The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-08
CITY BOARD Of HEALTH.
IMPROPER DUMPING OF CITY
GARBAGE
some Items Of In3ormation Con-
cerning the Regular Dump
ing Grounds.

The City Board of Health met last
night, Dr. Wizard presiding.
Milk and Market Inspector Mcgowan
reported that all restaurants in the city
We're in good condition except those
kept by Chinese, which were found 10
be in the worst condition possible.
City Physician Nichols reported tnat
he had examined the camp of the Work
men on the new steel railroad p1dge
over the American River. and said pnat
as the camp was on high ground there
was no danger of pollution to the water
of the river He did not anticipate any
dehlement of the water to any material
degree
DR.. Parkinson said he had examined
the dumps north of the city in COM
pany with other members Of the board.
and found that if the west levee was
built a little higher the water would
no longer flow through the pits into
the stream He said he had been given
to understand that the levee would be
raised.
1t was suggested that as long as the
Superintendent of Streets allowed per-
sons to dump manure, man-hole scrap
ings ETC., there the board would have
but little chance to stop the matter.
DR.. Fay called attention to a plat of
land outside the city limits, north of
the end of Seventh street, upon which
was dumped several tons of decayed
fruit tomatoes, pumpkins, carrots, etc.,
and from which a very bad odor arose.
The dump he said, is in the track OF
high water, and the refuse would go
into the river at the first rise.
DIR. Nichols said he had inspected the
dump, and that it consisted chiefly of
pits and Feelings of fruit.
DR.. Fay said if each individual MEM
her of the board would visit the place
they would agree with him that some
thing ought to be done to abate the
nuisance. He considered the place a
more possible source of pollution than
the old city dumps.
Milk and Market Inspector Mcgowan
stated that he had seen the dump re-
ferred to; that it covered about an acre,
and was about two feet deep. He sald
the odor arising from it was extremely
bad
DR.. Nichols thought that in case Of
flood the entire dump would float down
to Sutterville in ten hours. -
The members agreed that something
ought to be done to abate the nuisance,
but inasmuch as it was located outside
of the city limits they were at a loss to
know what action could be taken.
DR. Nichols suggested that the only
method to pursue was to instruct pro-
prietors of canneries and others who
used the dump to haul their garbage
to the regular dumps.
In the end the matter was referred
to the Secretary with instructions to
Investigate and act
Dr. Fay also said that he had visited
the dumps at Fourteenth and Y streets,
and that the man in charge told him
that no earth had been put on the
dumps since July 9th. other than street
sweepings. The individual in charge
also told him that he was hired by the
Superintendent of Streets, and received
81 day; that he could not live on that
sum, and was accordingly obliged to
pick the rags and old clothes from the
garbage dumped OF late he had learned
which cloths and rags came from un-
dertaking establishments and left them,
but the rest he baled and sold, realizing
about 80 cents per day from the bust
ness. Dr. ray SAID ne cOulu LINK VI
no better way of spreading disease than
by baling rags indiscriminately, taking
those which came from sckrooms.
Lighthouses and other places and put
ting them on the market. He thought
that the Superintendent of Streets
might prevailed upon to give his
employee and extra so cents.
He finally moved that no person be
permitted to take rags from the dumps
for marketing, but the motion was lost,
Drs Parkinson and Henderson calling
attention to the fact that rags were
gathered indiscriminately from all over
the world. Dr. Parkinson said he al
ways instructed his patients to burn
all rags from the sick room, and saw
to it that his instructions were car
RED out- 4ess o
DR.. Nichols said he had frequently
gone after the Trustees to have earth
placed on the dumps, and that they had
informed him that it would be attended
to as soon as funds were to be had. He
said the odors arising from the dump
Were not so rank as they used to be.
DR.. Fay said the reason for that was