The record-union., 1892-09-09
MURDBROUO RUBBISH FIRES.
They Continue to Sufocate Citizens
in Defiance of the Law.
Something About People Who VIII
Not Keep Their Premises Clean
DR.. Gardner Angry.

There is soreness and anger commin-
gled in the hearts of the members of the
City Board of Health. The President of
that body, DIR. Gardner, was met last
evening by RECoRD-UNIoN reporter,
who asked him:
SIS the burning of rubbish fires in the
evening injurious to health?"
And the doctor replied with an empha-
sis unmistakable:
1T certainly is. People with weak
lungs, asthma or throat complaints will
certainly suffer from that cause. The air
filled with the fumes of burning rubbish
and sitting smoke is injurious to such
people and to the weakly, and it is not
beneficial, can tell you, to the WELL"
There are several cases Of pneumonia
in the city; what will be the effect of such
filth-laden air upon them?"
bad, very bad"
Might such an atmosphere as that of
Tuesday evening, when the air in the
Fourth Ward was sitting with smoke
monia?"
'Possibly-that is, if the person had
lung trouble it might irritate the lungs
and any one of several evils follow; but
would hardly say that primarily the
smoke would give one PNEUMONIA
Thereupon the doctor proceeded to ex-
press himself something in this wise:
Il tell you | am tired and mad trying
to enforce common decency with regard
to our health laws. They are not exact
lng-they are simple justice-but we are
resisted. fought, abused and condemned
until [, for one, am almost weary of try
ing to serve the people. Pm going once
more TO try, and if the law cannot be en-
forced Pil resign and let pestilence take
the people"
Who occasions the trouble?"
The rich, sir, the capable, the people
who have money; we can get along with
the poor. The worst alley in this CITY is
In filthy condition, due to two of the
richest property-ownerS and capitalists
| in the town. Itseems impossible to com
| pei them to clean up. In another case we
got an alley clean, and in ttenty-four
hours rich people had it filthy again with
| rotting vegetation and matter that breeds
disease. 1t is simply shameful A chief
saloon Of this city, that at the cost of half
dozen drinks could remove the filth it
has accumulated, has defied us. and
sneered at us, until we have no recourse
left but arrest the proprietors if they do
not clean up and purify the premises
| within twenty hours from this"
why not arrest, doctor, right and left.
and make eXamples?''
Arrests are going to be made now.
and with vim, too.''
Then you are not going to give up?n
mo, by heavens, not lust vet: we nro-
| pose to see If there is a health law that
can be enforced. If it can't, out go. for
one. We get no salary. We have nothing
to gain. If the people want to live in filth
| let them, after few more trials to pre-
vent it, so far as l am concerned. FL
| enforce sanitation rigidly, or I'll uuit.u
about the rubbish fires, doctor. -,
"Yes, they have got to cease. Whv. do
| you know, Sanitary Inspector in one
| direction, l in another, and you say your
| reporter in another, searched up and
down for an hour Tuesday evening to
! locate one of the nuisances and couldn't
| find it. Once the fumes ascend thew
spread far and wide and fill the houses of
| the people. My God, sir, have the peo-
| pie who kindle them no mercy, no con-
sideration for others? The air ought to
| be free, and the city shall be made clean. y
At this point citizen stepped up and
reported that Monday night four rubbish
| fires were burning on Sixteenth street.
| Wednesday night grass fire was kindled
| at Sixth and \ streets, last night another
was reported burning on Twentieth
street.
The RECORD UNION has received from
a citizen authority to pay s. for informa-
ton that will lead to the arrest and con-
viction of the person who next violates
! the antI-smoke ordinance. The inform
ant Will not be required to swear to the
complaint or to testify, if he or she will
but give the exact information that will
enable the citizen to produce the neces-
] sary witnesses to secure conviction.