The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-12
ENGINEER AND PHYSICIAN
Much Valuable Work Accom-
 pliShed by Departments.
Recommendation Concerning Streets Sewers and Water Works-Death Rate for Fiscal Year Ending
 sSptsmbsr 30 Was 1e.2o.

The reports of D. W. Ford, City Engi- neer and of Dr. T.. c. Thorington. City Physician of Montgomery. have been filed with the Mayor for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1901. These reports have been prepared in a neat and busi- ness-like way by the Chief Clerks Messrs. Crossland and Farley respectively and do credit to the systematic methods of those gentlemen.
 The memoranda appended has been gleaned from the reports which will be read with much interest by all who are interested in the work of the city govern ment:
 The City Engineer.
 The annual report of the City Engineer shows that the work of extending the sanitary sewers has been curtailed on account of the suspension of the bank in which the fund was deposited. He rec ommends enactment of laws by which connections can be forced and surface closets done away with. As soon as the fund is available it is recommended that extensions be made and that laterals be laid in all cross streets connecting with the main lines of sewers. The storm wa ter sewers have been completed on Mo- Donough Street and on Randolph Street from McDonough to Hull Streets. Storm water sewers are recommended on Goode Street, Holcomb Street and Vir- ginia Avenue.
 Street paving has been suspended on account O. adverse decision of courts. Department for isoS were s1s.sis7c, and for 1901 exclusive of cost of sweepers and sprinklers, $17.s33.s5 a saving of $1.S75. 75 for this year oyer last year The amount the year ending September 30. 1901. in- 6s2s5.
 In the Water Department a new air-lift system has been completed and accepted according to contract. It Is recommended that there be another five million gallon pump installed at the pumping station, city being without water in case anything pumps should be thrown. out of use.
 The work of beautlfying Oak Park has laying out of flower beds and lawns. There are now about ten acres in lawn and the Engineer expects to increase the acreage in lawns this winter to about twenty acres.
 The Sanitary Department.
 The records of the Sanitary Depart nent for the past fiscal year show that encouraging progress has been made in all Its branches, notwithstanding the fact that the cost of operation was reduced
 
 years expenses) to $16,Ss4.59, a saving to the tax payers of the city of $2.771.2o.
 There has been considerable sickness; but fewer cases of contagious diseases were reported than for either of the past four years. The city has. in common with other localities throughout the coun- try, seen a considerable increase in the number of scarlet fever cases. but at no time has the situation been regarded as alarming The form prevalent here, was. with few exceptions of an exceedingly mild type, although deemed sufficiently serious to demand proper isolation; hence 1t cannot be regarded among the major or grave type of contagious. The total number of cases of scarlet fever reported was 151. Only six cases Of diphtheria and. thirteen cases of smallpox were re- and 26S cases of smallpox the year prior. Attending physicians have greatly as- sisted the department in the matter Of properly isolating patients suffering from from that members of the families took proper precautions
 In the Immigration of premises where sas generated or sulphur burned; the cell ing, floor. walls. woodwork, and furni- ture, so far as practicable, are washed with bichloride of mercury solution. All bedding. clothing and other articles used about the patient are rough boiled be- fore being returned to the owner. Where a house is thoroughly fumigated and cleansed 1t Is deemed sufficient, hence the destruction of articles of clothing, bedding. etc. has been stopped, except in virulent cases. or where the owner or attending physisian requests it. One hun dred and sixty-one places were fumiga- ted: 1,394 pounds of sulphur and l37 pints of formaldehyde were used.
 Yearly Vital Statistics. Birth returns. while exceeding previous years. are still too incomplete to justify accurate conclusions as to the birth rate. Especially Is this true of the negroes; the number reported being entirely dis