The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-23
urArru AND BLIND ALLEYS.

/
| p.oort mortrary reports, furnished by the
| BOARD of Health and published in the oai'y
naners have shown such high rate OF NOR,
,ai;tv in this city as TO have not only eAci'e"
Tho attention Of our leading citizens oue W
have called forth adverse comment from o"'
| contemporaries throughout the county
! Those who reside in Richmond know ofcouis'
that this heavy percentage OF "soAiy
Deaths is mainly due to the coiorou
rssidents which compose such large
element of our population, ana "no'o
death-rate from various causesis much create
in proportion TO their number than thatoi 'he
whites. Still. that there has been much
greater mortality than there should be Is
,,lsin for from the location and drainage ana
other natural advantages of Richmond as
MACE Of residence it should be one of the
healthiest cities in the United States.
One fruitful source of disease and death
with us is no doubt our blind allevs'-that
is. alleys which arelonly partially opened and
are blocked up by fences enclosing grounds
belonging TO private residences. These bind
alleys are perfect pestilence breeders. Gar
bage can, and does. accumulate in them to an
alarming extent, for though the city scaven-
gers carts go to them. according to the city
ordinances, and take off what they find placed
in barrels outside the premises, still they can
not gather up the accumulations within the
enclosures. aud so the health OF the entire
neirhborhood is endangered. and sickness,
often followed by death, naturally results.
While these Notwithstanding blind alleys
are permitted therefore, we may expect TO see
our mortality reports unreasonably large and
the remedy for the evil is quite simple. The
alleys should. every one of them, be opened
throughout their entire length to a proper
width. so that the city carts and the health
authorities can easily pass through them
fortheir inspection and cleanliness More than
this. they should be paved throughout
and IL should be insisted upon that they be
kept at all times in good condition. If this
we're done it would be safe to predict that we
would soon find sickness decidedly on the de-
crease. and so far from Richmond having the
unenviable notoriety of being one of the
most unhealthy cities Of the Union, 1t would
be remarkable for its freedom from all dis
eases traceable TO malaral or climatic causes.
These very needed improvements can also
be made at comparatively slight expense. If
the alleys were opened and paved and the
property-owners on both sides were assessed
two-thirds of the cost while the city assumed
the other third the burden would be light on
every one, and if the property were
required. in addition, to pay for the paving
along their respective premises the exaction
would scarcely be felt; certainly it
would be as nothing compared with the
enhanced value of their property. But, even
if this were not so, when public health and
life are at stake every other consideration
should be lost sight of. No one for the sake Of
saving a few dollars should be allowed to
jeopardize the health Of his neighbors.
This is very serious question, and calls for
the most careful and thoughtful considera-
ton of our municipal and health authorities.
OF all demands for reform that of ALLEY re-
form" is the most urgent and imperative.