Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-04-22
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS.
Council Room, April %, IS9

petition of E. B. Brundage as follows:
GRAND RAPIDS, Wis, April 20, 1897
To the Honorable Mayor and Common
Council of the city of Grand Rapids:
We. the committee to whom was re-
ferI ed the petition of Z. B. Brundage
asking privilege of laying a few lengths
Of eighteen inch pipe in the street in
front Of his residence on Court House
street, beg leave to report that said pc
titiOn be granted; providing, however.
that said pipes be laid within six feet Of
the east line of said Court House street.
Yours respectfully,
c. H. Nilsson,
wv. NJ. MARTIN.
On motion, above report was &C.
cepted.
The finance committee made verbal
report on the report Of city treasurer,
for year ending April l, 1897, The re-
port of the committee was to the effect
that they had examined the treasurers
accounts and found same in perfect con-
dition.
On motion, the verbal report was ac-
copied and the committee was instructed
to render, at the next meeting, report
in writing, and that space be left on the
records Of this meeting to insert such
report.
The finance committee asked further
time on the bill of A. l.. Fontaine fer
election notices, etc, which, on motion,
was granted.
Under the suspension Of the rules the
following bills were allowed:
Central Electric Co., lights for March..~....S1 20
A. l.. FOntaine, printing 90
Bill of John Z. DAILY was, on motion,
referred to the finance committee.
Report of city health officer was pre-
scented as follows:
] To His Honor the Mayor and Com
/ mon Council Of the City Of Grand Rap
t lds:-I hand You herewith partial re-
port of the sanitary status OF this city,
which is by no means as good as could
be desired nor is it what the citizens
can: make 1t if they so desire bv look
ing after the sanitary arrangement
about their own homes and premises,
and see for themselves that all filth,
garbage, ashes, and other things of a
deleteriOus character, that have been
allowed to accumulate on the premises
during the winter, are removed; the
cess pools and vaults cleaned and diSin-
fected, barn and refuse matter all re
moved and utilized as fertilizers for the
field; the sink holes drained and puri-
fled. And in this connection too the
city fathers are urged to extend their
sewerage system from a point in front
of the Methodist church to the river in
such way as to take in all sewage
and waste water now allowed to pour
into the Baker slough, and to convey
all Of the same by means Of tile pipes
to the river, in which mannerall of that
. filth that now communicates much of the
CITY, more or less, can be removed to
t the river. 1t is also recommended that
! another sewer and drain be established
. and maintained down the street known
' as the Zener and Welsh street, so com
a pleted as to cut off and carry off the
/ filth and waste water Of that valley. and
that all bitches leading to the same be
kept open by property holders thereof.
1t is also urged that all bitches or water
mains running north and south on what
y is called Woods hill, where the roads
, have been graded up, be so tiled at the
iuncture on every street-Way east and
west, east of Milwaukee street, as to be
made capable of allowing all surface
water to escape without being damned
up. Also ltlol SGNC1 VI pes NC GAl6HuSu
from Washington street, on the top OF
y the hill known as "Wood's HILL" and
/ running on the south line of Drake
street and to be SO deep and so well
laid as to take the surface drainage of
that street and convey the same to the
brook between, and thus prevent the
surface water during every storm from
running into and overlooking the front
yards of all property north of said
street to the creek. This improvement
is urged as a sanitary necessity.
Our city has been visited three differ
), ent times with diphtheria during the
- past year. But with the prompt actor
! Of the proper officers it has been il
each instance speedily stamped out, St
that in all told, including the croupous
f0Im Of the maludv, We have bad only
}. SIX cases and no fatality except in the
croupOus variety which has been 80 pei
cent. of that form Of the mHlady. Il
70 view Of the fact that III case OF innera.,
j most all the exercises are held III Tive
u civ, and the corpse conveyed here anC
d transferred without Il due regard fol
the safety of the friends of the de
ceased and the safety and common gooc
of our people, we deem it our duty t
n call attention to potent fact. In man,
instances funerals have been held, anC
public funerals too, where death wa
7 the result of contagious disease, Withou
due regard for the law in SnCh cases
Now therefore, YOU are urged to pas
suitable rules and regulations with ref
erence to the transfer, funeral exercise
and burial of Cead bodies, which shall
be on a line with our state law
We have had more than a usua
amount of Ia grippe and measles durin;
the past year, and more pneum0ni;
than has been usual with us, some o
which is considered to be due, more Of
less, to preyentable causes not bein.
properly regarded, and were it not 10
the good water supply Of the most o
y the city and extra efforts of the healtt
/ board | am sure we would have beer
J more severely scourged. Iconsider the
poor drainage and sewerage, the imper
feet privy vaults, bad pig stys and BARI
yard refuse among some Of the presen
preventabe causes of some of the sick
ness referred to, which causes have en-
dangered public health more than al
other causes combined. While we ar,
grateful for the cooperation had b1
many of our citizens IN helping to rem
IS edy this unhappy condition of thing
vet the large number who eviuce no in
terest i'll securing this very needfu
change makes it more and more urgen
for a house to house inspection by 9Th,
} health officer, all of which involve
y. much time and neglect of ones reoula