St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-10-15


are from one to tWenty-three closet
in each Of these places. All of thes,
sanitary closets discharge into cess
pools. These cess-pools are Of al
kinds and variety, ranging from ;
simple boxed hole in the ground to
septic tank built in accordance will
the latest views Of sanitary engineers
In several instances old wells are
used. OF the fifty-three cess-pools
investigated, twelve overflow into
the streets, eleven into Bayou lesson,
two in Rawls gully, and twenty
eight have no overflow, being what is
known as blind sewerage. The
twelve that overflow into the streets
are built with a filter which is sup
posed and intended to purify the CON
tents before they are discharged into
the streets. But this theory holds
good only in few instances, for the
liberation does not render the sew
age absolutely pure and innocuous.
This impure sewage, as discharged
into the streets, if not purified by
sunshine, and this cannot always be
done, viii in time pollute the cutters,
and Wnen these cutters are cleaned
and their contents thrown into the
streets, we are compelled to inhale
polluted dust that eventually arises
from this polluted dirt. Those cess
pools that have no overflow, and are
very appropriately called blind sewer
age, are in greatest faver with the
people; first, because they do not en-
tail the cost of a filter or discharge
pipe, and secondly, because they are
apparently harmless and produce no
trouble. But this idea Of harmless
ness, so prevalent, is erroneous. The
contents Of these blind cess-pools are
absorbed into the earth, causing soil
pollution, which in time when the
eess-pools become numerous enough,
will increase the unsanitary condi-
lions of the city to such an extent as
20 invite the spread Of diphtheria,
scarlet fever, typhoid fever, measles,
or any other infectious or contagious
disease with which cur city may be-
come infected. The old well is Moth
ng more nor less than blind sewer
sge.
The eleven cess-pools that have
heir overflow into Bayou lesson will
produce less harm than the Others.
,ut they are far from being harmless.
These eleven cess-pooIs receive the
discharges from much larger num-
,er of sanitary closets, as they serve
he hotel, court house, jail, banks and
'ther buildings, Some years ago.
vhen it was proposed to place sani-
ary closets in the court house ard
all and to discharge the overflow IF
he cess-pool thereof into Bayou Tes-
on, the sanitary officer Of the pres
mt Board Of Health, then connected
With the city in another official capa-
itg, objected, for the reason that, |
few cess-pools would not |
nuisance, when the number
7as increased they certainly would, |
ecause of the fact that the volume I
t water in the Bayou would not be-
ufficlent to carry off the sewage
nickly enough to prevent It from
reducing nuisance. But the con-
ractor told the council of the method
f purifying sewage by dilution, and
Tent so far as to state that by the
me the sewage reached the gully it
.onld be SO thoroughly purified that
could not produce nuisance, The
ouncil accepted the views of the
and the sewerage system
the court house and jail was in
5alled. For long time there was
. trouble, but other sanitary closets
ere installed in various buildings
I'D residences and the number of
ess-peols having their overflow into
le gully have been increased until
w we are confronted with the con-
tion Of having SO much sewage dis
larged into the gully that the vol
ne of water and current does not
Ike it away fast enough to prevent
producing a nuisance. This being
g case, the remedy is patent in !
ease the volume of water in the Iu
lily, or decrease the number of cess Z
,ols emptying therein. But either
e of these remedies will be only !
itting the trouble further off, and G
II not remedy the evil for all time. h
After thorough consideration of
points relating to this question, t
8 Board of Health has but one 0
ethod to suggest for the absolute
d complete removal Of this nuisance
d danger to the health Of the city, d
d that method is the installing Of a
nplete and up to date sewerage q.
stem. It is the only remedy. The
nitary closets are here TO stay, and S,
cir numbers will continue to IN
ease Every new cess-pool, dug Or
lit, is an additional factor towards
increase Of the unsanitary condi- L
n of our city. Installing q sewer j;
fctav,tss.Y,,.es ~, vxaovs, ~ a,