The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-16

the relation observed between artesian
water and the fevers of the past year
Is coincidence In space. not q mat
ter of cause and effect. Organic mat
ter, even to the extent of fungus and
seeds, has been found In the artesian
water, and on this account some peo-
pie boil II. But these are not sufficient
to cause disease. as competent chemists
will certify; fevers have never been
traced to artesian water; and there are
plenty OF reasons for ascriblng them to
other definite and operative causes.
Sewers a Necessity.
The city has been trying for fifty
years to get along without sewers. Re-
lance was placed on the very porous
soil of this region. People found that
sewage seeped down through it, and did
not notice any resulting unhealthiness;
and they thought this sort OF thing
could go on indefinitely without trou-
BILE. For a long time the coral sub
soil under Honolulu kept things
healthy. Rains helped a good deal by
carrying of the sewage: and the chol-
era scare some years ago did not result
In proper action. The storm broke late
last year. Rain. however. has come in
extremely small quantities for two
years, and the sickness steadily increas-
ed up to the Chinatown fire. The pop
ulation has enormously Increased In
these two years. and the vast accumula-
ton of Nth. there being no rains TO car
ry IL deep into the ground. remained
rear the surface. and bred disease. The
fire revealed On the surface OF the
ground in Chinatown a terrible sight
The rest of the city IL in many places
not unlike that condition. IL may be
said that We are living over ground so
broken up with cesspools. miasmatic
marshes, rice patches. filthy ponds,
Chinese shacks. and other vile and dis
ease-breeding places that there are few
parts of the city. except Punahou. Ma
kiki, and the slopes OF Punchbowl. free
from noisome doors. IL Is a matter of
scientific knowledge that all these foul
places breed disease.
Artesian Water Not Blameabie.
Arteslan water Is purer In dry wealth
er, and the diseases OF the present dry
season are not traceabie TO that source
But sewage and filth, known To be
causes of disease. stay near the sur.
face in the absence of abundant rains
and in view of the vast increase In the
accumulations since 1897, the recent
frequency OF fevers may logically be
attributed to this cause. The condi.
ion will be remedied within a year by
The sewers. No one realized how fast
the city was growing, and although
more oiOrless excavators should have
been provided. the Board OF Health Il
not alone TO blame for not keeping vi
with the increase OF the population
Part. at least, Of the fault lies with the
people. 1t has been a matter of gen
eral remark that the air In the lowel
and central parts OF the city has beer
dead and heavy much OF the time dur
ing the last four months. This hal
been especially noticeable after sun
set. Persons living in the upper anS
| outer regions such as Makikl. tn.
slopes of Punchbowl. Nuuanu valley
and Waikiki, say that in the earl!
mornings the city il covered with
sort OF mist; not white like fog moi
| black like the pail that hangs owe
London, Pittsburg and other smok:
cities. but gray and muggy-Iooking
Gradually the wind coming down from
no mountains sweers THE cloud out