El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-26
''SANITATION
AND SANITY
An Address Delivered Before
the City Council
BY ALBERT E. HYDE,

Sanitary Expert. Of 'NeW York
Last Saturday Afternoon-E
paso Urged To Be the First City
To Ratify the First State SAM
tdry Law.
Albert B. Hyde, of New York, au
thor and lecturer on sanitation, de
Hvered q lecture before the city coun
Gil at special Meeting on Saturday
afternoon. He said in part:
81 have been agreeably surprised a,
in your city. There is no greater
monument to your city than this city
nall. Ittypifes your public spirit and
enterprise.
s'To sustain its reputation as q
health resort q city must protect its
resident population from the diseases
its climate ia advertised to cure. In a
tain disorders, residents of cities can
only suffer through the carelessness or
negligence OF the municipal govern
ment.
''To fully insure public safety city
cannot afford to stop at sewer connec-
tions, filth and garbage disposal. To
arrive at the maximum saving Of
human life every foot and joint of ev-
cry house drain and every fixture con-
nected thereto must be known to be alb
solutely water and gas tight.
''There is state law affOrding this
protection. Texas cities have been
slow to ratify 1t aud the purpose of
my talk is to show You the Importance
of drafting and passing an ordinance
in compliance with that law. Texas
is the only state in the union that has
such sanitary law. 1t is the 6rst
state south of the Ohio river to pass
any measure regulating a business
that Is closer to the public health than
any other. namely that of plumbtn
1.-THE Texas law creates board of
examiners to test the competency of
the laborer who does the work and the
inspector who inspects 1t. Unskilled
labor must be removed from the field
before the inspector can insure safety
to t he slum beriug household. We
cannot improve plum biug and drainage
conditions uatil we improve the char
acter of plum bling labor.
''Such q law does not work a hard
ship upon any competent man. It
does not restrict trade competition. 1t
simply removes from the field incom-
petent and unskilled men, leaving the
field open. however, to the keen COM
petition of Compel tent men. 1t will not
encourage trust or combine. 1t will
not place the industry of plum bling and
drainage under the control OF the men
who successfully stand the examine
ton. 1t is i'm possible to improve the
present opportunity the plumber has to
rob the people. The strict enforcement
of the Texas state law will remove the
necessity for an association of plum b.
ers, the object of which is to regulate |
prices. It guarantees the people bet |
ter health and greater economy; or, in |
other words, it will give them value |
received for every dollar invested in |
and drainage.
"After almost nine years of most |
careful study of the subject, can say,
honestly and truthfully and with more
or less authority, that the Texas State
law, ratified by the cities of Texas, aod
honestly enforced will destroy the
present opportunity of the plum Der to
take advantage of public ignorance.
"El Paso could well afford to issue
bonds to the amount of S250,000, or
even $500, 900, or levy tax, to place
the city in q condition of cleanlines IS
and sanitation and to protect the re-
sid ent population against disease in
sroduoed by outside agencies.
ITO reduce death rates and the ex- {
oenses of sickness the sanitary system !
If all cities should operate under state
aw creating a board of plumbing ex- !
not to be appointed by the I
Mayor and board of aldermen. The
luty of this board of plumbing ex- I
miners Is to pass upon the compe- I
ency of those who apply for license g
o do plumbing and house t
irainage, examine applicants for '
ne Office of chief Inspector of plumb
ng and assistant Inspectors. The G
lily should have, first, q system of a
deQuate sewers: second,a water sup Z
,ly not contaminated by any sewage:
bird, sewage should be destroyed by s
ither crematory process or used, after t
or bacterial changes for farm +
ertilizer; fourth, plumb q
ng ordinance regulating plumbing and
ouse drainage and house f
7ater supply; fifth, q chief inspector il
+ plumbing; sixth, an ordinance re- b
'ithin the city limits to con- k
sventh, an ordinance regulating d
lth and garbage disposal and the &
eriodical cleaning. and disinfectipg Il
back premises and alleys; eighth, a j
ordinance. Dust carries Il
ne germs of consumption. The n
3utum of visiting consumptives, o
rying, is blown about with the dust. b
Iinth, street cleaning ordinance. ii
he business streets should be c.
thoroughly sprinkled and cleaned p
very night; residence streets as e.
Ten as necessary. Tenth, depart tt
lent of public beslth and hygiene, VI
aving plumbing, drainage. disinfec- d
on, ETC., under its supervision. This o.
apartment should have the power to b
der house to house inspection b.