The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-17
SEEK TO BETTER
THE DRAINAGE
Citizens on the West Side Want
Better Health Conditions.
WAFER is BREEDING DISEASE
STEPS TO STOP mUTILATIoN OF
QUARANTINE FLAGS.

IN order to secure conditions more
conducive to health in the western
portion Of the city. which is at pres
ent the most disease-stricken quarter
OF the whole town. the residents Of that
district viii probably Join hands with
the health department and make strong
efforts 10 secure the construction OF a
drain to remove the mfasms-iaden wat
era that flood The wards and streets the
greater portion of the year. The resi-
dents Of this submerged district be
ieve the stagnant water is responsible
for nearly an the disease with which
they are afflicted. and they are firm be
levers in the old adage that there is no
cure un.l the cause is removed.
This water-cOyeTed section comprises
nearly all tie property west of Eighth
West, between South Temple and Sew
enth South streets. The present cir
CWtOus route by which the surface
water is removed takes il from South
/ Temple street through bitches to Fifth
I South, then west a few blocks and to
I Seventh south, then back to Fifth
South. through the Pitt street addition
and finally to the river north of Fish
er's brewery.
Water Becomes Stagnant.
According 60 the complaint of the
/ residents in that section this system
/ of drainage does not begin TO remove
/ the water that collects there from pre-
I cipitatiOn and snow, and the result is
/ that especially during the wet. season
I Of the year not only the streets. but
the yards are flooded and the water,
I instead of draining off as il should,
/ stands in puddles until it becomes green
/ from stagnatiOn. After exceptionally
| heavy rains the water has been known,
/ it, is stated. to reach such a depth that
/ d. came inside the houses in some
/ plUCes-
Z Al the present time. 1t is claimed, the
4 water is standing over a large por-
/ ton Of the district and there is a
/ great amount of sickness in that sec
/ ton. IT is claimed by some who have
! had experience ia draining work that
at a cost of $3.50 or zoo drain could
be- run from this district to the Jordan.
that would remove all this surplus
| water and leave the district high and
dry. The health crusade has revived
the proposition TO have a drain built.
and il is being strongly agitated among
the residents of that sectioa The
health officers are heartily in sympathy
/ with the movement. and some steps
may be taken to bring it before the
city authorities at an early date.
Flags Must Not Be Mutilated.
In the meantime the health officers
are taking I'D antage of every 0ppoT-
tunity presenting itsets. Offering an
avenue towards the lettering Of the
sanitary conditions in the other dis
tricts. just at present the matter of
enforcing disinfeCtion and the stricl
10 observance Of quarantine regulations is
engaging their attention. The official Is
claim that many residents where quar-
! antine flags are posted are prone to
disfgure and cover up the sign ia such
a manner that It is no protection 10 me
public at all. In one instance the par
ties burned the letters out of the flag
so the nature Of the disease in theu
/ home could not be discovered by out
siders. and the d;shgured flag is now
on exhibition at the Office of the board
OF health. In another case the flag wal
/ covered by a neWspa per, and Dr.. King
. states that the family declared thei
attending physician advised them to d,
. il. assuring them that the board o
health would never know anything
about it.
To cover such cases as this the healtl
officers have included in the new cit!
ordinance which viii be presented 4
the council tomorrow night a Chapte
/ providing q penalty for such violation
/ of important regulations. This Chapte
) provides for the arrest and punishment
J of any person who disigures or con
! ! c1als a quarantine flag or interfere
with a sanitary officer in the discharg
{ of his duties. 1t also provides for tn
t severe punishment of any physician o
o. o-her persci. who advises people TO VIC
20 late health regulations or conceal an
e sign of warning posted by the healt
b authorities.