Evening journal., 1906-09-07
DRINKING WATER IN
TERRIBLE CONDITION
Board Of Health Reports
Fifty-One Cases Of Typhoid
Since August ISt
BANCROFTS DEFECTIVE
SEWER BLAMED

The condition Of the city's drinking
water was forcibly brought to the at
tentlon Of the members Of City
Council last night, and that the con-
dition Will be relieved there Is no
doubt, for the picture OF a possible
epidemic Of typhoid fever was 70
vividly painted by members OF the
Board of Health, Water Department.
and Street and Sewer Commission
present that It left no room for doubt
that immediate relief is absolutely
necessary.
Bancroft Sewer Too Small.
The whole trouble Is due to tho
sewer along the Brandywine running
through the Bancroft mills and which
drains the Rockford section OF the
city. This sewer, constructed not so
many years ago, is so small that tt
has become, because Of the growing
tax on its capacity. a menace TO the
city health instead OF a preventative
OF disease II leaks so badly that tho
sewage actually forces its way
through the terra Gotta joints and
flows into the Brandywine above the
intake OF the citys race. frequently
the sewage comes down IN such
quantities that the manholes are fore
ed off and the refuse runs in streams
into the water which people in tha
city are obliged to drink.
A Serious Condition.
The condition Is so bad that an epi-
demic Of typhoid is threatened at any
time. According to Secretary Wiggles-
worth of the Board of Health. there
have already been thirty deaths from
this disease to date, compared with
3 thirty-hve IN 1905, and even this NUM-
) Der was considered far above normal.
Since August the astounding mum
, Der OF fifty-one cases OF typhoid have
been reported. which Is more than
three times the number ever reported
} IN like period.
p The proposition to relieve the pres
ent serious condition Is to build a
! sewer on the north side Of the Brandy
{ wine. from Bancrofis to the third dam
and then cross the Brandywine at this
e point, and discharge the refuse into
the bed OF that stream. This PROPOSE
tion Is only for temporary relief the
e idea being to later on continue the
sewer from the third dam on down on
the south side OF the Brandywine to
Market street and there connect with
the general sewerage system. The
temporary sewer will cost $4,000. but
I the permanent affair. Is Is estimated.
win cost s55.ooO.
Urge Temporary Appropriation.
a The. presence OF the delegations from
k the Board OF Health Water Depart
d ment and Street and Sewer commis-
4 sion at the meeting was for the pur-
e pose OF urging Council to finance the
!. $4,000 project and in this way relieve
. the conditions until at least the first
e of next year. when the Legislature
s lcould be appealed to to supply the
money needed. Councils loan would
n then be refunded.
e The proposition met with approval
q and the matter viii be taken up by
n the finance and laws committees ts
j. act on at once. Among the strong ad
n vocates of the proposed improvement
'e Is Mayor Horace Wilson. He wal
"a present and told Council that IT shoul,
act i'm the matter at once and he be-
l. lieved that II had the power TO do so
~ Others who spoke for thenew sewe
T. were President Howell. of the Boar'
"a Of Health. Street and Sewer Commits
sloners Gray and Melvin. Water Com
missioner Shaw and Chief Enginee
Leisen Of the Water Department