Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-07-05
A FABLE OF DO|NGS
IN SPOTTED TOWN"
Avisitor Is Much Impressed With
Town Surroundings
LEARNS MANY THINGS HERE
He Later Changes His Opinion on
The Situation
CHAPTER l.

delightful.
Citizen, proudly. Yes, Sir, we
have the finest place in the country;
beautiful mountain air and scenery,
delightful climate, pure water
Though a shade hard at present., /
fine religious people, splendid edu
cational advantages, in short, it is
a priceless privilege to live in dear
old Spotted Town.
Visitor. How about the health
fulness of the place?
Citizen. Fine, though, OF course.
We have good deal of typhoid fever
every year.
Visitor. Indeed. | am surprised
to hear that. What causes the fever?
Citizen. The State health author
tiles, who come here every year
when the fever breaks out, tell us
that it is caused by the filthy con-
dition OF the town, that if we would
abolish dry closets, clean up stables,
and do away with the pig pens all
over town. we would have no flies
and no typhoid fever.
Visitor. Well, that seems easy.
Why don't you do it?
Citizen. Cant be done. We have
always lived this way. And it would
cost too much. Why, it would cost
S25 to $50 to put my premises in
sanitary condition.
Visitor. That seems little enough
to pay for health. In our town,
Spotless Town, we think we can
afford to be filthy, and we never
have fever. If any Of our people
are so mean spirited a. not TO keep
their premises clean. we require
them to clean up. But we have
very few of that sort.
Citizen. We have an ordinance
on the subject. but it is not enforc-
ed. The leading citizens object.
They say it is too drastic to require
them to spend money putting their
hotels, restaurants and stores in
decent condition. No, that sort of
thing won't work here. But this is
certainly fine place to live in.
CHAPTER Il. (Three weeks later
Visitor. Good morning. How are
things going with you?
Citizen. Badly enough. My baby
has typhoid fever. And the expense
is ruinous. l have just had to en-
gage a nurse at $25 a week, my wife
being all broken down, to say moth
ing OF doctors bills and medicines.
Visitor. Sorry to hear it. What
caused the fever?
Citizen. The flies. A stranger
with fever stopped at the hotel and
the flies brought the infection to my
house.
Visitor. Are there any other
cases?
Citizen. Yes, my neighbor' $ wife
has it. She got it from my child.
The flies carried it. And there are
quite number OF other cases that
have happened in the same way.
My cooks child died, and the fun.
eral cost $50, and how she is going
to pay it is more than know.
Visitor. Well l suppose after
this lesson there will be no further
objection to spending a little money
to clean up the town so that there
will be no more fever.
Citizen. O yes there is. The
town authorities Cor some of them
are trying to adopt sufficient pre-
ventive measures, but there is
strong opposition. Some of our best
people, people of means, too, say
they ought not to be forced to i'm.
prove their property, that they can.
not afford it. | refused to make any
change on my lot, and l propose tC
fight any such confscatory meas
ures to the limit. And, by the way
suppose you noticed that they go
knocked out on that bond issue for
better water supply. Why, those
fellows would ruin us if they haC
their way.
Visitor. ! see. This is a lovely
place to live in.
Moral: Find Spotted Town on tn,
map.