The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-11-21
EXCELLENT |: | \ |
DISCOURSE s.:
PAPER BY MRS, sH.gN. OGDEN,
READ BEFORE THE WoMAN,s
Z CLUB OF FAIRMoNT, WA.

CLUB OF FAiRMoNT, VIVA.
The Problem which confronts the
residents Of the smaller American
cities In the fine nrt OF Municipal
Housekeeping are ever changing and
vary with local conditions OF environ.
ment. The new city of Fairmont is
no exception TO the rule. It's growing
enlarged boundaries. It's
many suburban villages of laboring
men OF various nationalities and vary
ing standards of morals, diet and
bodily habits. 1t enlarged facilities
for transportation and communication
both with in it's limit and without,
all give rise to'new problems.
The city is not merely shop. 1t
Is more than a. mere market house.
more than mere place in which to
toll. to buy and sell. The city is also
the home OF its people. Within its
limits the home life Of each Of its
workers, with all It's possibilities for
moral elevation and mental growth
must be worked out happily and sue
cessfully or mlserably.
In respect to this side Of community
life, no one can live to himself-wc
are all indeed. whether we will or
no, our brothers, our nelghbors keep.
or.
wish to speak In this paper. OF
only two or three Of the most import
ant and most urgent OF our local
problems, and First. Of Municipal
Sanitation. Fairmont has been often
spoken of as an unhealthy city, Doc.
tors, nurses and hospitals seem to
thrive and multiply. 1t has been re.
marked that strangers, or those not
acclimated, or not immune because OF
nativity are sure to have to under.
20 an attack OF typhoid fever within
the first two or three years of their
residence here. ss+sa.
The economic waste and loss entail
ed by the general prevaleneelof this
one disease in this city within the
last ten years, could It be all summed
up together, would am sure, astound
us all. And yet experts and hygien-
ic authorities all unite in saying that
typhoid fever is the chief OF filth d.
seascs. That the prevalencetof this
disease is n good barometer OF the
sanitary conditions obtaining In any
community. Tried by this test the
standard in Fairmont is very low.
But in this regard our own city Is
not worse of than most Of the other
cities small and large. which I'LL the
river valleys OF the upper Ohlo9basinl.
We are all sinners and there Is no
health In u.s." For years and decades
the upper branches and tributaries
of the Ohio have been receiving the
sewerage and filth and disease OF the
communities along their banks.
Our soils have become disease In.
fcctcd our springs and mountain
streams polluted at their very source.
and as they pass on in their courses,
pour out an ever Increasing volume
of filth and disease upon the cities
anil villages below. An abundant
supply of pure water for domestic
uses must be had II We would keep
well ana healthy, and the fact OF an
endemic OF disease ut once raises
an inquiry as to the water supply.
Some imagine that the clearer waters
of the Tygarts Valley are purer and
more drinkable than the muddy va
tiers drained from the clay soils OF
the West Fork, this may be true but
the clarity of the water has nothing
to do with it. fear that the waters
OF either branch OF. the river Is dang
crously unfit for domestic use. Would
II not be practicable and wise to so
to the mountains to the east of us
and there near the head Of one OF
our mountain streams such as Prick
cts creek or White day, create a san
itary district, and by storage dams
and reservoirs obtain a relatively
pure and abundant water supply aci
to keep II so for many years to come.
The evil conditions are upon us
ms many fully realize. We know that
diseases, preventable diseases, filth
diseases, are largely prevalent among
us and throughout the upper Monon'
t,-t hnp