Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-07
POISON IN THE WATER.
Streams That Garry Pestilence on
Their Sluggish Bosoms.
THE PHYSICIANS OVERWORKED.
Citizens Organize to Clean Up the Streets
Of the Town.
TWO MORE FATALITIES YESTERDAY

Oakdale has an epidemic of typhoid
fever There are now over 40 cases under
treatment, and there have been 20
deaths during the summer. The cause of
the epidemic is apparent, but the people
are only becoming aroused to their danger.
Oakdale is on the Panhandle Railroad, Is
miles from Pittsburg 1t lies in valley
drained by Robinson's run and its north
branch. Robinson's run comes down from
Noblestown and its branch joins it right in
Oakdale. Both are sluggish little streams,
full of refuse aud covered with crude oil.
These two streams are the principal sources
of the epidemic
The conditions at OakdaIe, favorable to
disease, are absolutely surprising. Many of
the dwellings, which are nearly all frame
and of hasty construction, are close along
the two streams. Few houses have cellars.
The soil on the fiat land is gravelly, and eel
lars would fill with water from the runs
There is no drainage except what the slug
gish streams afford. Yards are full of pools
covered with scum.
str,ams Polluted by Slaughter Houses.
Within the limits of the village, on the
North Branch, is Briceland's slaughter
house, and further up the stream is Sprin-
gers slaughter house. From these two
places great quantities of offal are carried
into the streams, adding to their impurity
and filling the air of the valley with foul
odors. There is third slaughter house at
Noblestown, which dumps its refuse into
Robinson's run. The two creeks which
thus creep in devious ways through the lit
tie oil town are the breeding places of
disease. Their waters are so foul, and the
whole village is so reeking with garbage
and undrained cesspools, that the smell of
the place salutes the nostrils of the passen-
ger who flies through by rail.
The contamination in the creeks and cess
pools reaches the people through the drink
ing water. There is not well in the val
lev whose water is fit for human being to
use Yet for hundreds it is their daily
drink. The wells are drilled into the
gravel along the bottoms. In depth they
vary from to % feet.
Drink Nothing but Surface Water.
They are simply put down until they re-
the gravel from the foul streams 1t
is all surface water, and if any well
on the lowland is so far back that it does
not drain from the creeks, it is from other
sources rendered impure. There are some
pretty residences up on the hill, which
rises over the town on the north, and there
the wells are in better condition. Nearly
all the cases of typhoid have been in the
houses in the valley. Some of the resi-
dents of the hill have been affected, but
thev were men or boys who worked down.
town and drank water there.
The typhoid began with the spring. The
ice and snow OF winter kept the disease
breeding germs frozen up. It was in the
latter part of March that the first cases ap-
peared. From that time on, during the
spring and summer, there were more and
more cases, but it was not until the middle
OF August that the disease became epidemic
the long drought OF the dog days brought
low water in the creeks, and the refuse Law
along their banks purifying in the hot SUM-
shine. Then the typhoid became viruIent,
and the percentage of fatalities increased.
A Heavy Percentage of Deaths
The physicians of Oakdale say that there
have been about 120 cases in the village,
six have died. In one row of four houses,
standing right on the edge of the north
branch, there have been six deaths Sew
eral persons who contracted the fever in
Oakdale have been taken away and died
elsewhere.
The people of Oakdale bore the Affections
with a lethargic patience. There was no
head to affairs there, and the only men who,
tor many weeks, took any steps to abate
the causes of disease were the doctors. The
village is under township government, and
at the best d government by township
trustees is not very effective. They lack
executive authority and are usually limited
in cash. Oakdale, in this respect, is pecu-
liarly situated, for it is in two townships.
The dividing line between north and south
Fayette is Robinson's run, flowing right
through the middle of the town. If the
trustees should decide to do something ex-
traordinary and clean the run, which board
was to do ii? So the run went uncleaned
and tile typhoid increased.
The doctors told the people where they
we're called 20 attend the sick not to use
we'll water. What were they to use? Some
boiled the water, but many did not. One
of the doctors said yesterday: "Bohed
germs are a little more healthy than un-
boiled ones" Citizens were urged to disin-
feet their premises and yards, and few did
SO.
The FouE Physicians Worn Out.
There are only four physicians in Oak
dale-Drs. Cullinan, Van Sickle, Morrison
and Stevenson-and they are nearly worn
out by the demands made up on them DR..
Cullinan was found yesterday afternoon
trying to get little sleep in his Office, and
Dr. Van Sickle appeared to be so sleepy
that he could scarcely stand He had slept,
he said, about ten hours in three nights.
The people began to talk as they stood
about the postoffice or met in the grocery
stores. The recent terrible increase in the
epidemic decided some of the most vigorous
citizens that something must be done in
self-protection. A public meeting was
called for last Friday evening to discuss
measures of relief. 1t was held in the
Armory and about 80 men were present.
Mr.. Guy, the real estate agent, was elected
Chairman, and Samuel Newton Secretary. A
committee of leading citizens was appointed
on sanitary relief, and they were directed
to lake steps to clean up the town. The
committee had no funds to do the work, but
they acted up to their measure of ability.
Notices were posted about the village
prosecution of all persons who
should throw garbage or rubbish into the
streams The proprietors of the slaughter
houses were requested not to allow any
more ofal to pass into the streams, but
there is no other means of drainage. House.
holders were notified to clean their premises
and to throw disinfectants into their closets
Monday evening there was a second pub
lie meeting, at which nearly 100 men were
nresent subscriDtion was taken and