The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-31
DRAINAGE ON THE OUTSKIRTS.
1t Is Receiving Attention From
Health Officer and Grand Jury.


1t Is Receiving Attention From
Health officer and Grand Jury.
The Importance of a thorough drainage
of the low and wet lands around the city
Is being considered by both the city and
county authorities The Superior Court
grand jury committee on drainage has
been making a thorough investigation of
the condition of the drainage in the coun-
ty and will submit the result of its work
to the court in short time.
In his recent report to the Mayor, Health
Officer LeHardy devotes considerable at
tention to the drainage on the outskirts OF
the city. 1.-The cause of malarial fevers
within the city limits is due principally to
the dampness," he says, ''of the soil on
the east and west TANKS of the city, and
our greatest danger of epidemic fevers is
in the continuation of that condition. 1,
therefore, urged upon the chairman of the
drainage committee early last summer to
consider the necessity for understanding
these low places, and al his request an
examination of the wet, unsanitary To-
calities was made and an estimate of the
quantities, sizes, cost, ETC., OF the
necessary draintile was submitted
The whole amounted to about
$1,000, but through some misun-
derstandiEg, no provision was made for
paying the labor necessary for this work;
so that only $500 was spent for tile and
the other $500 went to the labor account.
Thus the area IL was proposed to drain
had to be greatly reduced Nevertheless,
part OF the lower portion of Yamacraw,
which was exceedingly damp and offen>
81 n
and along the eastern slope of the city,
near the Tybee depot, some very wet
places were drained and the results were
immediate; in some places where this work
was done in a black, miry, sinking soil,
the surface had become dry enough in a
few days 10 walk over 1t without even
soiling the soles of ones shoes.
From the daily reports of the city ply
sicians, which gave the number of cases
of fever, their nature and the locality in
which they occurred, two facts the
Health officer says, were clearly brought
to light; first, that the greater number
of cases were found to originate on the
eastern and western tanks of the city,
and that the cases which started to in
crease in mid-September were most nu-
merous and virulent in October diminish
ed in number and severity early in No
vember, and disappeared almost entirely
at the coming of frost; second, that the
malarial poison spreads TO places even
where the surface of the soil is dry.
Although at first confined to the area
north of Liberty street, and east of Ran
dolph street it had in October, spread to
and beyond Lovers lane and to South
vile. On the western side, starting in
Yamacraw and Frogtown near the canal,
it extended southwark as far as the bat
teries on the Ogeechee road Brownsville
and Twelfth street.
Hardy concludes, "the necessity of thor
ough drainage of the lowlands on all sides
of the city, within and without its extend
ed limits. Northwest of the city is a large
tract of low land, largely owned by the
Central Railroad Requests to the exec
utiye officers of the company to improve
it's sanitary condition met with Quick re-
Spouse and hearty, energetic co-opera-
ton, and large amount of work was
done.
mot so, however, on the eastern side,''
DR.. LeHardy says, mot only have | been
unable to prevail upon the Plant system
to improve the condition of its property
but l have not even succeeded in meeting
It's superintendent although several at
tempts were made Yet the lands of that
company east of Bilbo canal. south and
southeast of its wharves, naval stores
yard and sheds is in fearful condition
and a constant menace to the health OF
the city. With the county au-
thorities my official relations have
been very pleasant and satisfac-
tory Once satisfied that the low lands
east and west of the city needed cleaning
and draining, the greater portion of the
chain-gang was ordered to that work and
accomplished a coed dell before winter sci
in. But great deal still remains to be
done east, west and south. The influence OF
marshy and undrained lands upon the orr
gin and spread of our malarial and autumn
nal fevers, around which must be classed
yellow fever, is so well and so generally
understood, that l must urge the necessity
of immediate action-so that with the CO.
operation of the County Commissioners
and railroad authorities-all the lowlands
circling the city can be thoroughly drain
ed or under-drained before the LIST of May
The necessity for this couslaer imperative
this year, and to delay it will be very dan
gerous."
While il is not known, of course what
the grand jurys report will be. it is prob.
able it will strongly recommend the i'm.
mediate cleaning of all bitches and drains
around the city and the putting of the
lowlands in the best sanitary condition
possible before the coming of warm
weather.