Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-10
Will Have to Be Abandoned
if Chief Browns 0rdi-
nance Is Passed.
A SOUTHSIDE NUISANCE
To Be Immediately Abated Under
Penalty of Heavy Fines.
MAYOR GOURLEY FEARS CHOLERA
Will Appear in Pittsburg Within the
Next Two Weeks.
FIFTY PROPERTY-H0LDERS TO BE SUED

Chief Brown has prepared an ordinance
for presentation to Councils next Monday
which will cause CONSERVATION to many
property holders on the Southside hills, but
will cause rejoicing among the majority of
residents there and in the city generally.
If passed by Councils it will put stop to
the drilling of sewer wells down through
the hill into the abandoned coal mines
which underlie it, and which will require
immediate abandonment OF those already
drilled.
AS is generally known, Mt. Washington,
Mt Oliver and the other elevated portions
of the Southside have no other sewer sys-
tenn except these old mines, which have
been made a depository of the waste of
many dwellings and other buildings for
years. Under Chief Browns ordinance, all
who have drilled down and connected their
houses with the mines must abandon the
connections entirely within 40 days after
the ordinance is passed.
Severe Penalties to Be Imposed.
Failure to obey will involve fine of not
less than $50 nor more than $500, and the
same fine will be imposed upon any person
drilling a new connection. When the old
connections are abandoned the wells must
oe hermetically sealed, at the owners e1-
pense, to the satisfaction of the City Plumb
ing Inspector.
'There is an immediate demand for such
a step as this" said Chief Brown last even
ing. eff cholera came here those old wells
would be prolific feeder and there would
be no way to stop it, because the stuff is
beyond reach. There are thousands of tons
of sewage hemmed in those old mines.
Even if cholera does not come. pestilence
of another kind may be bred there at any
moment and its limit could only be guaged
by the population. Those sewers are
menace to the health of this city. We are
making the effort that should be made to
purify the city in the present danger, but
our work will be wofully incomplete If that
colossal nuisance on the Southside is not
sbated. We hope that Councils will pass
this ordinance and place it IN the Mayors
hands at Mondays meeting.'
Mayor GourIey Anticipates Cholera
Mayor Gourley thinks the people of this
part of the country do not fully appreciate
the danger existing of an early visitation of
the cholera scourge. He is we'll pleased
with the cleaning out of the rivers and
sewers when the wickets at Davis Island
we're lowered on Thursday. While the
river beds were not made entirely clean, ne
SAYS, the bulk of the poisonous disease
breeding filth was washed away, and he will
make an effort to have the process repeated
every ten days or two weeks, until the fall
rains come to swell the rivers and swiften
the current.
81 feel morally certain" said the Mayor
last night, "that within a few days the
cholera will have anchored strongly in the
City of New York, and 1 feel equally sure
that within two weeks we here in Pittsburg
will be battling with the dread disease.
cannot see how it can be avoided. The
cholera crossed the highest range of mount
aims in the world and the great Caspian Sea
TO get into Russia. Why should it not,
then, reach New York? Half dozen ships
laden with the disease are lying few miles
from the metropolis Nearly every wind
that strikes the city sweeps over those ships
in its course. The probability of the disease
germs being carried on the breeze is more
,han strong-it can't be averted. The
sooner all our people awake to q realization
Of the danger and provide for it by remov-
ng every possible invitation to disease the
1ather."
Fifty Suits to Be Entered.
The Bureau of Health has list of about |
80 persons against whom suits will be en-
tered to-day and Monday If they fail to |
obey the order to clean up their premises |
The Street Commissioners also have long |
list of persons who have been notified to |
,lean up, their lots and the alleys and |
streets around them. If they fail to obey |
suits will be entered The lists |
contain persons who were notified more |
han week ago Only one notice is served, |
hat being considered sufficient. Mayor |
Iourley talked sharply on this subject yes
.erday and ordered the officers to bring |
suits promptly, regardless of whom they |
The preservation of health, |
be said, was paramount to all other consid- |
sratioDs. Any person who may repeat a |
nuisance which the city officials have al |
-eady remedied may expect harsh treat
nent.
Eighty German immigrants, who sailed
rom Hamburg on August 10, arrived at the |
Union depot yesterday morning, and caused !
sensation. They said cholera had not |
.eached Hamburg when they left. They |
we're clean, honest-appearing folk, and In |
'pector Layton thinks there is no danger
rom their presence. All but four of them
vent West yesterday morning.
Many complaints were filed of nuisances
vi over the city at the meeting of the
Emergency Council in the Mayors office |
morning. The question of clean
ng up vacant lots was discussed, but not |
lecided. 1t probably will be to-day. In
pector Layton made his report on what the |
ailroads. are willing TO do in a quarantine
movement. No further action will be taken |
n this matter until the State Board of |
Health is heard from, on the question of
authority.
WAITING ON THE CHOLERA.