The San Francisco call., 1897-10-16
Citizens Complain That Their
Petitions Have Lain
Unheeded.
WHENCE CONES THE WATER CRESS.
Peddlers in the Habit of Gathering
This Dainty From Disease
Infected Waters.

The residents of Preciia Valley have
many grievances. There are streets
which ramble along over hill and through
dale until they run up against an arb-
trary fence or a row of houses. There is
an alleged park. which resembles public
dumping ground. There are inadequate
school facilities, ana there is a great
swamp which is breeding disease and
carrying death 10 the inhabitants OF the
district. 1t was to devise soma way Of
getting rid of the last named affijction
that the Preclta Valley Improvement
Club called a m meeting for last even
ing.
Graham's Hall, the clubs regular meet
ing place, was filled when President S. \.
Byrne called the meeting to order. In
stating the objects of the meeting Mr..
Byrne took occasion to speak with COM
mend alton OF THE CALLS course IN stand
ing by the residents of the district and
aiding them in the victories which they
have heretofore achieved.
J. J. Guilfoyle, Senator L. j. Dwyer j.
II. Barduhn, president of The Nuevo Po-
trero Improvement Club, and ]. H. PohI-
ker spoke of the evils from which the
neighborhood was suffering, and as a re-
suit I. B. Wizard introduced the following
| resolutions, which were adopted:
WHEREAS. Numerous and divers petitions
regularly and duly signed by the residents,
citizens and property-oWnerS OF this locality
asking and urging that proper sewer system
be provided for this part of the city, and that
to that end steps should be taken by The
| proper authorities to provide to1 the disposal
OF sewage and storm waters flowing upon
the streets in the neigh borhood and the
property and lands of said petitioners
and to that purpose and end certain
sewers should be constructed in said
streets and the Same connected with the
main sewer in Army street; and in order so to
do certain lands and property should be con-
demned and the proper right of way thereby
acquired; and whereas, said pc etitions were
duly hled Tor record, and, in turn, presented
TO the Board OF Supervisors, Board OF Health
Grand Jury and Mayor of the said eftv and
county, but as yet no action OF any kind or
character has been taken in regard to said
petitions, and the same seem TO have been
consigned to oblivion, and after patiently
waiting for a long time for something TO be
| done TO remedy said nuisances, aud as yet
there Is no visible sign any action on the part
of any of SAID officials TO afford relief in This
respect; and whereas, at this time certain
swamps in the vicinity are emptying in and
| upon the streets adjacent hereto, and the
Bryant-street sewer empties into the street
and the sewage from the City and County
Hospital emptles iuto vacant lots; and
whereas, this city and county has, by reason
| OF the aforesaid nuiSances and the failure to
abate the same, been sued on three different
occasions snG judgment has been rendered
against the city in each insta nce one judg-
| ment being for $4,000, one for $4,000 and one
for $4,000; and whereas, at this yerv
is dying OF diphtheria caused by said
| nuisance; and whereas, certain contract
ors performing certain street work IN
| this section OF the city have been granted
numerous extensions OF time to finish work;
and whereas, in defiance OF the laws OF health
and the laws OF tae lard said sewage CON
| tinues TO flow upon said streets IN close prox.
| unity TO the property and lands of said petit
| tioners, and said nuisance remains wholly
! unabated and the same constitutes menace
| to the health OF the citizens residents and
DrODertV-OWQerS in
ticular and to the whole community n GEN
eral, ana further cont1nuan of same win
result IN great peril 10 our lives; therefore
| be it
Resolred, That committee of two from this
club be appointed 10 wait upon the proper
authorities and demand that speedy action
be taken in regard to the petitions heretofore
presented and filed and endeavor to secure the
relief demanded.
and county be requested to refuse any further
extension OF time to the contractors perform
ing work in this vicinity.
J. H. Wizard and J. J. GailfoyIe were
named a committee TO present the
resolutions to the parties addressed
The swamp com planned of extends for
about hall mile from the mouth of Islais
Creek north. 1t Is crossed by the San
Bruno road, which has been built aboye
its level, but with the exception OF this in
terruptlon 1t is great waste of fetid sew
age, covered with rank green vegetation.
The swamp al this season of the yelr is
covered with from six inches to a foot of
foul water. This is mainly supplied by
the lslais Creek, which is the outlet for n
aumb Der of sewers. Upon the banks of
the swamp are ianneries soap works
chemical factories and dairIes. The refuse
from these runs directly into the swann.
Butchertown also contributes its fonl
quota to The health Destroying pool and
earlier in the summer. 1T i said the stencil
arising from the stagnant stretch of sew
age was disgusting.
- Milk Inspector Dockery, who. with
Veterinary Inspector l. w. 'Rourke and
Market Inspector Ren Davis, mas been
working toward the abatement of the
nuisance, submitted Il sample of The
swamp wafer to DR.. Spencer, the citvis
official bacteriologist, and he pronounced
It teem1ng with deadly disease germs.
This could hardly be otherwise, for be-
sides the germs which would natpraIIv
oe generated in such a mass of decavad
matter, the sewers from the CITY and
County Hospital ana from the pesthousa
empty here.
1t is from this hotbsd of disease that
large part OF the city's supply of water
cress is gathered, and it is this fact which
has caused the food inspectors to take a
particular interest in the abolition OF the
SWAMP. Inspector d .ckery a few days
ago caused the arrest of a Chinaman
whom he caught cutting cress from the
foul waters surface, but he hardly ex-
poets occasional arrests to have the result
OF stopping the practice Italian vege-
table pedders on their wav TO the
markets In the early morning stop at the
swamp long enough to cut great GUAM
titles of the green delicacl 1t grows
so thick and rank and is of
such easy access to the San Bruno road
that 1t Is matter of only few minutes
10 lay in a supply for the day. Tnen this
vegetation, nurtured where death lies ID
den in every drop OF water is sold in the
markets and finds its way TO the tables of
rich and poor alike.