The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-07-24
Health Situation Is Discussed
At Aldermanic Meeting
Last Evening.
No Cause for Hysteria, Says
Dr.. BjelIand; He Makes
Statement.
From Wednesdays Daily.

FROM w eOHeSudy > bdlS.
The council held special meeting
last night to discuss the health sit
uation, and took steps to assist the
health officer in combating the out
break of typhoid fever. Mayor An
drews presided and said that unfor-
tunately the epidemic has really be-
come quite serious, but there is no
cause for unnecessary alarm.> The
hospitals were tested to their ca
pacity The nurses had done noble
work, night. and day, and it was
necessary now to get new quarters. AT
st. Joseph's hospital beds had been
placed in the Railways, which was not
wise except in an emergency. The
council had been called together to
provide care for the sick, for the
sanitation of the city and for anything
else that might come up.
Aid. Gary spoke of a communica-
ton that appeared in last nights Free
Press, referring to the First ward
alley matter, and said that he did
not think that such an article should
be published without comment. The
aldermen should be credited with do
ing what was right. He had been
called up by five good people about the
stencil from the manure pile referred
to, and he did not like to have such
an article published when he was try
ing to abate nuisances.
Must Have Backbone.
Mayor Andrews sought to smooth
the alderman's ruffled feelings over
by saying that this was time when
as city officials they must have back
bone and use it, and must stand
criticism. He commended Aid. Gary
for, his stand on the alley matter,
and he hoped that the council would
order the health officer to see that no
manure piles are left to accumulate
for more than two days. He knew
of very offensive manure pile con-
tanning three or four loads one and a
half rods from the window where two
typhoid fever patients are lying. The
smell was awful. People who at this
time, and under the present circum-
stances, take offense because they are
asked to clean up their premises are
not worthy to be called American
citizens. The officials should pay no
attention to such residents, but go
ahead and do their duty.
Abate the Nuisances.
City Attorney Schmitt said that if
such nuisances are not promptly re-
moved notice should be served and
steps taken to have them removed. He
said that last Sunday he had noticed
on the sidewalk on the Second street
side of the Mankato Fruit Commission
company's building four or five garbage
barrels, and juice from one was run
ming into the gutter in stream half
an inch thick and two feet wide. 1t
was a most offensive thing, and the
company hau been doing this right
along This ought not to be per-
mitted
Ala Bradley, chairman of the CON-
mittee on health, said that with B.
F. Pay he had canvassed the situa-
ton thoroughly and had found the
hospitals overtaxed. Emmanuel hos
pital refuses to take patients, but st.
Joseph's accepts them and is providing
accommodations in the school building.
having removed the seats from two
recitation rooms and scrubbed up the
rooms. Beds will have to be pro-
vided, and these will have to be
burned after the epidemic is over He
felt that the city ought to do some
thing to aid in this work. 1t was i'm
possible to say what the expense
would be, but the city could provide