The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-06
10 CLEAN UP THE CITY.
Conference o. Citizens Of the Different
Wards Held Yesterday.
MORE INSPECTORS TO Be ASKED FOR
And . Thorough system of SANTA
ton to BE Commenced-Cfty
to he Called Upon.

the different wards OF the city assembled
at tho office OF City Health Officer DR..
J. b. Massie at 8 o'clock yesterday after
noon.
Among those present were Messrs. Jules
Hirsch. c. Towles, w. W. Dexter. W..
Buckley. August Schilling, George L. Por-
ter, H. Richarls. II. G. Lidstone. ]. b.
CASTOR. J. j. McKeever, Sr.. ]. w. Sta
pies F. ]. Smith. James Breeding. Alder
man H. A. Halverton. DR.. j. b. Massie,
General ]. r. waties, Messrs. woodhead,
and Berger and Messrs. r. G. Ashe and
Dan McNally OF the health department
General waties, the general chairman
on Thursday, called the meeting to order
and D. D. Bryan was elected secretary.
General Wates said he was glad to get
such full representation, all the wards
being represented except the Second. He
explained the object of the meeting to be
to create ward organizations, by selecting
chairman for each ward. who would be
empowered TO perfect these organizations,
all to cooperate with the health depart
ment of the city In bringing about bet
ter sanitary condition. The idea was to
increase the present force of inspectors to
number commensurate with the require
ments OF the work.
MIR. Dexter rendered his services and
those of Mr.. Buckley to look after the
Fair Grounds addition. He said. however,
that 1t was very discouraging 20 the ciu-
zens of that section TO have to clean up
their own premises when the city set such
a bad example by letting :he weeds grow
rank around the new Fannin school.
DR.. Maseie said that while the weeds
were unsightly, growing weeds were not
unhealthy, but the menace TO health grew
out OF their being permitted to decay
General Waties said his idea Of the pres
ent movement was to aid and abet the city
authorities In the work of sanitation anu
that the city would furnish the necessary
money to do the work
DR.. Massie said that at present. MS de-
partment had opty three inspectors ana
one of them was an office man. that there
we're also three inspectors in the scayen-
ger department, but their work was con-
fined exclusively 10 the inspection OF clos
cts. He suggested that the coumittes
could be OF great benefit 10 the health de-
partment IL they would undertake TO ma
cut the nonresident owners OF properly
that needed attention. as 1t was very diiti-
cult to reach this property through the
agents.
ar Porter, speaking as an agent, SAID
that his agency for property was limited
to the performances of certain duties which
did not embrace grass and weed cutting
and. without the. CONSENT of owners be
could not undertake. TO do this and would
10. DO 1t as his own expense. He thought
TIE city should have some way OF doing
this work and making it tax lien against
the property. In this committee work
he said he was willing to do what I'D
could TO bring about better sanitary con
dition of the city. but he objected TO acting
as :, spy upon his neighbor and reporting
them. This should be the work OF inspH3-
tors. The city he thought, should set an
example by keeping its own property cIean
before calling on citizens to do 1t, In this
connection he referred to the very insight
iy appearance Of the property recently
purchased by the city at the corner I
San Jacinto street and Texas avenue
which though in the very heart or the
residence portion of the city, was in dis
graceful condition
Mr. H,rsch suggested that another inn
portant matter to be looked after was TO
see that the ordinance was enforced ro-
curing connections to be made with
sewers.
Mr.. McNally suggested that people
might be forced to make sewer connec-
tions. but he knew of no authority vested
In the city to make them take water
DR.. Massie thought that one good thing
to come out OF the present movement was
to create a potent public sentiment that
would make citizens more diligent in their
observance of the health ordinances of the
city. He said, however that this public
sentiment could not be maintained when
the aldermen themselves were pnlhng
against IT, In this connection he cited the
fact that he had threatened TO arrest one
citizen for violating the health ordinances
when an alderman of the city Alderman
Robinson. made special plea IN inter-
ceding for him.
Mr.. Dexter moved that chairman be
appointed for each ward OF the city with
authority to fill his committee and that
these committees make their reports ia
the city health department. Carried.
Mr.. McKeever moved that the city be
asked to appoint twelve inspectors. two
for each ward, or as many more as may
be necessary to put the city In a good
sanitary condition. Carried.
Mr.. Lidstone suggested that the police
be requested to assist in the movement.
1t was stated that the health department
had already made this request.
Mr.. Porter offered a resolution In effect
that II was the sense of this meeting that
1t was deemed OF the utmost importance
that every citizen OF Houston should N
every way possible encourage better SAM.
tation and should use every means to keer
his premises clean and encourage his
neighbor to do likewise and that every
citizen be earnestly requested to do every
thing possible to keep the city clean.
This resolution was carried.
Mr.. HiMch moved that the health officer
secure legal opinion from the city at,
torney - to the power Of the city In hav.
ing property cleaned UP that was owned
BY residents. Carried.
Under Mr.. Dexter's motion the following
chairmen were appointed for the differ
emit wards: M
First Ward--H. Richards.
Second Ward --.
Third Ward George l.. Porter.
Fourth Ward--H. @. Lidstone.
Fifth Ward--August Schilling.
Sixth Ward--J. q. CASTOR,
Fair GroundB--W. w. Dexter.
NJ. Breeding moved that the city coun
eil 81 mamorialixed TO increase the health
seeyopgor and street and bridge depart
rnents 81 the city to an extent that woul'
- fully commensurate with the presen
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