The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-07-17
CITY OFFICIALS ARE AROUSED TO THE
IMPORTANCE OF CLEANLINESS.
Conference Held This Afternoon and the Health
Officer Is Backed Up in His Efforts to
Battle Against Disease.
From Wednesdays Daily.

From Wednesdays Daily.
To throw every possible safeguard
around the public health conditions in
Mankato, the combined efforts of all
city departments were enlisted today.
Even the fire and police departments
were asked to lend assistance toward
promoting the most healthful and sani-
tary conditions.
War will be waged against every UNI
sanitary spot within the city limits,
from the big slough down to the small
est alley puddle. The health depart
ment has been given authority to en-
ploy all the help necessary to prosecute
the work with all possible diligence
and any unsanitary conditions that
may exist now will be corrected with
in few days and with vigor.
The remark was made this after
noon at a conference of city officials
that there were something like l56
and 200 cases of typhoid fever in
Mankato. This, however, is gross
exaggeration of the actual condition.
Up to this morning but twenty cases
had been reported to the health officer.
That there are a great many people
suffering with the prevailing COM
plant, by no one will question.
Before the adjournment, there was
reason to believe that this epidemic
will be stamped out in short order and
the people of this city will again be
living in the usual healthful surround
ings and in the most sanitary condi-
tions.
Conference of City Officials,
The conference was held this after
noon at the city hall between Mayor
Andrews, Health Officer Bjelland, ex-
Health Officer Heilscher, President
Porter of the board of public works,
City Engineer Haynes and Aldermen
Bradley, Atchison and Schroeder of the
council committee on public health
DR.. Andrews called the meeting to
order, explaining that the object was
to assure the city department of health
of the cooperation and hearty support
of all the other city departments, and
to secure valuable suggestions, though
not to criticise the health department
but rather to render praise for the
splendid successes it is accomplishing
under the adverse circumstances.
sickness in Mankato at the present
time, according to the statement of
Mayor Andrews, and complaints are
coming in from all sources, and some
people went as far as to threaten
damage suits against the city, the latter
which, was unreasonable. But at the
same time the board of health must
spare no pains or expense to insure
the best possible sanitary conditions
in the city.
Complaint of the Slough.
A letter from w. L. Hixon, who is
spending the summer at Lake Mime
tonka, received by Mayor Andrews
after he had called the conference, was
read. Mr.. HiXon complained about
the conditions at the big slough in
West Mankato, and said that it was
said in other places that conditions in
Mankato are very unsanitary, which
report was getting the city much un-
desirable advertising. Mr.. Hixon wrote
at some length offering suggestions for
abating the nuisance in the big slough
and others that might insure superior
sanitation at all seasons.
AlueTIHdN AIclliSOH uecldTeu III
would be found almost impossible to
do anything with the big slough but
dig big drainage canal through its
center with numerous laterals to drain
every foot of it. 1t was ridiculous to
attempt to convert it into lake.
Health Officer Bjelland reported that
his department had just received a
shipment of a barrel of chloride of
lime and two barrels of petroleum and
had engaged Mr.. Wigley to superintend
the application of the deororant on the
slough. 1t was proposed to sprinkle
the oil over the dry grass in the
slough and then burn it off.
Complimented Health Department.
Mayor Andrews took occasion to
compliment the health department for
the hard fight it is waging. The de-
partment is doing all that can be ex-
pected of it and even more, but never
theless the conditions were such as are
deserving of extraordinary attention.
Water closets in the outlying districts
have been flushed by Warren creek and