The record-union., 1892-09-23
a WORD TO CITY AUTHORITIES
AND TO EACH HOUSEHOLDER.

From three thousand residences in
this city scavengers twice a week re-
move the contents of slop barrels
and refuse heaps, in which decay
ing vegetable and animal matter is
cast. Some of this is fed to stock, but
.seven-tenths of it is a breeder of disease
germs and is carried to outlying low
grounds and dumped. After time
alluvial soil or sand is hauled and a layer
dumped upon the refuse, and thus low
lands are filed. In some cases, however,
the refuse is left for months just as origi-
nally dumped.
Three years ago, and frequently since,
the RECORD UNION called Che attention
of the city officials to the danger of this
filthy practice, and proved by the most
eminent sanitarians that worse method
OF disposing of refuse could not be de-
vised; that soil thus made is bad and will
always so remain, or at least for very
many years; that the more economic
method by far, and certainly the most
health promoting method would be to
cremate this refuse.
We recall that not long ago this journal
pointed out that the refuse can be Gre
mated for less, or at least about the same
cost that the people are now subjected to.
Three thousand or more householders
and two hundred business places, factor
les, hotels, restaurants, etc., pay from so
cents to 81 a month to have their Stops
and refuse removed. That is to say,
about $1,000 a month more or less is ex-
pended for this purpose. That sum, or
less, would pay the full cost of burning
all the matter, for it has been demon
strated that about SO per cent. of it fur
nishes its own fuel.
If the health authorities were, there
fore, authorized to erect a crematory fur
mace to cost probably $1,000, upon the
outskirts of the city on the north, the
refuse could be hauled to it and con-
sumed for about the same sum of money
now paid to haul and dump it. That this
would remove one Of the chief dangers to
this city in case of epidemic disease ap-
pearing, no one will have the effrontery
to deny; that it will in any and all sea-
sons promote the public health is equally
true.
DR.. Cluness in his lecture on "Cholera,' -
delivered Wednesday night, used this
language:
Crematories should be constructed at once
for the destruction of all refuse, no matter
what its source. There is still time in which
10 do this, if set about promptly and ener-
getlcally, ana the cost Will not be one-tenth of
/ per cent of the actual money expenditure
If LETT undone, let alone the incaiculable value
of the human lives saved thereby.
He thus confirmed all that this journal
has said upon the subject during the last
three years. On the same day the Board
of Health of San Francisco pronounced
garbage dumps in that city to be ex-
tremely dangerous and advised the cree
ton at once of a garbage crematory fur
mace, thus confirming the advice given to
this city.
The simple question then for the City
Trustees to pass upon is this: ''Shall we
order furnace to be erected and require
all refuse to be hauled to and consumed
in t?' 1t ought to take about one min
ute to decide in the affirmative and order
the construction to begin, and the mini
mum of legal time to forbid dumping, the
moment the furnace is ready. For the
sum now expended in hauling and
dumping, to the handsome profit of those
engaged in it, the refuse can be hauled tc
the crematory and the fuel be bought anG
handled for its consumption. The ash
remaining is of considerable value as &
fertilizer and is wholly innoeuous.
DR.. Cluness advises that the contents O
cesspools and flth-pits be treated in the
same manner and at once. But until {
crematory furnace is erected that is i'm
possible. When the city provides thu
furnace, however, the task will not bt
difficult. 1t is unlikely that cholera vii
reach us this year, but still it may. 1t il
altogether likely to complete its circuit 0
the globe in 1898, beginning in the early
spring. If actionis taken now, therefore
we have just barely time, the fall season