The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1900-01-08
CONTINUED from 1St pdge)

and flushing purposes. Inc greates'
good has resulted in older cities from
the use of sea water in large quantities
to flush the sewers, and in many cities
1t is used to sprinkle the streets. In
time we may have to face the problem
of public baths, and these would be OF
much greater help to the people of the
city were they furnished with sea wa
ter.
cat last we have, after persistent ef-
forts of several years, the beginning
of a sewer system, which is now in the
course of construction. Engineered by
an expert in city sanitation, the nu-
cleus of a perfect drainage plan Is be-
ing put down. But 1t Is no more than
nucleus, for it has become apparent
that it is absolutely inadequate to the
needs of the city even as 1t now is. 1t
is more true in cities than in anything
else that we build for future. Surely
none of us will doubt that our city is
destined to be greater and broader and
as we put down the foundation those
who come after us will reap the benefit
in health and happiness. While the
system now planned will take care OF
the center of the city, there are grow
ing districts just outside which must
be protected and the pipes should
reach the outskirts before we are salts
fed that we have the greatest good
from the drainage plans.
"Tl1e disposition of the refuse of a
city has of recent years engaged the
best efforts Of sanitary engineers. Two
plans seem to be feasible. One which
is most used in the United States is
the consumption of garbage in special
furnaces. By this plan intense heat is
applied to the collected refuse matter
so the consumption is absolute. Such
progress has been made in construc-
ton that now the burning of a city's
garbage is carried on with a minimum
of annoyance to the nasal organs of
those living near the crematories, as
the gases help to furnish the fuel In
Europe, where economy is more care
fully studied, plan which is meeting
with great favor and success is the
sterilizing of all garbage and the SOL
ids carried by the sewers, by subjecting
| them to great heat in retorts, and the
organic matter thus reduced is sold as
fertilizer, practically in some instances
paying the expenses of collection.
Should this latter plan seem feasible
here the resultant fertilizer should find
ready market on the plantations.
"The enthusiasm of a few short
months ago to secure and provide bur-
ial grounds outside the city limits ap-
pears to have evaporated, and we find
that we are just where we were when
the agitation seemed to be bearing
fruit. The cemeteries are becoming
crowded, some are more than filled
and the necessity for provision for flu
ture interments again presents itself.
Burials within the limits of a city
should not be allowed. Medical men
have almost without exception ex-
pressed themselves as believing that
cremation is the only scientific and
sanitary method of disposing of the
dead. 1t has been deemed wise to de-
stroy the bodies of plague victims by
fire and a crematory would be well
come addition to our sanitary facili-
ties.
THAT portion of the city commonly
spoken of as Chinatown" has ever
been a menace to the health of the
community. Situated as it is in the
very heart of the city, the recurrence
OF epidemics having their origin there
must impress us with the necessity for
radical action. With our increasing
commerce and population, with an
of the Oriental populations to congre-
gate about the institutions which they
keep alive, something must be done to
protect the city against the danger of
outbreaks of disease among this por-
ton of the people. The removal of
Chinatown has been discussed, but it
must be remembered that the minimum
of hardship must be inflicted upon
those interests.
"The mercantile portion of China
town is a part of the city's industry
which must be protected, but it would
seem advisable to separate, if possible,
the business and residence districts,
giving to tho La II on. mara room for as-