The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-03
Board Of Health to Ask for New
Ordinance.
Want Better Arrangements for
Sewer Connection.
POLITICS In THE WAY.
1t May Prevent Passage Of the
Measures.
But There Are OthersAbout the
Refuse.

II the city council passes a lot of
new ordinances asked for in a COM
municatfon today from the board of
health. it. will run into the largest and
most enthusiastic assembly of trouble
that it has encountered for some time.
The board of health, among other
things, wants il fixed so that it shall
be compulsory for every closet in the
city to be Connected with the sewer,
when there is a sewer abutting on the
property. At the present time, the
law gives the board of health the right
70 order sewer connections made, but
there is no general. sweeping law on
the subject Such an ordinance, If
passed. would cause hundreds, and
possibly thousands of people in To-
peka TO spend from s25 to $50 apiece
putting in sewer connections
But this is not all the board of
health wants It wants an ordinance
requiring that every vault, whether or
not it is connected with the sewer. be
built of bricks or stone. cemented in
side and out. This means that prac-
ticaIly every vault in the Second ward,
east of the railway tracks. and in all
other unsewered portions of the city,
must be rebuilt at a cost OF probably
SO or SIS
1t is very doubtful whether the
council will pass the ordinances as re-
Quested by the board of health 1t
would be bad politics. because It
would arouse such widespread ana
immediate hostility People who have
built their closets recently would feel
that il was a great injustice TO compel
them to undo all their work
When DR.. c. E. Judd was city physi-
clan he was a great stickler for sewer
connections on closets and ordered
great many put in. The excavation
permits issued while Judd was city
physician piled up at a great rate,
and many people were very mad be-
cause they felt that they were being
compelled TO go to a large and un-
necessary expense. But II the council
should pass a law making II a JAN
offense for anybody to allow their
closet to remain unconnected with the
sewer the howl of indignation which
would 20 I'D would be decidedly nerce.
There are three other new ordt-
nances asked for by the board OF
health. requiring that no refuse and
trash be thrown in the streets and al
leys. one giving the board of health
the right to issue permits for the To-
cation and erection of closets and Or
der changes in the location OF exist
ing closets, and a third requiring the
owner OF lots to I'LL up holes on those
lots which contain stagnant water.
There probably Will not be much OPP
The following is the resolution a.
passed by the board of health
Resolved by the board of health OF
the city of Topeka that we would re-
specially ask the mayor and council |
OF this city to enact an ordinance max
ing il unlawful TO maintain any water
closet or privy vault unconnected with
the sewer upon any premises abuttfng
upon or adjoining any street. alley, l
court or public place in which is To-
Gated any public sewer u
Second-Also an ordinance requir-
ing owner or lessee OF property to OBJ
tain a written permit from the board
of health before locating or erecting
any privy, water closet or urinal in
yard: board of health to have power
TO designate any change of location in
priyy accommodations when adjudged /
by said board to be a nuisance or
menace to health.
Third-AlsO an ordinance giving full
direction how and of what material
privy vaults are to be constructed, re-
Quiring same TO be built of brick or
stone, cemented outside and inside, to |
vided with cone-shaped strainer when |
connected with sewer.
Fourth-Also an ordinance making
1T unlawful TO throw manure, stable I
refuse, yard rakings, grass or trash
of any sort into an alley or street
F'ifth-AlsO an ordinance requiring |
owner or lessee of lot or lots to fill /
up holes in which water stands a /
menace to health of community; board /
of health TO have full authority to /
zdtudge said menace to health a null |
sance and TO order said hole to be |
ter 80 days notice to owner or lessee; |
cost of filing TO be charged against 1
property and collected with taxes