The morning news., 1892-02-23
FILTH BEYOND BELIEF.
THIS IS THE CONDITION OF SAVAN-
NAB SAYS DR.. LIE HARDY.

West or the City q source OF Danger
10 Public Health-The Wharves and
Lands of the Railroads Unsanitary.
a Thorough Drainage System the
Remedy Proposed-Some Plain Talk
TO the City Council-The New Of
fcers OF the Citizens Association.
The annual meeting of the Citizens Sani-
tary Association was held at No. Drsyton
street last night. The members present
were Capt. Henry Blum, Judge Harden,
Drs. Num-. LeHardy and Stone, Inspector
n. J. Desvergers and Secretary ID. j.
Murphy.
The reports Of the officers for the past
wear were read, after which the following
officers were elected:
President-Capt. Henry Blum.
First Vice President-Col. j. H. EstilI.
Second Vice President - Col. John
Ecreven.
Secretary-D. J. Murphy.
Treasurer-Dr. George H. Stone.
Medical Director-Dr. j. c. LeHardy,
Consulting Engineer-Maj. r. A. Blan.
ford.
Sanitary Engineer-Percy Sugden.
Attorney-Col. George A. Mercer.
Executive Council-Capt. Henry Blum,
Col J. H. Estill, Col. John Screven, Col.
George A. Mercer, Col. w. w. Gordon,
Maj. r. A. Blanford. Judge Harden, DR..
j. c. LeHardy. DR.. c. R. Heron, P. M.
Dougan, Lee Roy Myers and c. N. West,
Esq. Ex-officio members. Drs. Mum, Stone
and Hummel.
The annual report of Medical Director
DeHardy is an exhaustive and instructive
document, dealing with everything relating
to the sanitary condition of Savannah and
fNe ecttr 1n1ssr TN 49,
tigatioD and deep thought. The report is
as follows:
THE MEDICAL DIRECTORS REPORT.
It is very evident that we of Savannah have
awakened TO a Just conception of what is re-
qulred 20 make our city prosperous We are
Offering liberal inducements for railroads to
come here. We are spending large sums of
money IN paving the streets, in improving the
water works. in building street railways and
cos ly editices to increase our comfort and to
make our city attractive. We have subscribed
$4,000 to let the world know how beautiful is
the city we live in, how agreeable is its climate
bow healthy and prosperous are its people
And We are now using every effort to have the
harbor deepened so that the largest ships NAV
sail up to our wharves
This shows that we have at last determined to
take advantage of Savannahs geographical DO
sltlon, TO make her center of commerce and
of wealth, and to increase her population until
she shall become the largest and most powerful
city on the South Atlantic coast
In this purpose we must certainly succeed If
we can only prevent the recurrence of epidemic
yellow fever, 10 which our city Is liable But
should the precautions necessary to this end be
neglected, should accumulgtions of filth be
allowed TO remain, should a hot sum
mer come and find the drains clogged
up, and that vast body of low lands around us
saturated with moisture, all our endeavors will
be wasted, all the money we have spent thrown
as 1t were into the fire, and the now thriving
city VIII, in all probability be again called upon
TO face calamity like that of 1876. when, with
q treasury "a Daafa
her credit destroyed, her reputation for health
gone, she trembled on the verge of absolute
ruin
The history of yellow fever shows that it has
never ragged here as an epidemic, except when
the summers heat was intense and long con-
tlnued, when the rainfall was excessive, the soil
saturated and the city filthy.
Soil saturation can be prevented by drainage
and filth can be removed
It is by their prevent on and removal that
cities north of US, formerly more liable to vel
low fever epidemics than Savannah have Sc
cured immunity from their visitations 1t is
certainly our imperative duty to employ the
same measures II we wish to secure the same
immunity.
WHAT THE REPORT SHOWS.
The burden OF this annual report is TO show
that the lands surrounding the city are now in
condition of excessive moisture; that the accu-
mutation OF filth in the city is beyond the belief
Of its inhabitants, and thereby to enlist the
moral and material aid of our influential citi-
zens to have these nuisances permanently
dD8leQ as soon as pracClcaDle.
On the eastern slope of our bluff from the
river to Perry street lane within q stone throw
OF thckly populatedistreets in the Savannah
Florida and Western railway yard, as far south
as the shops, and in various other places alonx
this road extending to a point far beyond Anier-
son street. the ground is in a chronic state of
soobness, and must so remain until the system
of draining by open bitches shall have heen
abandoned and replaced by proper covered
underdrains. On the western slope more
especially from the Central railroad yard along
Laurel Grove and the negro cemeteries as far
south as the extended limits, the came remarks
will apply.
consid derabe part of the Savannah, Florida
and Western railway yard has been recently
underdrained, so have Lovers lane and Waters
road as far south as Estil avenue. and the sue
cess obtained in rendering these places dry and
healthy by these covered drains should 1t
would seem, be sufficient inducement to extend
the same system wherever it is required in and
y ABOUT the city to secure permanently the re-
health.
Extending fully half mile TO the eastward
from the foot of the bluff are the Lamar and
Lawton tracts. Here the city keeps q gang of
men men pretty steadily at work IN trying to keep
Che SOIL dry by clearing the drains, but grazing
cattle and horses are continually trampling over
them. Moreover, this land lies SO low that tie
Grams always hold water aud keep the soil
uamp After heavy rains water stagnates upon
Iue surface, and IN summer it becomes green
and dangerous.
THOROUGH DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
After so many years Of costly failures in try
ing 70 drain this land, is not the time yet at
Ahnd when our money shall be spent upon q
pan likely TO succeed? And is not the only
pian likely to succeed ono that will carry the
ground water where the tides will not impede ite
now: Should drain for the outflow of the
CITY sewrage be laid at a suitable level this
pense.
Inc low lands lying in the west of the city
are IN sanitary condition scarcely better than
tnose Just spoken of, and are dangerous to the
nhaoItauts of this city every hot and wet sea-
Ihey should be drained upon some wellma-
surel plan which will permanently remove that
source of danger
1ne wharves and the lands belonging to the
eaIlous railroad companies are all unsanitary
Si SSuu capaole OF producing malaria and other
uisoases every summer and fall AS all this
property Is within the jurisdctonal or corpo-
@ ase UNITS OF the city, it is in the power of our
representatives in council to have every foot OF
thoroughly and permanently drained, and
'u'S ought TO be done without delay.
THE CoUNTY's DRAINAGE
aOutslde OF the extended limits and within the
M oetahee OF a mile east south and west from the
M y' mere are number of places covered with
M sHsuant water, and large areas of wet, sobby
ia, winch were last fall the cause of great
W 1aLease IN the number of cases of nalarial
M S,eI among the people living in those sections.
sH5 U several years previous these lands were dry
H# a. healthy, because they bad been carefully
mS5mIed This work of draining was begun i'm
"eTllately after the epidemic of 1876
s,,,ue state board of health then in existence,