The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-27
THE INSPECTORS REPORT.
He Discusses Drainage and the Bilbo
Canal Problem.

canal Fro blem.
Inspector Desvergers of the Citizens
Sanitary Association, in his report of in
spections for last week to the committee
on public health, says that, barring col
lections of water on the surface de-
pressions in a few localities in the vicinity
of the city where the efficiency of the
lateral bitches to the outlets has suffered
impairment from cattle treadiug or earth
sliding into them, the pernicious burrow
pits of the railroads and brick yard exca-
vations on the west of the city and the
continued unsanitary condition of the
Ogeechee canal, drainage conditions have
been adequately maintained around the
city despite the continued and heavy rain
fall and the immense quantity of water
consequently thrown from the water
sheds toward the city.
The inspector suggests that it would
not be amiss now, as the summer is near
ing its close, TO investigate the reasons of
immunity from sickness during the ex-
cessive rainfall and intensely hot weather
of the past three months. He says that
while due credit must be given to the en-
ergetic and efficient manner with which
the city's drainage operations have of
late been conducted, it is evident that
good health is due mainly to the recent
drainage of vast area of pernicious bog
and swamp land in the immediate vicin-
ity of the city, particularly to the south
| and southeast of it, which has been
drained by the county authorities.
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE CASE.
What would have been our fate, the
! inspector asks, during such a season of
| excessive rains and intense heat com
Dined, if these pernicious factors of fever
| had continued in an urdrained condition ?
! He suggests that there is reason to believe
| that these places were contributive fac
| tors in the fever Affections which befell
! Savannah heretofore during similar sea-
| sons of excessive rainfall and intense
| heat. Neighboring cities and towns south
! of Savannah have been suffering the
! affection of dengue fever, and other
! fevers, while Savannah has been exempt
/ during this trying season. He says the
/ people are much indebted to the present
/ county commissioners for their prompt
/ ness in bringing their drainage operations
! from the distant points to which they
/ were heretofore confined, to the territory
Immediately around the city, and credit
should be given them for the rapid and
/ efficient manner in which the work has
/ been pushed.
The inspector says in looking at the re-
/ suits OF the drainage of the Lamar
/ swamps and other pernicious swamps i'm
mediately south and southeast of the
/ city, which are natural tributaries of the
! Musgrove creek swamp, il seems amazing
/ that the places should remain undrained
/ so long, especially in view of the fact
that they were susceptible of easy and
/ thorough drainage. BE says that the
neglect TO drain these swamps can
/ be attributed to fallacy al
ways urged as an argument
/ against their drainage, that the
existing outlets from the Musgrov e
/ creek swamp would be inadequate to
/ void the water flowing from 1t, in case
/ its volume should be increased by flows
from the opening of additional drains
/ into it.
CALLS IT FALLAcY.
! The inspector says that the absurdity
! OF the fallacy has been demonstrated
| that Notwithstanding the excessive. rain
fall, and the addition of an immense
| quantity of water to the MCsgrove
/ Creek swamp since the Lamar swamp
/ canal has been dug, the Musgroye canal
/ proved an adequate and ready outlet for
/ it, and the city has experienced no
trouble in getting rid of the water.
The inspector suggests that il would
be fortunate for savannah, if it could as
| easily solve the Bilbo canal nuisance prob
I lem, but says that while this canal in
its existing condition is injurious TO the
! property interest in that section of the
city, and detrimental TO public health.
the suggestion of Mr. Warng, the dis
! tinguished sanitary engineer. to convert
! IL into permanent outlet for the city
sewage, upon the idea that the only OBJ
/ lection TO turning the sewage into the
/ river is the contamination of the water,
I and as the city now gets its water supply
! from artesian wells the objection need
not be considered, is absurd
Mr. Waring is mistaken IL he mag
| ines that the river water supply for Sa-
! vannah can be eliminated from considera-
/ ton. Has IL ever occurred to him that
! the city may be compelled to return to the
/ river for It's water supply Have we any
| assurance Of perpetuity in either the
! quantity OF fow or the existence of the
! artesian wells Is it not possible for the