The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-08-01
VILE CITY DUMP
MENACES HEALTH
Complaints of Residents in
Western Part of City Disre-
garded by Commissioner.
STENCIL Is SICKENING
GARBAGE AND FILTH DELIBER-
ATELY DUMPED NEAR BY.

Chicago has locality called Packing
town. trip through this locality is SAID
10 be a liberal education to ones olfac-
tory nerves.
Salt Lake has locality that has never
been launched into the limelight, but
which, IN the matter of foul and nauseat-
ing odors, has a claim to public atten-
ton equal TO that of ChicagO's famous
smell factory.
Complaints have been filed with the
hoard or health during the last week that
conditions existing between Ninth and
Tenth West streets and Third and Fourth
South streets are almost unspeakable But
Health Commissioners NJ. r. Stewart, as
usual. has ignored the taxpayers and their
In the locality thus bounded there are
no buildings. From east to west runs
raVine twelve or fifteen feet deep. This
raVine has been utilized by the city as
dumping ground for all sorts of filth, REL
use and garbage.
The air for blocks around is heavy WITH
the foul odors that rise and are carried
by the wind from this Sinkhole. The
health of residents in the vicinity is
threatened. Complaints without number
have been filed with the board of health,
but the dumping of huge wagonloads OF
garbage continues daily.
Last week the dry refuse was ignited,
and for two days the district Immediately
surrounding the dumping ground was COW
cred with q. pail or Su1IOcaJlnS, Nlle-SIlel-
ing smoke that nauseated men and women
and children and that Slapped their vital
ity and power to throw off disease.
Neighbors Say It's Unbearabie.
The stencil is unbearable at times. "
said woman living on West Third South
street. where the front window of her
home opens on the dumping ground, which
is not more than 100 yards distant. At
times we are almost driven out of the
neighborhood. 1t is a treat to go to some
other part of the city and breathe fresh
air for d few hours.
AT night it is almost impossible to
sleep The fumes and OdOrs are almost
unbearable In the mornings we get UP
with headaches, and with out mouths and
threats feeling as though We had slept
NJ a sewer entry.
The land does not belong to the city.
but to an individual | understand that
a large number of cottages are TO be built
on this dumping ground in a short time.
There is an old, dead, musty smell in
the air all the time. We do not often
get breath of fresh air. The city does
not seem TO care whether our health is
protected or not. / believe we have d
right 10 live and enjoy health. and believe
We should be protected from such an out
rage as this. 1t is not right nor just that
a dumping ground should be maintained
where people have to live and where chill
dren have TO be reared.
Forced to Go Away.
The dump caught fire last week, and
some of us were forced to leave the neigh
borhood to get few hours release from
the stencil of the smoke. Sometimes the
wind blows in this direction the sour, fer
menting smell. and il nauSeateS us. We
can do nothing about it.
'Neighbors have complained to the
board of health. but nothing has been
done. The conditions at the dumping
ground are bad II seems incOnceiVabe
that such conditions could exist within
the city. and that a pestilence would not
break out"
The gully in the tract indicated is be-
ing filled with wires and tin cans; greasy
and filthy refuse and slop pals lie in the
sun; heaps of refuse from saloons and res
taurants ferment in the heat. and piles of
vegetables. vegetable tops decdyed pOta-
toes and other filth of a disease breeding
character throw off foul Odors
Swarms of flies buzz and feast on the
filth, and then fly away to nearby resi-
dences, where they carry germs and filth.
On hot day. when the sun beats down
on the fostering heap. haze rises, loaded
with unspeakable OdOrs
Residents in the vicinity are discussing
the ACCESSIBILITY of holding an indignation
meeting TO protest against the continu-
ance of this menace 10 their health, and
10 ask the removal of DR.. Stewart.