The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-13
MUST NOT DIG IN SUMNER.
The Council to Revise a Health Ordi-
nance.

The COuncu to Revise q Health Ordi-
nance.
An effort will be made at the next meet
! ing Of the city council to amend the ordi-
nance prohibiting the upturning of the soil
in the public domain between May and
/ Nov. l 80 as to prohibit the disturb
/ ing Of the soil anywhere in the city either
on the public domain or private property
The present ordinance is not thoroughly
effective as a sanitary measure. While It
! prohibits sny disturbing Of the soil on the
streets or other public property except by
approval of the sanitary board, individuals
have the right TO dig as much as they like
on private property. street crossing
may not be laid IN front of a mans lot II in
laying IL the soil is disturbed, but the lot
owner may dig up his entire lot inside the
street line aud as deep as be likes without
any violation OF the ordinance.
Leading sanitary authorities agree that
upturDing the soil anywhere in warm
weather endangers health. Some of the sauI-
tary board. however, differ on this point.
Health Officer Drummer, when asked
about the matter, said that the sanitary
board looks at the upturning of the streets
and the upturninR of soil for cellars or
building purposes IN quite a different light
from most Of the citizens who do not stop to
think over the matter. The sanitary board
holds that there is seldom any accumula-
ton OF filth Ia vacant lots, while the streets
and lanes are impregnated with the filth of
years, especially the lanes and that is why
the distinction is made. Health Officer
Drummer cited the fact that when
West Broad street, from Brough-
ton to River, WAS upturned last
year for sewer purposes the soil was found
20 be soiled as deep as thirty-six inches.
This, he says, is never the case IN excavatinR
lot for cellar or bui ding purposes.
Mayor MoDonough said that the ordi-
nance is so framed that the sanitary board
can stop any excavations it likes, and sup
poses that the board will not allow any
thing TO be done detrimental to the health
Of the citizens. Personally he does not put
much faith in the theory that the upturn-
ng of soil causes sickness.
Alderman Haines is of the opinion that IL
it Is dangerous TO dig up few feet of earth
TO lay a street crossing it is proportionately
more dangerous to dig a cellar ten or
twenty feet. lie is in favor of stopping all
excavations during the warm weather
Alderman Dixon wants excavations of
every sort stopped during the heated term,
and will bring the matter up for discussion
at the meeting Of council Wednesday night
Alderman Folliard thinks that if man
cannot lay q sidewalk from May to Novem-
Der he ought not be allowed to dig big holes
behind fence probably bordering on the
same sidewalk.
The city ordinance has long been recog-
nized as defective ia that it does not pro-
hibit the practice of upturning the soil TO
the extent that is acknowledged by sanitary
authorities to be necessary to the pressrva-
ton of the public health. The members OF
the council who have looked into the matter
agree that an amendment covering private
as well as public property is required.
The council has a number of important
sanitary measures TO deal with it and that
relating to the upturning of the soil is the
first to be disposed Of