The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-07
A Bankers BATH
1t Is Causing Much Trouble to
People of Highland.
b. ID. Williams Improvements
Not Appreciated.
TOWN BY ITS EARS.
Question Has Now Become a
Public Issue.
Attorney General Preparing
For Stock Yards Case.

The health officers of Highland, DON
iphan county, a city of the third class,
are having a serious time attempting
to suppress B. D. Williams, a public
spirited citizen who has been defying
the officers for several months.
The aid of the state board of health
has been invoked and numerous law
suits have been threatened against Mr..
Williams but he does not seem to be
alarmed at the threats of war but has
continued to give battle to the oppos-
ing elements and promises to continue
to hold fireworks until effectually routed.
The trouble all comes from an effort on
the part of Williams to enjoy in a
small town the luxuries of a bath tub
and WaterWorkS.
Mr.. Williams is a prosperous business
man in Highland He owns bank and
does large grain business, having con-
structed for these purposes a large
three fioored brick building. In the up
per part of the building he planned and
completed three flats for the use of
families to whom the new places for
homes should be rented.
The most surprising enterprise in
connection with these new places in
which to live, developed by Mr.. Will
lams, was in the construction of a pri-
Vate system of WaterWOrks by which
he conveyed for more than a mile wa
ter with sufficient force to pipe and
equip the new building with laVatOries
and bath rooms. This new convent
ence made the whole building valuable
and enabled those who lived therein
and those who had offices in the new
bulldlng, to put on good many airs
and to dip in a bath tub into which
they did not carry and pour the water.
During the progress of this cOnstruc-
ton the citizens were impressed with
the public Split manifested by Mr.. Will
liams, but the staggering blow to all
this friendlineSS came when the owner
of the new building excaVated a large
n = limo
Then came the trouble which comes
TO every town where WaterwOrkS pre-
cede system of sewerage. The citi-
ZenS complained against the cess pool
1t is charged that the cess pool has
been sunk to the same strata of ground
from which the water supply enters
the wells of the town.
James L. Allen, mayor of the town
took up the complaints which had been
made to him and requested Mr. VIII
l1ams to abate the nuisance. He de-
clined and claimed the right to main
tain the cess pool Finding that the
owner would not heed the complaints
he was requested to cement the pool
This he also declined to do and the
authorities of the city invoked the CO.
operation of the state board of health.
| There is a fund provided for the state
board of health to make chemical an
alySeS of water about which there is
complaint or danger. DR.. w. B. Swan,
seer etary of the board, sent Prof. S. w
| WiUiStOn of the state university to
| f1lSnlanQ ana ne MADE an expert exam
inatiOn of the water in the wells but
! finds that the danger does not arise
from the cess pool about which there
| has been so much complaint lodged
| with the board.
| Professor WillistOn thinks there is
more imminent danger to the health of
J the citizens of the town in the open
/ vaults which are found everywhere in
| the city. No complaint has been made
| against these he says in his official
| report, but it seems to me that it
would be very wise to have all of these
/ places cemented."
The examination of the water devel-
| ops no death-dealiug bacilli from the
| cess pool, but the professor and others
| say that ultimately danger may arise.
| Therefore it is suggested by the ex-
/ perts that compromise should be eff
| tected and that all cess pools and sew
| er vaults should be cemented
| The war against Williams has be-
| come public issue in the city and
! Mayor Allen writes of it: Public sent
\ iment is high against Mr.. Williams be-
cause he refuses to cement the cess
/ pool, and also declines to take any ac-
| ton concerning the matter