The morning call., 1893-10-03
HEALTHY HOMES.
Rousing Meeting of the
Women's Council.
THIS CITY'S SANITATION
Stirring Addresses by Mrs. Stetson
Mrs. Smith, Marsden Manson
:: and DIR. Anderson.

held a mass-meeting in Metropolitan Hall
last evening 10 consider the suoJect OF
"Clty Sanitation" with special reference
to the condition of the streets and sewers.
There was large attendance and con-
siderable enthusiasm was manifested dur
ing the various addresses. Mrs. Ferry
Smith made a specially effective extern
oore address, in which she rated the pub
lie roundly for its indifference on matters
so vital to health. The papers by Mrs..
Stetson (presidenO and Messrs. Manson
and Anderson were we'll received. The
platform was prettily decorated with f1w-
erS.
Mrs. Charlotte Perkins Stetson an
nounced' the object of the meeting as being
to ascertain more of San Franclsco's sew
erage system. She said she felt assured
that after the meeting those present would
know more about the disgraeeful system
in vogue in the city and would be more
ashamed of ii. She invited all members
of the Board of Health or Supervisors
present to place on the platform.
Proceeding, she said, this question OF
sewerage was of general importance.
Napoleon the Great had said that the man
who devised the sewers of Paris was
greater than he. 1t was everybody's busi-
ness. No individual efforts were of avail
unless the public good, as for instance IN
the matter Of the public sewerage, was
looked after No other occasion could
have brought together such large au-
.diepce.
a city does far more than he who merely
keeps himself clean. The greater includes
the less. If the whole city is healthy all
the citizens are healthy. There Is no such
thing az private interest which conhlcts
with public interests"
Mrs Steson wished TO impress upon
her audience the close personal RESPONSE
bflity attaching TO this subject OF public
sanitation. She hoped every woman, as
wellas every man. would assume this re-
sponsibility for the whole; the "trhlng
penalty to be paid for neglect was dying
this was question Of lie and death. For
the men of our day TO die as they Go is
disgrace considering the average standard
ofinteillgence.
Miss Carr then rendered soprano solo.
.'"Ihe Starring" with such charming effect
that ebe was eneored.
:: NlaIsden Manson, C.E., late of the Sew
erage Commission, then addressed the
audience on the Homes of San Fran
cisco" He emphasized the importance of
his subject from the testm oDy of historical
relics. One of the greatest problems OF
humanity to-day was how to supply Ture
water, pure air. pure clothes and pure
lf0mes:in a limited area. MHnlclpal clean
finess was especially his theme. Health was
the most priceless boon among human
possessions. 1t was more essential to give
health than aims.
.: ,Micro-bi0Iogv. with the help of the
microscope. afforded absolute certainty as
to the causes OF disease. Health was the
poor mans capital Municipal engineer
ing demanded to-day the highest and most
disfnterested talent. As early as 1869 DIR.
R0@elt. the Health Officer, had denounced
thesa@erage system of San Francisco as the
worst iu. the Inhabited world. A year later
DR.: G. NJ. Bates followed in the same line.
Hona Thomas II. Selby had at the end of
als term of flee IS Maver accertGeted
This need. DR.. Henry c. Gibbons as
Health Officer, in 1873, had repeated the
warning. Hon. James Otis in 1874 had
tried to arouse pu bic feeling on the sub
iect. =; DR.. j. L.. Meares, Health Officer in
1877; recon mended that special officer
should be appointed on this important
matter Governor Bartlett in 1883 Super
of Streets Thomas Ashworth in
1857. Hon. Z. b. Pond in 1889, Professor
Davidson in 1SS6-all held TO the view Of
the sewerage system as being the lowest
Id the continent.
. From statistics obtained from the Health
Office. the speaker showed that the deaths
from filthy diseases in this city for the
last twenty-five years amounted to 1883.
cf which 424S occurred In the Eleventh
w ard, wh ere garbage was dumped and the
sewers were specially defective. Were
the sewers remodeled so as to admit of
would be much less. There were 1900
persons sick from filthy diseases every
year in San Francisco, and they entalled
the attendance of many more.
The collection and disposal Of sewage
and garbage were the problems that con-
frented the practical engineer. Some
275 loads of garbage a day were deposited.
What was to be done with itP
The defects in the sewers chiefly con-
sisted of idiotic construction. Sewers
were constructed wherein the water was
expected to ran uphill. This was es-
pecially evident in tha .Brannan and
Pacific street sewers. The latter at Front
street had practically dam across It three
feet in height Contractors had not been
informed as to the general depth of sewers
and erred through indefinite piecemeal in
structions. Sewers were constructed
Breaks in grades occurred by
scores. The concentration and accumula-
tion OF filth resulting from this were con-
slant menace to public health.
sewers was particularly considered. Pal
lfatives were of little use. Mr.. Manson
gave practical methods of how defective
house. connections could be asceriained.
The burden of maintaining the wholesome
disposal of garbage rested with tn city.
The system In vogue in San Francisco
was worse. than in ancient Rome. ZAP
plause.l Professor Marx of Stanford Uni
Versity had shown that Rome had sanitary
laws whereby limits for dumping garbage
were imposed. Yet, after twenty centu-
ries, the exhalations from the ancient
ii am ping-grouDds when excavated were
sitting. In this city the matter had long
passed the stage of criminal neglect to
that of civic indifference.
There were spots In this city where death
had Its home. Dull headaches, influenza
and sore: throats were common IN their
nefghborhood. Especially was this the
case in tire southwest section OF the city.
" There were interests in every city not in
harmony with public interests. Ilde-hll-
iDgs were valuable, but health wss OF more
value Tn the women of San Francisco
as The natural repositories of human al
feetioh the people might look for some
anfelioration Of The prevailing serious con-
ditlon of the sewers. Applause.
:. Mr.. Ames then rendered trombone
Solo.
-; DR.. Lane of Oakland sent a letter
strongly approving of the objects of the
meeting. The malpractice of only one
created an outcry, but how much
greater was.tne censure that should attach
TO those who were responsible for the
"a mir affaats of ka1 SaUaroUa