The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-09-20
FOURTH EDITION


CLEANLINESS AND HEALTH.
The Trip of Secretary Coiquhoun. of
the Board of Notwithstanding OBJ
servations of the Different Modes for
Keeping Cities Clean And Hea1thfuI.
w. q. X. Colquhoun, the active and
efficient Secretary OF the Wilmington
Board of Health, who has Just return.
ed from O tour of several western
citios In quest of knowledge on the
subject of removing garbage from
cities and the best means OF keeping
cities clean and healthful. has u vast
fund OF Information to impart TO the
Board of Health and to the citizens OF
Wilmington, which may, and it is
hoped will, lead to more stringent and
better sanitary regulations In VIII
mington.
Mr.. Colquhoun, in his travels
stopped in the cities of Cleveland,
West Virginia, Columbus and Cincin-
natl, Ohio, Chicago, Illinois. Milwau-
kee, - Wisconsin. and Pittsburg and
Allegheny, la. BE 1t said to the credit
of Wilmington Mr.. Colquhoun found
no place much in advance OF his own
city.
The first city he visited was Wheel
ing, West Virginia, a city OF about
$4,000 population. Hunting up the
health authorities he was here intro
dueed to Dr. S. L. S. Spragg, who
esteemed IL pleasure to give all the
information he possibly could In re-
gard to Wheeling's mode OF keeping
the city clean.
The system OF garbage removal Is
similar to the Wilmington system.
All complaints for non removal of
garbage IRE made by citizens who
swear out warrants, and for every Of
fence the garbage contractor is lined
IS. The garbage Is removed three
times week, and costs annually $4,-
900. The contracts for removing gar
bage in Wilmington with 5000 popu-
lation, amount to $4,000. The gar
bage is dumped into a largo crema-
tory 40x12ls feet and 10 feet high. On
an average IS tons are cremated daily,
80 tons a dag in live summer months
of the year. and 20 tons day for tho
remaining seven months. The crema-
tory is also used for the cremation of
night soil, dead animals and all other
otfal nulsances.
The night soil IL removed In the
night by the pump system. The re.
movRls average about 1900 barrels of
40 gallons each per night, The ashes
of tha crematory are hauled out and
| dumped In low place. A cremRted
horse will make about two thirds OF u
bucket full of ashes The crematory
III of the Smith system from Pittsburg.
Pa, and cost $500. 1t has been in
operation eight years and in that titne
cost $500 for repairs. The furnace ID
operated by free natural gas. and by
two men, one of whom gets SIS u
month In day time and another $50 per
month at night. Without the adynn-
tages OF free natural gas the expenses
OF the crematory would of course be
| more. ....-..
In regard to the sewerage system 1t
WAS hardly equal to the Wilmington
system and a great objection was that
all sewers emptied into the Ohio river
sIom which the city got its supply OF
drinking water. Garbage has been re-
moved In two wheeled carts but the
Health officer recommends the adop,
ton of steel carts. The cost for cleans
ing cess pools Is much higher than III
Wilmington. A barrel OF 40 gallons
costs IS cents and the owner must af.
terwalds he at the expense OF dlsiHfect
ing the we'll. No cesspool can be
cleansed without a permit Wheeling
has four executive officers while vii.
mington has but two.
COLUMBUS OHIO.
The next city visited by the secre.
tary was Columbus. the capital OF
Ohio, a city of some l25, 900 inhabl-
tants. Mr.. Colquhoun was very much
disappointed with this city Being the
capital OF one OF tho largest and most
progressive states In the Union he ex-
pocted to find 1t In superior state OF
sanitary regulations. Exactly the op.
| posite was the case and Columbus was
| decidedly the most uncleanly city that
no visited. 1t was away far behind
Wilmington in every respect as to sanl-
tation. Here there is no public muni-
cipal regulation for the removal OF
garbage, Private contracts are made
with parties to remove garbage and
dump IL down in piggeries or spread
1t over farms sumo four miles from
the city.
The City Council, however, waking
up from Kip Van Wrinkle sleep, has
passed a resolution to build a crema-
tory aud to have a regular system of
cleansing streets. Cesspools are
cleansed here by either the bucket or
pump system ut night. The system
Of sewers was also poor-in no sense
as good as Wilmington's system.
CINCINNATI, OHIO.
Mr.. Colquhoun left Columbus III
Gather Il state Of disgust, and proceed
I'd to Cincinnati. Il city of some 800, 0OC
Inhabitants, where he found SAM
tary and health regulations In muct
better state. One part of the city was
cleaned OF its garbage by the contract
system and the other by the Board
of Public Safety. The Cincinnatluns
have been getting clear of their gar
iage by II couple OF companies know
| a u IAn a la ~ tt.,,
took out all the oil and the residuuu
which they manufactured Into ferli
lizerS.
This sytem was failure and Til,
citizens rose up Ell. masse against 1t
All the night soil Is carried either il
carts or sewers and dumped into tin
Ohio river. The city Is contractin
for Sinainins uesSicatlnR machine, b,
whirh all greaseS and oils will be e
trGcted. and it is expected to be il
! operation by the first of October.
is i'll use In Providence, II. l., wit
: great success. The system will COS
sl25 900 The city is to collect ali gal
bage and olfal and deliver it to III
company, the city paying $4,000 TO
tho use of tho system, and $4,000
yenr Increase Tor six years. The cit
has 30 executive officers or snnltar
~ "r clothed in uniform, and who gC
SOD O year salary.
- ltlns also IL meat Inspector wit
iivH.a at sistahts. and ten milk inspec
ors who inspect all the dairies an
farms within four miles of the cit
They also Inspect ali cattle. and caus
all to be killed suffering from any di
. ease. Samples OF milk are take
y every day and tested by expert chen
lists. Milk dealers are licensed an
have the names of the dairy and mum
Der in large letters on the wagon
sales of adultaratad or skinned mill
unless labeled. showing what it is, Il
liae Is $50 to 1900, and for the sscul
offense 1t Is from 500 to $500 line al
from 50 to 90 days Imprisonment.
For selling adulterated butter an
Al. cheese without being marked as SUI
tine lowest iinc Is SlOO ami tho highe
$500, with from SIX months to OF
years Imprisonment. The seweraj
system Mr. COlquhoun says Is vel
imperfect, and tho cost Tor remuvir
night soil Is 10 cents gallon +
liquids and l2 cents for solids. T.
pump system and barrels are used.
CHICAGO ILLINOIS.
The next city visited by Mr. Colo
houn was Chicago which for tho ne
year Will be the centre of attracti
for the whole ciylllzal world, ev,
here, although tho second eli
in size IN the United Stat
rnIath,un a