Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-06-15

Sid - b Disseminating Employees \
South Side Plants.
LABOR COMMISSIONER BARTON
THINKS THE CITY SHOULD
MAKE HASTE TO ABATE THE
NUISANCE-SANITARY CONDI-
TON OF PLANTS THEMSELVES
SAID TO EE GOOD.

During the past few weeks Labor
Commissioner /. v. Barton has been
combining his work to an investigation
of the condition of the working people
in Wheeling and vicinity and numer-
GUS suggestions have been made for the
relief Of employees in factories and
workshops. In speaking of his work
in the Wheeling district to represen-
tative OF the Register yesterday Mr.
Barton said: 81 have found in several
instances, however, employees laboring
under the disadvantage of unsanitary
conditions when the proprietors of the
establishments were in no way to
blame. For instance, the employees of
at least four plants on the South Side
are subjected to conditions that are a
downright imposition and are menace
to the health of themselves and the
community at large. At first | was
inclined to think the proprietors were
at fault. but an investigation developed
that they are altogether blameless and
that the city is the responsible party
The nuisance alluded to exists on the
south side of Twenty-seventh street,
in the Sixth ward. and is caused by a
36-inch brick sewer emptying into a
ditch which has no flow of water what
soever, to cleanse it. The ditch is filled
with sewage, old cans and refuse from
every quarter and the foul air proceed
ing from it greatly discommodes the
employees at the McMechen preserving
establishment, the Warwood tool works,
the paper bag factory and the small
foundry located there. l found Mr..
McMechen's canning establishment, as
well as the other three places mention
ed, models of cleanliness and sanitary
safeguards, but still the employees are
subjected to this nuisance. AS | said
the plant owners are not in any way at
fault, and as the city is the only power
that can remedy the evil l will have
to look to it for a correction of the
matter"
Health Officer Jepson, who went
over the grounds with me, corrcbor-
ates my own view of the situation, and
is inclined to believe that when the
hot weather has continued a little
longer the ditch will be an imminent
source of contagion. An ordinary tile
sewer $50 feet in length will remedy
the nuisance, and think the city Coun-
Gil, which seems to be the only body
capable of moving in the matter,
should construct it Immediately. The
city certainly does net wish to disre-
gard the laws of the State when the
manufacturers are being compelled to
live up to them. 1t should assist. the
manufacturers and large employers of
labor in their efforts to give the work
men good sanitary conditions rather
than to retard the much desired aim
and end of the Office which l am priyi-
legged to fill"
section of Wheeling, and the result of
its emptying into a dry ditch can
easily be imagined. For six or eight
hundred dollars the city can connect
it with the sewer leading into Cald-
wells run, and I think Council should
provide for the Improvement at once"
The trouble about this matter is. that
the McMechen Company agreed with
the B. o. Railroad Company to build
the sewer itself, within five years. and
now wishes the city to do the work.
The city has no right to construct PUB
lie works through private or corpora,
ton lands. and hence the pending fight
in Council. Mr.. Barton, evidently, Is
not fully conversant with the facts as
adduced before Council at the last ses-
sion.
"A Box of Monkeys" will be perform
ed by the same cast as at High school at
st. Luke's parish house, June Is, s y. m.