Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-04-14
FOUR BLOCKS UNDER WATER.
All Means Of Ordinary Access and
Travel Made Impossible by
Existing Conditions.
VERY BAD FOR CITYS HEALTH.
Rcceding Waters Are Becoming Fright.
fully NOxious and the Spread of
Disease is Threatened.

The southwestern corner Of Salt Lake
city Is looking for an Ararat For tho
past week or more, the district bounded
by Eighth and Ninth West and Fourth
and Sixth South streets. situated as IL
is IN a natural swamp has experienced
modern deluge, caused by the rains
and the drainage from the mountains
IL Is IN frightful condition at the pres
eht time and sad menace to the
health of that part Of the community.
HOMES OF POOR MEN.
There are six or eight houses, the
homes Of laboring people completely
surrounded by water, and a week ago.
before the waters began TO recede there
We're twice that number of frame is-
and6' IN one block. The people were
helpless IN the matter. 1t required hin
boots to wade to and from their door
ways ana In some instances, IL is no
eNageration TO say that boats couId
nave been used to advantage. A few
Gays ago II would have been possible.
eVen Tor steam launch 10 cruise
around the home OF Joseph Birrell.
which Is at 3i5 Post street. His place
was completely deluged 10 DAYS ago and
the Hood was rising every day until no
reared II would be necessary TO COM
pletely abandon the house. In making
his way 10 the Rio Grande shops every
morning he used big gum boots. ANY
other member Of the family who desired
TO step outside Of the lot merely put on
The Oldest. most useless, clothing 10 b.
round, and struck out 10 wade the dis-
lance.
The streets, as can be imagined. are
In terrible condition To traverse them
with horse and wagon has become i'm.
possible. Drowning is imminent. One
wagon, driven into the bog by a de.
livery man unconscious of the danger.
was stuck In the hole all day aud part
OF the night, the box being completely
submerged and the horses with little
more than their heads above water.
WATER TO THE DooRsTEPs.
Al the home of Joe Richmond on Post
street, the water comes to the edge
or the doorstep, being about three feet
deep between the door and the gate. IL
was worse a few days ago. on Ninth
West street. half-block from Rich
mond's, lives Joseph Geustrer, and near
him John Senger, helper IN the Rio
Grande shops. Both places are i'm the
same frlghttul condition. They explain
That this same spring thaw and its aW-
ful results are an annual occurrence but
this year have been especially severe.
owing To the great increase in precIpl-
t0tiOn.
MENACE TO HEALTH.
AS menace to health, conditions in
this neighbOrhood have never been
equaled. All the cellars In the sub
merged neighborhood have been flooded
and the stagnant water In thmjs the
natural breeding place Of diseasee And
as though that were not sufficient IN it,
self, the great stagnant pool covering
nearly block, Is covered by thick
scum aud the odor that rises from il IA
terrific. This is aided some by the fact
that residents have been dumping ma
nure and rubbish Of all kinds into the
bog. An excavation for new build
ing was the most convenient recepta-
Gle for such stuff and the odor makes
the spot shocklngly repulsive. II Is
right alongside homes. too, Lars y,
0graln, a carpenter living next door,
being one who realizes the danger
keenly.
PROMPT ACTION NEEDED.
The attention OF the News" was first
drawn to the flooded section by a paper
carrier. 1t is not known that anybody
has informed the board of health. But
there Is no question as to the extremely
unhealthful condition OF Post street
and surroundings. Never IN history
were conditions so propitlous for an
epidemic Of typhoid II will be una
voidable unless the bog Is cleared az
once,