Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-04-01
need OF Sewerage
IS MOST IMPERATIVE
So Declares City Physician
ChambIiSS

Inc imperative needs OF AIueTlCuS IS
regards the extension of the sewerage
system, the fate of which will be decid-
ed next week at the bond election, were
definitely pointed out yesterday by
City Physician J. W. Chambliss in an
interview with a representative OF
The Times-Recorder.
An important feature of the sttua-
ton, which is often overlooked, is
that in the business section of the city
there are unsewered places SO close 20
severed areas that infection of the
severed areas by means of flies, filth
and other agencies cannot be prevent
ed. Instance5N were sighted of meat
markets and grocery stores that have
mo sewerage and which make possible
the infection of their stocks by means
of flies. In this way typhoid fever and
other infectious diseases might be lit
orally scattered over every section II
the town.
Especially is it true on the north and
west sides where the unsewered tracts
approach so closely to the severed
areas that the value of the sewerage is
likely to be cancelled by the introduc-
ton of infection from the unsewered
portions This is, of course, a menace
not only to the business section of the
city but to all sections to which goods
| bought in the unsewered districts may
be taken
1t was urged by Dr. Chambliss that
the residence sections of the city can
not build up until sewerage is intro
duced into the districts where building
lots are available People who have
been accustomed to the conveniences
of sewerage will not live where they
cannot obtain them. A number of fam
lilies have been handicapped in secur-
ing homes in the city on account OF
the fact that no sewerage was avail
able where they would like to build. In
fact, most people have become so care
full about the necessity of sewerage for
health that they will not live in houses
that do not afford such facilities. The
Ireasonableness of the position of those
who hold this opinion was proved 0y
the statistics taken by DR.. Chambliss
during the lase epidemic of typhoil
fever, when it was found that there
We're three or four cases of fever il
unsewered districts to one in severed
areas, Notwithstanding the fact that the
severed areas were far more densely
populated.
The experience of smaller towns
where sewerage has recently been in.
!, troduced goes further to prove the cor
rectness of this view. Instances arr
numerous where unsewered smalle
towns reduced the mortality and the
prevalence of general sickness a
much as 50 per cent by the installation
of sewerage.
"A great many residents of the cit.
show their appreciation of the nece8
sity of sewerage by installing ces
pools or other individual drainage con
veniencies in unsewered districts il
order to insure themselves agains
sickness that is known to be caused b.
lack of sewerage facilities.
The objection that the installation o
sewerage will be very expensive Il
those who will be affected by the eX
tending of the sewerage system,
answered by showing that the installa
ton of sewerage facilities greatly ell
hances property. The APPARENT eXpens
is thus more than overcome by the ap
probation in value