The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-11-21
he waters q IL west Fork. an

+. 1 III 4" H"-.aHl . & .
remedy. We must have ,corfect. infor
nation on, this. and many other prob
lens OF water supply pollution. and
many other ,unsan!tary conditions,
whic breed disease and death GROUND.
us on every side. The city OF Fair.
mont should create d health depart.
ment, which may set aboutat once UP.
on the scientific investigation OF all
unsanitary. conditions affecting the
lives and health OF her citizens.
While tho problems Of sanitation
are always local nevertheness such
a department would render great
public service not only TO our own
citizens. but also point the way of
our sister cities to solve their own
like problems, Ten Thousand dollars
per year, would be small expendl.
ture for such service-a service of
which every man, woman and child
would share the benefit. directly and
Indirectly. and therefore ought TO be
undertaken by. and the cost borne By
the whole community through its city
government.
"A Public Market House. @
Next wish to speak briefly Of an
other need in our business of city
house keeping-and that Is our food
supply-It should be better and cheap
er. Fairmont is comparatively city
81 high prices and poor quality In its
market supply Of things to eat"
This Seems to be true In all lines--
meats, Vegetables. firm products and
staple groceries. f. one ., considers
quality as well as price. IN the item
of food 'stuffs. apart from house rent
and apparel. there are many larger
cities-7notably Baltimore and Chi
cago where family can live better
with less cost than in Fairmont.
This is not due TO the higher cost
of living" which has characterized
our whole country in recent years:
but chiefly to local conditions. Our
market gardens are few and small.
even our local milk supply is hardly
sufficient The farmer peldling his
fruits and vegetables upon our streets
is not frequent sight, and CAR loads
OF common garden vegetables are con-
ctantly brought by our Commission
Houses and by rail from distant
states. mr.,
Economically, this is all wrong.
No small community like ours. sur
rounded by fertile farm lands. should
give itself so completely over. 10 min.
ing. manufacturing. trade or indus
trial labors as to neglect the prime
and eternal source Of all wealth. the
cultivation of the SOIL To properly
stimulate these local productions Of
the garden and the farm, the city
should set apart and establish n pub.
| lie market place, and market days
where the grower and the consumer
can meet each other face 10 face.
| dealing for cash. and at fair prices.
The Public Market House has been
the institution whereby many cities
have greatly reduced to their citizens
the cost of living and have stimula.
ted the development and PRODUCTIVE
ity of the adjacent country districts.
The cities of the old world where the
cost OF living is always held down 10
the minimum; early learned the sec.
ret of the free open and unlimited
competition in the Public Market
places in food products. as the best
means of fixing the lowest price.
The cities of Baltimore and Chicago
nave for many years been notable for
their extensive market facilities. and
our neighbor city OF Wheeling has for
more than half n century enjoyed
these facilities for cheapening. the
cost Of living to its large industrial
population. 1t Is hardly possible now
for glass worker receiving a week.
ly wages of sl2 TO SIG to support him.
self and family at present prices. If
we expect our industrial population
TO increase and stay with us and be.
come the parents OF future good cit
liens. we must wipe out the profits of
the middleman and provide at net
cost the means of strong healthy and
decent living. This Is n public need
nm enterprise which should be carried
out and controlled by the city govern.
ment and not be permitted to fall In.
to private hands. Another consider.
alton Is that such an Institution as n
public Market House can always be
made self supporting from rents and
need not be charge upon the city
treasury.
Public Parks and Pleasure Grounds.
We also need for the rounding out
of our home life in the city, public
parks and pleasure grounds for out
door recreation and sports.
Fairmont Is yet small city but
even now'it has begun to realize the
dwarling and demoralzing effect of
an" exclusive DISQUALIFICATION. the
youth OF the city.
This splendid Y. II. c. a. building
and its equipment is the finest thing
the citizens OF Fairmontr could have
given to her Youth and Is already nav