The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-07
LOCAL SANITATION FIRST.
HOW DIR. LIE HARDY PROPOSES To
CLEAN THE CITY.

vaults In the NOrfhern >ecAAoh Nc
Cleaned and Filled Up at once-Is
Opposed to Emptying Filth Into
the River-He Hopes TO Have the
Co-operation of the Authorities
and the Public in His WOrk-Q uar-
antine Regulations to BE COnsid-
cred Later.
DR.. J. c. LeHardy took the oath of Of
fee yesterday morning as health officer
of Savannah. The oath was administered
by Clerk of Council W. p. Bailey. after
which Mr.. Bailey introduced DR.. LeHardy
to the city officials on the second and
third floors of the exchange, including
Acting Health Officer Graham.
Although Drs. LeHardy and Graham
have engaged in spirited controversies
through the newspapers, they had never
met until yesterday. They greeted each
other pleasantly, and spent some time to-
gether discussing matters coming within
the purview of the health officer. Incl
dentally. they discussed the merits Of
steam as a means of disinfecting vessels
DR.. LeTIardy advocating steam and DR.
Graham differing with him. They did not
succeed in agreeing. but the discussion
was entirely pleasant. DR.. Graham re-
manned in charge of the Office during the
day. and DR.. LeE4ardy win formally enter
upon the duties OF the Office this morning.
In the afternoon the sanitary inspectors
met DR.. LeHardy az the health Office by
his request and he outlined at some
length what he expected Of them. The
new health officer is of the opinion that
the inspections heretofore have been per-
formed IN a somewhat perfunctory man
ner, and that the results have not been
what they should have been. He gave
the inspectors to understand that he ex-
pected a thorough and intelligent per-
Torrance Of their duties and that no
Sinking would be permitted. He will re-
Quire of the inspectors that they be thor
oughly acquainted with their districts, in
order that they may inform him where the
bad spots are, so that he can take action
accordingly.
To a Morning News reporter, TO whom he
talked freely. DR.. LeHardy stated that his
first efforts would be directed to placing
the city In a thoroughly sanitary cond-
ton, and especially the business portion.
The inspectors will first be put to work
on River street. Factors row will be in
spected and then the cellars Of the bust
ness houses in the northern section of the
city will be given attention. The doing
away with privy vaults, particularly in
the northern section, will receive especial
attention
l am informed" said DR.. LeHardy
that there are about loo of these vaults
IN that section alone. They should every
one of them be cleaned out and filled up
and the property owners required to make
sewer connections. The existence of these
vaults is the greatest menace to the pub
lie health with which we have 20 contend
II will be my policy If l am supported by
the sanitary board, to do away with vaults
entirely throughout the city. Sewer con-
nections must be made wherever posi-
bic. A system OF house drainage is one of
our pressing needs, which must be met in
the immediate future. The council and the
sanitary board must provide for that, how
ever"
Dr. LeIiardy does not believe that any
nth should be allowed to enter the river
near the city. "Who knows" said he
when little shake Of the earth may
come and our supply from the artesian
wells be entirely cut off. Then we would
have to depend upon the river. This filth
which is deposited in the river is not en-
urely carried away. but is deposited along
the banks or precipitated to the bottom,
where Il remains to contaminate the water
which may be used for drinking purposes
some day. l understand that the business
houses located on the north side of Bay
street are drained into the river This
should not be so and If it is so 1t must be
remedied. The sewage from these build
ings should be conveyed into the sewage
system OF the city to be emptied into the
Bilbo canal. The drainage Of the western
portion Of the city into the river by the
West Broad street sewer is entirely wrong.
With house drainage system there would
De a pumping station with a reservoir
TO which the sewage would be led, and
from which it would be pumped into the
outlet leading from the city. As to the Bill
DO canal, although that empties a great
deal of the sewage into the Savannah riv-
er 1t has this advantage. The incoming
TIDE blocks up the water in the canal and
prevents the outflow of sewage while the
tide Is passing In front Of the city When
the tide begins to go out the water passes
out OF the canal and the sewage is carried
down the river Little If any of the sew
age from this canal is brought up past
the city. That this is so, Is evidenced by the
fact that below the mouth OF the canal the
north bank Of the river is coated with
these sewage deposits, while there are no
deposits above the mouth OF the canal.
The odor from these deposits on the river
bank is something awful In the early
morning, as anyone can testify whose
business carries him there at that hour.
With a sewage outlet at the same point,
emptying the sewage beneath low water
level, both on the in-going and the out
going tide, great deal Of the sewage
would be brought past the city and depos-
its left on the banks here and the foul
smell would be In evidence on the river
front Of the city as well as below the
canal"
DR.. LeHardy was asked what changes
he would propose In the quarantine reg
ulations.
I'VE will not discuss that matter at
present." he replied. The sanitary board
Will take up the matter little later.
shall give the board my views. II Il does
not accept them, all right. l shall carry
out the directions OF the board They are
Ave 10 my one. But shall ask that they
be placed on record an order that the pub.
lie may know who is responsible for what
Is done"
There Is one thing In which Dr. lie.
Hardy fully agrees with his predecessor
lie found on examination Of the regula.
tons that the health officer Is not only re.
qured 10 attend emergency calls at tins
barracks but that ne Is also required az