The San Francisco call., 1898-05-06
the water carries the stench of the

the water carries the stench of the prison.
 Just below the town of Folsom can be found several pools of stagnant water covered over with a green and moldy scum, emitting odors that are simply frightful. And yet, notwith- standing this the school children of Sacramento are compelled to drink this water straight from the hydrant with out the slightest attempt at filtration. It is a shame, a sin, crime, and the people should be aroused to the enorm- ity of it.
 Warden AuT has full knowledge of the awful abuse, for in his last report to the Governor he wrote:
 For some years past the citizens of Sac ramentO City have complained seriously against the emptying of prison sewage into the American River. The question has been brought up many times, but no attempt has been made to remedy the evil. In May last the State Board of Health served notice on the prison au- thoritieS, calling attention to the law and demanding that some provision be made to ObViate this difficulty. It is clearly within the province of the State Board of Health to regulate these matters, and they having taken official notice of the matter it becomes necessary to adopt some other method of dispoSing Of the prison sewage. This will involve pump ing plant and pipe line to carry IL out on the farm to be deodoriZed and used as fertilizer. Before the meeting of the Leg islature an estimate will be prepared Of the cost of such plant The Legislature should make the necessary appropriation to prevent the further pollution or the American River from this source. While it is true that Sacramento and other cities are guilty of the same Offense against the law, there is no excuse for State in- stitutionS violating a plain provision of the statute. They should at least set the example of complying with the law, even thpI1Ch cities and towns fail to do O. The public health cannot be guarded too JeaI- ously. It Is not enough to say that dan ger is remote, as no epldemlcs nave yet occurred directly traceable to tnis evil. Epidemics have occurred in the past and will again in the future, and 1t will be too late to apply the remedy when scourge of this kind is upon us.
 Following out the suggestions of the report Hon. Scott F. Ennis, one of the Assemblymen from this county, intro duced at the last session of the Legis- lature a bill which provided:
 That the sum of $15,000 should be appropriated for the purpose of erect ing a sewage pumping plant at the States Prison at Folsom"
 Among the sections of the bill were the following provisions:
 Sec. ?. The State Board of Prison Di- rectors shall, within ninety days after the passage of this act. have prepared by competent engineer, plans and specitica- tionS for pumping the sewage from the Folsom State prison into properly con structed reservoirs, so as to prevent pol lution of the American River. These plans and specifications shall be submitted to the State Board of Health for their ap- proyal.
 Sec. 3. AS soon as the plans and speci- ffcations provided for by section two of this act have been approved by the State Board of Health the State Board of Pris- on Directors shall proceed without delay to the erection of the sewage pumping plant provided for in this act
 The measure was known as Assem- bly bill No. 132. It passed the As sembly, but came to grief in the Sen ate There is no doubt but that an- other appeal will be made to the next Legislature, but the question arises: What are the people of Sacramento go- ing to do in the meantime?
 The coming summer promises the lowest river water mark ever reached. With no current to carry these deadly deposits away, they will accumulate in enormous quantities in the bed of the river, and when the first freshets of fall come the entire amount so accum- ulated will be carried down the river at one time, and the results will be