Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1906-04-19
Health Commissioner DixOn's Great
Task Is to Reclaim the Waters
of the State From
Pollution.
THE DISPOSAL OF SEWAGE
Sanitary Engineering Division of the
Department of Health Is Teaching
Municipalities Efficient and
Economical Methods of
Drainage.
Drainage.

expense and death annually result
from the wanton pollution of the
streams of Pennsylvania among those
individuals dependent upon these
sources of supply for drinking water.
Hundreds of communities hang in the
balance and at any time may have an
epidemic OF typhoid fever stalking
through their midst and decimating
their numbers. Hundreds of the young
and best lives of the commonwealth
are annually sacrificed to the unsani-
tary customs of sewage disposal Poi
son material of human origin from
public and private institutions, sewers
and privies are emptied into streams
at points but short distances above wa
ter works intakes, and in a few hours
thereafter are delivered through the
water pipes of public systems to many
innocent and unsuspecting individuals.
who rest secure in the belief that the
public authorities, having in charge
the furnishing of drinking water, and
who are responsible for the purity OF
the water thus supplied, are faithfully
performing their obligations
Public and private corporations.
however, even when earnestly inclined
are often limited in their powers to
prevent sewage contamination of the
sources of water supply.
After years of affiiction, and at
terrific cost in human life, ii has finally
dawned upon the people that a higher
authority than the municipality must
grapple with the problem and afford a
remedy. 1t is, therefore, OF interest
10 every citizen of the commonwealth
to know about the work that Health
Commissioner Dixon is doing to pre-
serve the purity of the waters of the
state in fulfllment of the duty laid
upon him by the act of April %
1905.
The erormity of the task is com
pretended when one realizes the fact
that almost without an exception
every city, borough and municipality
in Pennsylvania having a sewer sys
TEN discharges its filth into the most
convenient nearby stream, regardless
of consequences to the user of that
stream at some point below.
Further, where there are no sew.
ers, priyies are almost universally 10
Gated on or near the banks of natural
water courses which thus serve as
open sewers. BY no known mathe
matics is ii possible to compute the
extent of evil the misery. expense.
poverty lifelong suffering and death
which this custom entails; but it is
tact that a large amount of it all would
be driven from the state if sanitary
methods of sewage disposal were
adopted.
1t is the privilege, as well as the
duty, of the State Health Commission
CT to bring about just this result. No
short sighted. yacillating and radical
policy could be successful in such
great undertaking. 1t will necessarily
be the work OF years to undo the Gus
toms of generations and establish uni
versal hsaIthful conditions. Its sue
cess in a measure depends upon the
enlightenment and cooperation Of the
people. The stupidity and skepticism
of a prcoccupied and selfish pOpulace
Is a barrier TO quick results Where
the public conscience is quickened
voluntary reforms will be inaugurated
and benefits will be at once secured.
In other cases the law will have to be
invoked and enforced.
The Chief Engineer OF the Depart
ment, F. Herbert Snow and his assis
tants are now traversing every part of
the State. making examinations of
sewerage systems and water supplies
and collecting data with respect to the
quality of all OF the waters in Penn.
sylvania. More than this is being done
sources of pollution and menaces which
can be abated at once are reported to
the commissioner, and in many eases
a request on his part to the owner
of the premises is sufficient to cause
a removal OF the nuisance The mum
Der of letters of encouragement and
cooperation in this kind oi reform
received by the commissioner splendid.
| ly Illustrates the willingness of the cit
izens of the state to do what Is right
| In few cases owners wilfully refuse
to do away with the causes of disease
in which event they are being brought
into court or forced TO comply with the
/ Another important feature OF the
commissioner work Is appealing to
the municipalities, namely. the utillz.
ing free OF cost to them OF the services
of the engineering department In con.
sultatioa and advice respecting the in
| stallation Of new water works aud sew.
| er systems and the extensions OF exist
| ing ayatems This engineering service
d FaF a