Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1908-01-02
FOR PURE WATERS
AND BETTERHEALTH
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.

economical Methous OF
Drainage.
A lamentabIe and tremendous
amount OF needless suffering, sickness,
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
taeir numbers Hundreds OF the young
ana 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 few hours
thereafter are delivered through the
water pipes OF public systems to many
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 f.wage contamination e' 'ne
sources a water supply.
After years of ailliction, and at
terrific cost in human life it has finally
aswned upon the people that higher
authority than the municipality must
grapple with the problem and afford a
remedy. Ii is, therefore, OF interest
20 every citizen of the commonwealth
o know about the work that Health
Commissioner Dixon is doing to pre-
serve the purity OF the waters of the
state in fufillment of the duty laid
upon MIN by the act Of April %
1906.
The enurmity OF the task is com
prenended when one realizes the fact
that almost without an exception
every city. borough and municipality
ii Penns sy!yania having sewer sy5
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, privies are almost universally 10
Gated on or near the banks of natural
water courses, which thus serve as
open sewers. BY 20 known mathe
matics is il possible to compute the
extent Of evil the misery, expense,
poverty. lifelong suffering and death
which this custom entails; but it is a
iaol that d large amount OF it all would
be Sriyap from the state if sanitary
methods or sewage disposal were
adop.-o
I. 10 tbe privilege, as well as the
duty " the State Health Commission
Q, 70 bring about just this result. No
short sighted, vacillating and radical
policy could be successful in such a
srsar Undertaking. 1t will necessarily
be the work of years to undo the Gus
tona OF generations and establish uni
vsrsai healthful conditions. Its sue
a 81
emilia shtenment and cooperation Of the
people. The stupidity and skepticism
nf preoccupied and selfish populace
is q 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 cases
a request on his part to the owne,
of the premises Is sufficient to cause
a removal of the nuisance The num-
bsr of letters OF encouragement and
cooperation in this kind of reform
received by the commissioner splendid
ly illustrates the willingness of the cit
izens of the state to do what ia right