Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-17

liable to dump the garbage in any unde.
sirable place. The city had paid {
judgment of $500 for such a thing.
Mr.. Armstrong said he favored the
| scavenger. The city could get the work
done cheaper than the citizens individ-
uaIly, and could get the work done bet
ter. Where the work was done by con-
! tract the contractor made money off the
citizens. The city could hire men at $40
q month. If the citizens had to pay q
| quarter or. half a dollar each time
their garbage was taken away
they would let the trash accumulate
| and rot in their yards and be carried
into the streets. But if the city paid g
| garbage man to gather up the stuff each
day the people would get in the habit OF
cleaning up their yards and piling their
| trash In barrels and would not allow re-
| fuse to rot in the streets
Mr.. Nieks-"Don' you know that
| there Is an ordinance against throwing
| garbage into the streets2''
Mr.. Armstrong; know also that the
| ordinance is violated every day.
The proposition to hire scavengers was
| indefinitely postponed, and that TO let
| the contract for scavenger work was
| referred to the city attorney to draft an
| ordinance.
Before the next paragraph was gone
| into, DR.. l.. Cunningham was invited to
address the council. He said that the
time of healthfulness was the time to
prepare against pestilence. We are now
in the way OF pestilence. 1t is your
duty to prepare against disease. The
only question is how. The best way IL
to have a regular board of health. 1t
will not do TO only declare certain matters
a nuisance. You need some one
conversant with such affairs to see that
sanitary ordinances are enforced. You
must establish the responsibility. There
is no use passing laws and not executing
them.
The next paragraph, recommending O
health officer to inspect meats, fruits,
milk, etc., and watch after sanitation,
was read.
Mr.. Armstrong moved that the city
attorney draft an ordinance in conformi-
ty with the paragraph.
Mr.. Nicks didn t see the necessity for
putting the city to the expense of a
health officer. The danger from pesti-
lence in Fort Worth is not great. That
people die is not q sign the city is IN bad
sanitary shape. We have an
ordinance creating the Office
of health inspector, and it
is question if we want to fill the office.
We already have good sanitary officers,
and we are spending thousands of dollars
for sewers, which are the best sanitary
officers.
Mr.. Armstrong made strong plea for
was only spending some $4,000 per year
for that purpose. 1t may not
be time of epidemic now,
but sanitary precautions are necessary al
the year round. 1t is the Lest invest
ment the city can make from financial
standpoint. Economy has been practised
in no branch of the city government SO
much as in this.
The motion referring the proposition to
the city attorney failed.
Mayor Smith-t'I think what this city
wants most is a competetent plum Der,
not medical advice. Our sewer system
is the best preventive of disease. The
trouble is our city has grown so fast our
sewers could not be constructed fast
enough. L do not agree with
Mr.. Armstrong that we should
keep the citizens clean. We should
make them keep clean. We have spent
thousands of dollars on streets, sewers,
waterworks and hospitals and they do
more sanitary work than all the medical
advice we can get. Our death rate is
now only l per cent. and l don't think
any other city in the country can make q
better showing.
Mr.. Jackson-''I concur in every
word your honor has said -
Mr.. Armstrong; ndaunted by what
the mayor and Mr.. Jackson have said,
still move that at the next meeting of
this council we fill the office of health
inspector.
Mr.. Clements apd Mr.. Fraser thought
what was needed most was an extra sani-
tary policeman rather than health Of
ficer.
MI. Armstrong did not think another
sanitary policeman would be needed be-
fore next spring, but health officer
would do as much good as q dozen sani-
tary policeman and would not cost more
than policeman.
Mr.. Armstrong; motion was put and
lost on vote of to O..
The city attorney reported on the lands
proposed to be purchased for the Seventh
ward school, approving the abstract and
notes. The report was received and
filed and the city secretary was author
ICED to make the $3.50 cash payment on
the property.
The ordinance granting franchise to
the Hyde Park street railway company
came up.
Mr.. jackson moved reference to the
street and alley committee. Mr.. ARM
strong moved that the ordinance pass.
Both were seconded.
Mayor Smith called attention to the
fact that this ordinance gave right of
way under the railroads on Front and
Boaz streets where the council had re-
fused franchise to other roads.
Several aldermen spoke in opposition
to granting franchise under the roads
before the viaducts are completed. Mr..
Nicks thought fbe matter should not be
delay d, as the parties wanted to know
to go to work or not. Messrs.
Armstrong and Guerter said the people
of the Seventh ward had no graded
streets nor street railroad. They wanted
the street railroad badly.
Mr.. Armstrong presented an amend |
ment providing that the road shall not !
build under the railroad tracks on Front |
and Boaz streets, but on motion of Mr.. |
Furman as a substitute for all former |
motions the ordinance went to the street |