The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-06

Whenever the Economic section Of
the Green Ridge Woman's club an
nounces a meeting 1t Is expected that
something will drop and, generally
speaking, the expectations are fulfilled.
Yesterday was no exception to the
established precedent. Indeed, no
meeting since the organization has
been so interesting. There was a go oi
attendance and among the guests of
honor were Messrs. w. w. Scranton.
L. B. Sturges, s. B. Price, j. H. Ris-
tenhouse. District Attorney John r.
Jones. City Engineer Phillips, Rev. DR..
I. ]. Lansing and others.
Mrs. c. Z. Davidson presided ana
briefly related the previous history Of
the water agitation. She stated that
the Green Ridge residents had used
the Scranton water for two months
and that the housekeepers had found
it a great improvement over the for
mer supply. She spoke of the sewer
conditions in that community. Miss
Gerecke then read an interesting lette"
from DR.. j. II. Fordham, who was un-
able to be present, but who recour.e
the history of the Green Ridge sewer
system. This letter related chiefly to
the UdHSeT lToHl tne StTedIh WsslIu
flows through Green Ridge. into which
the sewerage of that portion of the
community is often directed. He IN IN
told of the menace to public health
because of the one square where the
property owners do not connect with
the sewer and then referred imLres-
sively to the unwholesome condition
of the water, because 1t contains the
drainage from the cemeteries. He had
long been in favor Of covering the
stream If it were to be used as sewer.
MATTER OF SEWERS.
]. II. Rittenhouse was then intro
duced. In the course of his remarks
he said: 1--WE who are agltating these
questions may be cranks, but If we
are I am proud of 1t. The primary
conditions of health are good water
and good drainage. The latter Is by
far the more important" He read
voluminous statistics to show that af-
ter the introduction of sanitary drain
age. etc, the percentage of mortality
dropped to an amazing degree. The citi-
zen can protect himself from polluted
water by boiling it; he cannot protect
himself against the evils of bad drain
age, when people are not compelled to
connect with sewer.
In this city instead Of Offering in
ducements to residents to connect they
are not permitted to do so without
first paying a fee. The speaker then
spoke of the wretched condition OF
Green Ridge, in particularly as re-
CARDS sewage. Garden houses reeking
with filth, open cess-pools and many
other evils will be found existing on
properties where the owners will not
connect with the sewer. In many lots
it will be found that one man turns
the sewer into his neighbor's yard
where it oozes out openly.
The sewer that ran through the speak
er's own property also ran through
the yard of No. 2s school and from
thence into the brook. At one time
! when frightful outbreak of disease
at that school had alarmed the COM
munity he had gone to DR.. Allen and
begged him, as he said, ito jump on
Rittenhouse," but in so doing to get
| after all of the people in the vicinity
and stop the man found guilty OF
| abuses. Later the same sewer broke
out in the school yard and was tenn.
porarily plugged higher up. 1t still
exists on those premises. He hoped
there is enough law in this city to com.
pei it to take action on such an out
rage, which threatens the lives of the
children.
STARTLING STATEMENTS.
Mr.. Rittenhouse then made some
startling statements concerning the
stream in it's course through the GENE.
teries. He personally knew that there
are several acres where 1900 bodies
have been buried. The brook receives
the drainage from all these and from
the three cemeteries. the Hebrew, For.
est Hill and Dunmore. Physicians say
there Is no poison so dangerous as
ptomaine-from the decomposition OF
flesh. The stream flows through the
most populous portion of the com.
munity. The possibilities are appall.
| ing.
The borough Of Dunmore Is now
blocking out a sewer system for North
Park. 1t is proposed to lay it the other
side of Columbia avenue, in the ravinf
| following the old turnpike. 1t will rur
in an unused portion of the city. II
| is possible to turn the course of the
stream draining the cemeteries into
| this channel. Indeed not more thar
125 feet intervene. DUnmore has t.
| cI, the nitv For N, ,r,