer expressed his WI
lnrnoss and desire 10 do anything that
Wi. boz for the good Of the health OF the
people ~ the city.
L l. Srst 81
Pa.rd Of Health hos not had meeting Tor
several weeks. and DIR. Oppenhiiner
thought IL well to get as many OF the per-
sons Interested IN the pens together rs
p0suile and look over the grOundand con-
suit a. % what Is best 10 be done.
TWO CONSIDERATIONS. j,
The butchers. no doubt. will be told that
RI wili bc 20 their advantage from pecu-
mary standpoint 10 dispose OF their pens
aud secure ground further from tne cry
where all the pCns can be concentrated.
Ey their removal the land which they
leavc wili increase in value at "a remark
allie rate. ne that section IS fast being built
ur with houses. And then they will be
doing the citizens service IN removing q
business which If allowed 70 remain might
m tune generate diseases that would not
only bo serious 10 the people IN that
vlcinity, but perhaps would spread over
the city.
SHOULD BT TIvE MILES AWAY.
pr. Oppcnhimer thinks the pens should
D. taken at least five miles distant from
where thev now are. The location Sc
lccted should be upon a road which would
afford the butchers easy access 20 the clty,
or the CITY Council should build road TO
them II they cannot be put upon one
already made.
SHOULD ACT AT ONCE.
This whole matter "a now serious one.
and VIII attract the attention of the Board
of Health and also the City Council. unless
the butchers can make arrangements
among themselves to solve the question.
The pens have been where they now are
for a great many years and no doubt the
whole earth about them has become
thoroughly saturated with the substance
from them. and each year they are allowed
to remain the greater the health OF the
vicinity and the city viii be endangered.
ArBE M,pT TO PAY.
II has been suggested that II may be adj
yisable. aud profitable as well 10 establish
general slaughter-house near the rlyer
bank al some suitable point mile or two
below the city. II Is claimed by some ac
auantcd with such matters That the blood
and other refuse can be disposed OF for
fprtilizing purposes and will yield at least
: O.O00 per annum. Some OF the butchers
think very favorably of this idea and
there seems To- be no doubt that such an
establishment may be made 10 pay.