The San Francisco call., 1897-08-13
MORTON STREET
UNDER THE BAN
The Board of Health De-
mands Better Sanitary
Conditions.
Houses Will Be Closed Until
They Are Satisfactory to
the Department.
DR.. Morse Will Arrange a Pure-Food
Exhibit for the Coming
Fair.

The Board OF Health has decided that
the erstwhile disreputable houses in Nor
ton street, so long an eyesore to the citi-
zans of this City, shall not be opened or
used for any purpose unless they are first
put in a sanitary condition.
1t came TO the ears of the board some
time since that proposition was on foot
to let the h, uses for saloon and other bus-
ness purposes, and an inspection was or
dered The result came out at special
meeting of the board yesterday, when DR..
Fitzgibbon presented the following report
OF the inspection:
To the Honorable the Board of HeaHh-GENTLE-
MEN: AS chairman of the Committee on Nui-
sances l submit my special report bearing
upon the condition OF the alley known as
Morton street, VIII ch runs for the space OF
TWO blocks from keaTny to Stockton.
On Tuesday, August 10, accompanied by
Police Officer Butterworth and Assistant Sec
retary Zobel. the latter acting in the capacity
Of photographer, thorough inspection from
a sanitary point OF view was made of the frame
and brick build dings situated on this alley. all
of which. exceptir 6 the few blocks which
face on the rear, Were formerly used as houses
OF prostitution, but are now witho ut occu-
pants
Without exception the buildings on both
sides, for the entire length OF Morton street.
are a menace 10 the health of the public, in as
plumbing and dilaptd ated floor and roof sup
ports cannot but generate germs and odors
dangerous to the welfare OF the immediate
neign borhood and 10 the public at large
Frankly. l consider these buildings worse
than those located in Chinatown prior to the
inspection Of your honorable board.
Nine-tenthS OF the rooms in both rows of
buildings are entirely without light or visible
means of ventilation. They are small, prob
ably not over five feet square, while the CELL
iugs are exceedingly low A majority of the
I,t, al n Horya I'm
street are quite damp, considerable space
being between the flooring and wet ground
The wallpaper in these rooms, which bulges
10 an alarming extent, should be remove ed and
the wall rebuilt as the only sanitary precau-
tion.
None of the closets are properly trapped,
thus allowing The foul-smellihg sewer gas to
peTmeate the buildings. 1t was impossible to
ius pect several of these rookeries owing 10 the
naus eating gas and overpowerlng stencil.
Several closets in The rear OF the buildings
are simply bare pipes connecting directly with
the sewer, and which, lifting the b ack stems
upward are liable TO saturate the neighbo
hood with disease germs. In the rear OF 80
Morton street is located a closet which is
within TIVE feet of the of restaurant t
facing Geary street The cooking-room OF this
restaurant is separated from this closet simply
by a series of iron bars, which in turn support
shelves heaped up with meats etc, INTENDED
for eating purposes. Here with will be found
two photographs showing the position of the
closet and its proximity TO the cookroom in
practice in a summary manner and viii also
refer the same 10 Food Inspector Dockery tor
action.
. After this inspection, and having given due
consideration to the existing danger and its
nearness TO one of the most populous portions
of the City, hereby certify to your hon orable
board that said buildings are unfit for human
habitation by reason OF their being so injected
with disease to be likely TO cause sickness
both to the occupants thereof and those sur
rounding or near the same period. l there
fnr n hat 4
kept closed until such time as the owners
thereof thoroughly rebuild the diIapidated
portions and pace therein sanitary plumbing.
All OF which is respectfully submitted.
GERALD ]. fITzGIBBoNs. MD,
Chairman Committee on Nuisances.
To put the matter IN proper shape in
case legal com plications should arise, the
board adopted the following resolution:
WHEREAS, After thorough inspection, from
a sanitary point OF view, has been made by the
chairman of the Committee on Nuisances of
the frame and BRICK buildings ocate Nor
ton street. between so k.on and Kearny
streets; and whereas, h.ier such inspection
said buildings have been found 10 be danger
GUS TO the health of those residing or en-
ployed in the immediate neigh borhood and to
the health OF the public in general, therefore
be it
buildings on Morton street, formerly used as
houses of prostitution, be ordered closed until
sucn time as the owners thereof thoroughly re-
build the uilapidated portions ana place
therein sanitary plumbipg; and be it further
hesotoed, That the Health Officer be in
structed to enforce this resolution by service
of same upon the property-owners OF said
buildings.
A proposition from the directors of the
Mechanics Institute to have pure-food
exhibit arranged for the coming fair was
referred to DR.. Morse with power to act.
The trustees of the Home for the Ine-
briates sent in communication offering
to turn the institution over to the City,
and the matter was referred 10 a commit
tee TO be hereafter appointed by the Mayor.