The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-15
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- DsasAs-The schools Clesea-TAe Pc
isteA fassaie % Blame.
THE Psssaic River. which has never run wit
water OF any too pure . kind. IL at present in
much worse condition than ever. Tho drough
Ms shrunk tho river. and lessened the force 9
IT, now. while the sewage which now emptie
Tito II contains contagious germs that Nigh
reasonably give cause for alarm to Tho peopl
o1mpelled TO drink the water. The river dow
phst Summit the sewers from Summit Hi
empty directly into It and . number. OF case
a diphtheria are reported In Summit o.
leaving Summit the Passaic. passing nea
Chatham. goes on to Paterson. Passaic. New
ark. and Jersey City. In some Of those towns
Mnot all Of them. the water IL used for drink
Ing purposes
Tho town Of Chatham 10 suffering from
prevalence Of diphtheris. which the physicianl
of the place do not hesitate to name an cpl
demic. Tho people OF the town express littl,
doubt that the Passnic River and its adjoining
sewers Is responsible for the disease. Tit
people living In the near neiRhborhood Of the
xtvcr. as for as can be learned. appear to have
heen the FIRST taken down with the disease
Frank Kelly. whose little girl was one Of the
Arst victims to die. says that the epidemic ID
NOW worse fhan It ever has been. He fears
that the disease may spread to the neighbor-
fering from the oontagion.
Edward Miller. Secretary Of the Health Board.
suppressed his belief that the disease had come
from Summit and that the germs were now
being carried down BY the river. Last week
ne disease had increased so alarminGly. that
the Health Board gave orders for all the
churches and schools to be closed Last Sum
day the four churches held no service and on
Monday the two public schools and the Cath
olic Protectory school were closed. and will
remain so for two weeks. The Board Of Health
then made o house. to-house investigation. Civ
Ing minute directions about disinfocting. and
recommending other measures to prevent the
spread Of the disease.
iAffmembers Of the families In which there
10 diptheria. have been ordered to remain in
their houses and the houses have been Quaran-
tined.
What the physicians fear IL cold weather.
Many OF the houses in which there are cases
are small. and II the windows and doors were
"a BE- closed and tho fresh air kept out the
danger would be largely increased
"H the well children were allowed to stay
out Of doors NIL day in the open air" physic-
ian said. the danger Of catching the disease
would be much reduced. But for the safety
ct as q. asvs to ths
two little boys who had a sick sister to stay in
ZEE down VIII
Void x sEss;
children and spread the disease"
The diptheria began at Chatham IN. the mid
ysss embossed to y nothing more than sore
ssoa. s5y q Br s. q assss I
physicians notice, and soon afterward two Of
soud not made d ssSs e opin
cases. In number Of instances ' the In mans nsms
group or diphtheritic sore throat has been APP
Piled when the trouble was really. perhaps.
No full list Of all the cases has been made
out but the principal ones. as far as could be
Tho heads q families in Which s The cases ss oo
isnk KeE three eases Patrick ri Murphy:
Henry poEv9od one case: John str yPs 't two
pS%s m
stXmsT. four eases: 9 n K Smith. one, case:
s1 ssiee sa Tra
Lyons. two cases. The cases. with four or Ave
sxoeptio9s have been a%o9pe shildren. There
Besdes s hs Re phss tss
town. Dra Swain and Wolfe four outside ply
.fse' e:.s s:se Britt s saa E &
and On. Anderson Of Madison.
The sanitary conditions along the Passaio
between Summit and Chatham are very bad.
About five years ago William De Forrest Of
gunmit had Q number Of houses built on New
E.&iahd avenue. which runs along Summit
Hill He got tired waiting for the township Of
bailt private sewers for his own houses. Being
only about eight inches under ground. They
lead from Summit Hill to Banneii's pond.
thr9hgh which the river lows Last winter
these pipes froze and burst and now the whole
neighboring meadow. about half an acre in
extent, Is covered with the decaying nth.
Whom the wind blows from the east, the peo-
Die q Chatham say the stencil from the
meadow pervades their town.
Patrick Murphy lives within short distance
q t1s meadow. and his children were among
9fthem died. and Mr.. Murphy. Il is said. has
decided to sue the township Of Summit for its
No Board Of summit warning two years ago.
be says. that things were not properly ar
ranged: but they refused to take any action In
The matter.