West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1898-01-27

To tho Editor OF the Argus.
There are a few points in "Sam
Crooks" letter IN last week's Ar.
Gus that wish to mure fully ex-
plain than this individual has dsne.
de speaks Of 1.-The nuisances that
sre allowed to be imposed on the
people by our town officials. ~
Now let us see how near he is cor.
rect. IL is the duty Of our town
authorities TO look after he streets.
sidewalks. alleys and sewers. Let
MIN at this time. visit the towns
along the line OF the Is. & O. or
even go back into the towns living
Oh the railroad aud he will 6nd
that our town. IN this respect, com
pares f,Vorably with the hest of
them. 1t is true that many of our
citizens fail to keep the sidewalks
IN front OF heir property clean.
never removing snow from them
and III requested TO clean the walk
they usually reply, "Let the man
who put it there take il away"
But IN this as with all other viola
tions of the law, you have redress
through our town authorities, but
1t does not lie in rushing into print
and needlessly assailing our author.
tiles for what is really our own neg
lect. | would suggest that SAM
inspect his own premises and sur
roundings and il he finds them in
good condition and all drainage
perfect, then let him 90 like man
10 our Mayor and lodge complaint
against any nuisance that he knows
OF existing within the corporate
limits. and | warrant that in less
than two hours our efficient town
Sergeant will be around with the
necessary authority to abate it.
When you go TO make complaint
don't couch it in uncertain terms
but name the place and the parties
who are tolerating the nuisance,
and then, don't throw obstacles in
the way of your officers who are
trying to execute the law but help
and encourage them. Every citi-
zen in the place is responsible, in
measure, for the good or bad
condition Of the town. 1t ia not
an uncommon thing that you will
Ind the greatest fault finders in
community are the very ones who
permit the grossest violations to
exist right on their own premises.
l don't know just how many acres
of unslean land there are about
our town, but ] will venture to say
that the five acres that "Sam" al
iudes to are on individual property
and should be put in shane and
kept clean by the occupants thereof.
"Sam" Is trying to create a
klondyde for doctors out of our
town by telling how many typhoid
fever patieuts we have. Now the
truth is that we have few cases
OF sickness in town, mostly the re-
suit of colds. but there is not a
critical case of typhoid or any other
fever existing at this time, and if
he will examine the records he will
find that with he exception of Tom
Clarkson's case, and be ought to
know the peculiaritIes Of this case.
there has not been death from
typhoid In our town since 1898
Why, the very fact that we have
but two doctors in this, one of the
largest towns in the county, and
that the majority of their practice
is outside of the burough is the
best evidence in the world that ours
IS one OF the healthiest places to be
found. admit the town 10 not
what 1T should be. with our natural
advantages and the money that ia
monthly distributed among tie
citizens we should have one of the
prettiest towns along the line. bat
we won't accomplish any good BY
telling outsiders Of our lack of
cleanliness. Let each and every
citizen put his or her wits to work
and shoulder to the wheel and
clean the last years decaying vege
tation off your lots. Pat your
fences, pig pons, and other out
NN''NihS ih sudpo, uIalO your eel
lars, clean your side wake. Don't
throw your ashes and other gar
baRe in the streets and alleys. BuyI
few nails, employ each day a few
moments of the time you spend IN
loafng and gossippiug in improv-
ing your surroundings and you
will soon havo no cause to lind
fault with those in office. III you
see or know Of any nuisance, il is
your duty to report it to the May
or and then to sec that il is abated
and as for our authorities, we have
never, in tho history of the town.
had a more efficient aud conscien-
cious body to look after our welfare.
Now reg riding the assessment Of
property, / agree with "Sam." the
rate IS too low. but the fault lies al
the fountain head whleb fact can
be more folly demonstrated by quo
ting a dialogue that took place be
tween two assessors, one from Ger
rett county Nd. and one from