The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-03-06
THE DAM QUESTION
ahcrs Ynse.view With Citizens in Regard
90 their Removal Immediately.
OPINION ALMOST UNANIMOUS

Considerable dissatisfaction has result
ed from the delay of the authorities in
che dam matter. An overwhelming ma
;ority Of the community demand that
shese obstructions be blown out at once,
that the summer fcvers may be averted.
Citizens of the Gap do not wish the au-
taorities to wait until an endemic carries
of q number Of people and destroys the
value Of their property before proper pre-
cautions are taken. The Improvement
Company have given free consent for the
destruction Of the upper dam, but Mr..
Longini insists upon keeping his dam, it
matters not what the consequences are.
The mill cost him o thousand or twelve
hundred dollars and he acts as it he re-
gsrded this sum as Of far more value than
the lives Of men, women and children who
are compelled to remain here during the
summer. He wants about four prices tor
his property or he proposes to build the
dam higher and render it more injurious,
il possible, than it is at present. A re-
porter of the Posr has jotted down the
opinions of q number Of citizens on the
subject, but they do not embrace the halt
of the complaints that are heard. The
Posr could be filled with interviews on the
subject.
G. A. Bibbs said: 'Blow them out with
dynamite. Now is the time. We will
have heavy rains in March, or at least we
always do, and they will be thoroughly
washed out before summer"
Mr.. NJ. Smith, the city engineer: 81
think the dams should come out at once.
It is very important that they be removed
before the sewerage system is put in.
Otherwise they will catch all the filth car
ricd through the pipes in that direction
and add greatly to their already hlthy
condition"
VIC. Robinson: at is matter of great
Importance that the dams be removed, and
the sooner the better There is not Il
healthy town known where such dams eX-
ist."
W. A. Simmons: "The dams should GER
tainly he cleauscd in some way. My idea
is to put in food gates and raise them
whenever heavy rain occurs. In that
way they can be cleanscd. do not think
they should he destroyed entirely"
r. F. billiard: II think they should be
destroyed, as the health Of the town will
certainly be destroyed by them. Now is
the time SO that the spring rains can wash
them out"
w. S. Morriss: "Thcy should come out
by all means. People will not stay here
at risk of their health. They will be
looking for more healthy localties-for
instance will 60 to Norfolk"
John Goodloe: "The dams should come
out, and certainly more favorable time
could not be had than now. The spring
foods will thoroughly cleanse them
E.T. Short: 81 think the dams should
be declared nuisance and removed at
once regardless of the owners wish. They
will certainly cause bad health to the
town."
MIR. J. n. Hardin: "The dams should
come ont. Now is the best time to re-
move them. No doubt they injure the
health OF the town to some extent. The
dam ut the wooden mills especially must
be unhealthy as it backs the water up
over the banks, where it stands in pools. :"
Hilb: "Lct them go. If they are in
furious to the health of the town,
which they most certainly are, they should
be removed, and without delay.
c. H. Bergman: II am heartily in fa-
vor of draining the dams. 1t is an absurd
idea to say that these high waters will not
thoroughly wash them out. Now is the
best time"
". NJ. Young: ''The dams should be re-
moved by all means. and at once. 1T Will
soon be too late to operate on them this
spring, and it should be done before the
floods cease
DR.. Shelton: II think they should he
removed. In fact they will have to be if
we ever have city. believe however, it
IL too late now to commence operations,
and the matter had better be delayed I'M
til next fall"
E. NJ. Hardin: 81 say tear them out and
always have since the question first came
up. If they had been turned loose before
the recent rains there would be nothing
left now Of the filth"
W. P. Lipscomb: "Thc doctors say the
dams had better not be removed, but l
have not thought over the matter.
should think however, that they should
be blown out"
W. a. McDowell: "Blow them out with
dynamite. They are certainly injurious to
the health of the tewn and should be re-
moved. Had they been broken up some
weeks ago the high waters by this time
would have them thoroughly washed out. =
H. A. W. Skeen: "rhe dams should
be removed before the sewerage system
is put in. Otherwise they will catch Nil
the filth carried through the pipes in that
direction and they will be in miserable
condition"
Col. j. B. Adams: "The dams should
be removed. 1t would not cause half so
much sickness to turn them loose now as
il will to let them alone. The theory that
to expose the filth will cause sickness is all
q humbug."
w. T. Goodloe: II was appointed on
the committee to look after removing the
dams, but have come to the conclusion
that it is too late in the season TO do any
fhing now. We will have to resort to litl-
CATION with the owners of one of them
before we can remove it, and before we
could succeed it would be two late in the
season. They should certainly be re-,
moved, however, but believe the matter
had better be postponed until next fall"
G. ". Evans: III have consulted with a
number on the subject and find it pretty
generally the conclusion that it had better
be postponed until next fall. The physi-
clans say that to expose the filth will cause
sickness, and their decision on that mat
ter should prevail. | am heartily in favor
Of removing them as soon as it seems
practicable"
Mr.. John Fox: 81 think the dams
ahan,d Le rnmnved The health of the