Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-04-30
ABOUT LATERAL SEWERS.

Widely different views are en-
tertained by various individuals,
regarding the necessity and pro-
priety of constructing lateral
sewers. When system of sew
ers is thoroughly completed, a
town becomes more healthful and
the death rate decreases. Many
of the older residents of Oregon
willremember when the rnetropo-
lis Of Our state was considered ex-
ceedingly unhealthful which was
at time when the water supply
was not so good as now and the
sewerage of the city was crude
and incomplete. Later on Ball
Run water and thorough sys-
tenn of sewerage took the place
of the previous unhea1thful con-
dition, until now it is said that
the death rate of the city is
aboat as low as that Of any city
In the world. It is probably
natural that people in our snail
towns, having all their lives
been accustomed to the bare
ground to dump sewerage upon,
remain satisfied with their con-
olusion thai lateral sewers are
not needed and that the censtruc-
sien thereof would entail upon
them a needless expense. They
forget that a new village can be
started upon new clean area of
ground where the surroundings
are reasonably pure and good,
and that with moderate care fair
conditions of health will prevail
fer fifteen or twenty years, the
location gradually growing more
unhealthy as time passes, until
after forty or fifty years the
grounds become so completely
saturated with refuse matter that
occasional surroundings will at
times become breeding spots of
disease and destruction of human
life. IL is only few years
ago that the unfortunate death
Of all Of the children ex-
eept one of the family of Wm.
B. Carter, deceased, which was
generally conceded at the time to
have been caused by the impure
public alley near by at that time.
Mr.. Carter was sick about the
same time, but partially recover
ed. His health was so badly
shattered, however, that his
death was supposed to have been
FASTENED by the former sickness.
The same winter several child.
ren Of J. w. Souther near the
same locality died of the same
disease. About the same time
and only block and a half away
several of the children of M. H.
Bell fell victims to the same NAL
ady. All of the places where
the disease proved so very fatal
to those unfortunate families
were located near impure public
alleys. At several times since,
as the years have passed, numer-
GUS instances have occurred where
fatality TO life has been attributed
to imperfect drainage. A proper
system Of lateral sewers would |
relieve most of these increased
dangers to human life. A very |
prominent and convincing object
lesson can now be held ia point
to remind every one that whole
family would not have been
stricken down for weeks had
complete lateral sewers been in
use at the premises.
There is no reason for any per.
son to object to completing lat-I
eral sewers except the small sum
Of money they may be required
to pay for constructing them
along their property. So, as
long as they do not fall a victim
to some fatal disease, their minds
can not be convinced as to the
necessity of the Improvement.
After dread disease has held
them in bed for weeks and
months, and they have incurred
three or four times the expense
necessary to construct lateral
sewers, should they again be re-
stored to health, arguments
which had once failed certainly
would seem convincing as to the
necessity of a thorough system
of lateral sewers. The objection
that the cost Of construction
would be more than SEINE per.
sons could stand and save their
homes is improbable, because
the saving in expenses of sick
ness and liability of death more
than overbalances any and all
expenses. The property thor.
ouoh1u ceuered uan1d he xvnrfh