The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-07-13
FOUL GASES FROM
MARINE HOSPITAL
MADE YOUNG LADY WORSE.
MRS. L. C. sIHLER Is NOW CONTEM-
PLATING DAMAGE SUIT.

Her Daughter, Miss Marion, Danger
OusIy III. Due in Part to Alleged
PestiIentiaI OdOrs from the Exca-
vatiOn-Has Opinion of Physician
That Work HIS Prejudiced Daugh-
ter's HeaIth-Mrs. sihler Very
Much Exercised and Consulted
Lawyer.
In the course of the construction of
the United States Marine Hospital at
Abercorn and York streets, a snag may
be struck in the shape of law suit.
Mrs. L. c. Sihler, who lives at No.
1923 Abercorn street, opposite the site
of the proposed hospital, claims that
the serious illness of her daughter, Miss
Marion L. Sihler, is due in large meas
ure to the alleged noxious gases aris-
ing from the excavations, now being
made by the workmen.
For the last two weeks Mrs. Sihler
claims the odors arising from the spot
have been at times very objectionable.
Yesterday morning the workmen
struck six subterranean vaults and
obnoxious gases were liberated.
The daughter of Mrs. Sihler has been
i'll for the last two weeks. and her
physician, DR.. W. B. Orear, has told
the mother that the gases from the ex-
cavation have undoubtedly tended to
increase the fever of his patient, whose
room is facing the site of the hospital
Has COnsulted "a Lawyer.
Il have consulted a lawyer about
the matter" said Mrs. Sihler to a rep
resentative of the Morning News, "and
he thinks have a good case.
There have been some very OBJ
jectionable doors arising from the de-
cayed vegetation which had been de-
composing on the lot for a number
of years. The uncovering of vaults
has also added to the discontinue of
the excavating.
THE condition of my daughter has
undoubtedly been made much worse
by reason of the work now going on,
and if I'd known what was going to
go on / would have tried to have pre-
vented it.
Law Is Expensive. Thing.
'I have consulted my lawyer and he
tells me to go ahead with a suit, but
the law is such an expensive thing
that l hesitate to take it up even when
l feel my cause is right.
The principal count would of course
be the illness of my daughter, which
has been greatly increased as l be-
lieye by the excavations now going
on. There would be other counts grow
ing out of the same nuisance.
"Some of the foundations opened
have been covered up for very many
years. and we are getting the bene-
fit of them"
on the section of the building site
considered most Objectionable by Mrs.
Sihler a livery stable formerly stood,
but the excavations now going on are
in the foundations of an old brick
building which was there years before
the stable.
DIR. Orear Says Its Bad.
DR.. w. B. Orear. who is attending
Miss Sihler in speaking of the condi-
lions to "a representative of the Morn
ing News, said:
of the cess pools and the other eXcaVa-
ton caused the illness of Miss Sihler.
She contracted the disease from this
source. her room being on that side
of the house.
Absolutely no precautions have been
taken to neutralize the noxious gases,
SO far as I can see. Not even lime
has been used. which is the common
est of all disinfectants.
Il intend to communicate the facts
to the city health officer, and expect
he will order radical measures as soon
as he is informed of the conditions eX-
| listing.
1T certainly is a case which demands
! immediate action"