The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-10-17

| | South. Nobody who has taken tnc l trouble to read the literature upon tnis | subject, can entertain doupt as to the | fact that yellow fever Is transmitteo | from person to person by certain klno | of mosquito and In no other way. We I were nd yised therefore, when informed | that yellow fever was in New Orleans, | to direct all of our energy towards ex- | terminating mosquitoes. The number | of sanitary inspectors was increased. | and every house and lot was visited and the occupants cautioned especially against maintaining breeding places | for mosquitoes. Our object was not | only to put the city in a good sanitary | condition, but by all means to get rid of the mosquitoes, and to induce every person in the city of Montgomery to aid in this undertaking. The physi- clans and the local newspapers mate- rially assisted the city in allaying un- necessary alarm and centering the minds of the people upon the true dan- ger. The result of the work of the san- itary inspectors was very satisfactory. The citizens generally co-operated with the sanitary department, and in two weeks Montgomery was in condition that made a yellow fever epidemic im- possible. In fact refugee case of yell low fever of the most pronounced type did develop in a crowded hotel in the most crowded part of the city. Prompt me asures were taken by the sanitary department and City Physician to pre- vent a spread of the fever from this single case. The measures taken were entirely effectual and Montgomery was spared the disaster of an epidemic of yellow fever
 This one case of fever, though tenn porarily embarrassing, will prove lasting benefit to this city. It demon strated that Montgomery will never again in her history have an epidemic of yellow fever. It is comparatively easy matter for this city to rid itself of mosquitoes. This year the fight against the mosquito was begun in July and our success is an assurance that had we begun the fight in the pre- |, ceding winter we would have enjoyed absolute immunity from the annoyance and danger of this ? sst.
 Sanitary inspectors found Montgom cry in comparatively clean condition The bre sding places for mosquitoes were very few, and there is, indeed, no reason why there should be any at all. There Is no excuse why person should m lintain a well or cistern on his premises. An ordinance has been adopt ed which requires unused wells and cisterns to be filled up, and it is es- sentiaI that this ordinance should be strictly enforced. Every owner and oc- cupant of premises should be required | to comply with it's provisions. In North Montgomery and West End there | are ponds of stagnant water which with an expenditure of about $10,000 could be drained. It Is the duty of the Coun- | cil to appropriate this money and have | this work done, even if other important | matters should be neglected thereby. | The filling up of the wells and cisterns
 and the draining of these ponds would enable Montgomery to free itself from
 malaria of every kind and defend itself
 successfully against any future visita- tion of yell Jw fever.
 At cost of about $20, 900 the city has
 erected and equipped with all modern
 improv ovements an Emergency Hospital
 At this hospital there will hereafte,
 be treated patients suffering from con.
 tagious or infectious diseases. There is
 detention ward for white and a de.
 tention ward for colored people at this
 hospital, and the appointments are sucf
 that no one hereafter need be excused
 from going to this hospital either fol
 treatment or detention. t-E
 | The Sanitary Department ha:
 had an unusually busy and tryins
 year. has had the gravest responsibili
 ties imposed upon 1t and has discharg
 ed those responsibilities in a manner
 that reflects credit upon the entire city
 of Montgomery
 WaterworIs Department.
 The people of Montgomery enjoy thu
 privilege of drinking as pure ant | wholesome water as that furnished tC | the inhabitants of any city in Ameri
 ca. The benefit of this Is not always appreciated. Our comparative i'm
 munity from typhoid fever, and other
 sickness, and the general good health
 of this city, can very largely be at
 tributed to our water Pure water is
 an asset of incalculable benefit tC
 Montgomery People of other cities
 are furnished at a higher rate, water
 that is a menace to their health. In
 these places, spring water is used for
 drinking purposes by the well to do
 to take their chances with the city
 watera and sickness. From certain
 quarters. there has been much criticism
 of our water rates. but upon investiga-
 tion 1t will be found that this criti-
 cism is not justified.
 The City Council very properly de-
 cided to extend the water works sys-
 te into every part of the city and for this purpose issued $200,eOO worth of
 bonds. Plans for this extension have
 been adopted and the work more than
 half completed. More than seventeen | miles of water mains have been laid and a large portion of the new territory has been provided with water Nearly
 every street in Montgomery within the
 next few months will have a water | main upon it. A new stand pipe Is in the course of erection and the enlarge
 ment of the plant of North Court Street | is well under way. By January 1t is | hoped, that the addition to our water works system will be completed. Con tingences unforeseen have made 1t | necessary to abandon certain improve l ments contemplated by the original plans. However, these notifications | will not cripple or hamper the eff l ficiency of the water works system, which when completed. will answer the demands to be made upon 1t for years. | It is very doubtful if the increased | revenue derived from the extension of | the water works system will equal the additional cost of running the water department. The indications are that year or SO It will. therefore. re- | management on the part of the city authorities to keep the expenditures of this department within It's revenue. The water works department will have to be conducted upon strictly economi- cal principles. The Council has here tofore adhered to this policy and a fortunate. Changes in the water rates. ! the greatest caution. For the past year. this department has been manag- ed successfully and efficiently. The acquisition of the water works was a wise step on the part of the city and has been of great benefit to the people of Montgomery.
 l POIfea nanorfu,auf