The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-04-25

assessor IL.
cradle money to keep the entire city
maintained. During the past few years
of rigid economy, necessary improve
ments were so neglected that now
much money must be expended in
order that our streets and sidewalks
may be put in proper shape. There
is limit to funds for this purpose and
the road that gets proper attention is
indeed lucky. Alderman Sang received
$500 to improve the Proctor Knott road.
While this = s entirely too Inadequate
yet it was all that could be afforded at
this time. Some steps should be taken
to see that every road leading to the city
gets proper care. It is the duty of this
city to encourage the agriculture de
velopment of the neighboring vicinity
for it will mean. much to Duluth. 1t
will help to decrease the cost of living
here and what more is necessary than
this? One way to encourage farming
is to build good roads. The city council
cannot afford to turn a deaf ear to de-
mands for better roads.
That the public water supply of St.
Louis is in danger of pollution from the
sewage Of Chicago has been circum-
stantial]y demonstrated by DR.. Ravold,
former City Bacteriologist of the form
er place, in his testimony before the
Chicago Drainage Canal Commission.
DR.. Ravold stated that imported bac-
terra such as are entirely foreign to
the vicinity of Chicago were dumped
in quantity into the drainage canal
near Chicago and in a few days bac-
terra of this same kind were taken
from the river at St. Louis where no
such bacteria had ever been found be-
fore. This was partial evidence that
the pollution from the drainage canal
was polluting the water of all the cities
and towns that obtained it from the
Mississippi River below where the ILL
nois River meets the other.
After a number of deaths of typhoid
among the students OF Cornell Univer-
| sity and residents Of the city Of Ithaca,
| N. Y, the citizens were aroused to the
| fact that their water supply was badly
poisoned with typhoid fever bacteria.
The water was supplied by a private
company and the location on one Of the
d
| was the proba BILE cause of the pollution
Of the water. When the epidemic was
at ats height the trustees Of the Uni
versity offered the sum of $4,000 as
| a loan to the company for the building
of a alteration plant, MANY of the stu
| dents had left town, several deaths had
| already occurred and the hospitals were
| crowded with patients. On March 2 a
! vote was taken on the municipal own
| ership OF the water works and the re.
suit was, 80 votes against and 1885: in
| favor Of the project, showing the bit
! ter feeling against the company for
| the polluted water that had been forced
| upon the city. The State Board OF
| Health sent a representative to Coop
crate with the council in cleaning up
the city, disinfecting the fever houses
and cleaning the streets. An estimate
Of about 500 cases is conservative, fifty
one deaths has taken place and the city
has suffered a loss of over half a, mil
lion dollars. But small portion of this
sum would have provided the city with
the purest Of water, but it is usually
the case, the stable door is not locked
until after the horse has been stolen.
|
Rapid strides have been made with
the means at hand by the engineering
depart ment Of st. Paul, MIMI, and the
results obtained after a years. work
make good showing for the city in the
| way Of Improvement. The city built
9.SS miles of sewers, and the city en-
gineer, Mr.. L. W. Rundlett, is of the
opinion that the assessed cost of the
sewers should be uniform as the bene-
fits are equal whatever the size of the
sewer" At present the cost varies ma
terially and he recommends that the
charter be amended to equalize matters
Grading for streets and alleys amounted
to 3.6 miles. Mr.. Rundlett is in favor
of granite top nlacadam as the in
creased cost over slate or limestone is
more than eelualled by the durability OF
the granite. The city laid 4.42 miles Of
asphalt, 1.59 miles of brick and 2.2E
miles Of sandstone, making 1911 miles
Of paved streets in: the. city. During
the past year 1876 miles of cement walks
were laid under city contract and a.
miles under private, giving the city al
present 177.5 miles Of this kind of walk
At the present rate Of progress, it will
take eight years to replace the 235 miles
Of old wooden walks. A recent decis
ion of district court requiring al
orders for cement walks to be accom-.
panied by petitions from the property
owners, will make trouble for the city
as it is impossible to get petitions in the
outlaying districts where many of thu
owners are non-residents. The city
engineer says the proper thing for thu
city to do is to tear up the old woode1
walks as fast as they become danger
Gus. It is much cheaper to lay cemen
walks on account Of ;, their durabilit,
and the high price Of lumber.
| So
An interesting account Of the install
lation of a. municipal lighting plant a
Warrington, Iowa, is given by Mr. G
w. Bissell, who put in the system. TIL.
conditions imposed upon him were a.
follows: The power 1nachinery to. b,
installed in the city pumping station 81
Il aS tO ha ocon0ni "a I1v 0nora rod. III