The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-02-22
Merchants Appeal
for Sanitary
Aid.
DECLARE CITY
NEEDS CLEANSING
= Strong Uttsrances as to Condi.
tions Now Existing
Here.

wv Merchants Association yester-
day decided that the time had
come for the business men of the COM
munity to ask the national government
to take up the task of cleansing the
city OF Honolulu. and as well to request
other commercial bodies to join with it
in the campaign for federal health ac-
tion.
The subject came up at the special
meeting of the association which was
attended by a large number of the
members of the organization. The
meeting was presided over by President
DimOnd and as soon as the routine was
over the most important of the matters
which was to come up was presented.
The question of federal health control
was brought up by George w. Smith.
who offered the resolution quoted and
supported it in a strong speech.
Mr.. Smith spoke warmly concerning
health conditions here at the present
time. and told of the pressing need for
sanitation along lines which would
leave no chance for the entrance into
the city of epidemic diseases. He COM
mented upon the rigorous rules affect
ing shipping and continued as follows:
THE Territorial Board of Health pos
sesses the ability and the desire to pre-
vent infection and stamp out disease.
but it is cramped for want of funds.
There should be systematic fumiSation
of warehouses and wharves, sink holes
and swamps snouiu be filled up ana in
sanitary locations should be rendered
sanitary. There should be n thorough
rat crusade looking to the almost en-
tire determination of what we know to
be the main carriers of infection
The treasury mas no money for this
purpose, the merchants cannot afford TO
contribute the necessary amount, they
have aIready suffered enough.
The reports of the successful work
of the United States government in
Havana in practically eradicating yell
low fever. the good work they have
done in the gulf cities of the mainland
all lead us to hope that like good work
can be lone in Honolulu. rendering TINS
city a clean. healthy place, free from
any tafrt whatever. We can. OF course
get along as we are now We may not
have another epidemic You know
what it would mean to have another
outbreak here. We have not recovered
financially from the last one. We have
one curse permanently with us. Let Us
avoid another
Mr. Smith also referred to the fact
that IN the event of the national gov
ernment taking hold Of matters mere
there would be nothing arise TO prevent
the carrying out OF any program decid-
ID ,1pcn as wise. There could be no OBJ
lection raised which would be sufficient
10 stop work when the WashinSton
government was in the saddle. and the
utmost that the people could do would
b.. 70 assist in the work. The opposite
might be the course if the local board
should undertake the task of cleansing
the city.
There. was some little discussion or
the matter and then the vote was ia
ken and the result was a unanimous
EXPRESSION Of assent To the proposal
The chair then appointed as the COM
r1itta,. TO confer with other bodies upon
.ba matter. and to forward the reso!u-
tfons 10 Dr. COfer. IS the local quaran-
tine officer: George w Smith, w W
nan and lanes Gordon Spencer.
chairman Smith then presented his
rsror- upon the conference held by the
committee on transportation with the
officials of the local steamship COM
rsuies. the government and the FlSh-
on estate. The report Showed tla'
there Was perfect accord between the
irte--tsIand concerns as to the adN!NA-
b.Ifty or having better freight accom-
,nodations for the shippers The com
panfes said that they had regueStti
more room from the government ""l u
could not be had owing To the ''H-
-astsd condition of the wharves al N"
-fr,e The government said that there
g,s no chance To give more room at
-,-s-ant and there would be no money
for ths fitting up Of the Wharves any
how
r,,e shipping concerns said that the
,r,.rlf,- Of the new Bishop wharf az ,
the waikiki end OF the harbor would :