The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-06-09
AMERICAN, CITIES
BEING ~fifss,e'!y!ED
Sanitary Conditions Bettereo
Percentages in Some In
stances Are High

New York, June 9.-That at least
thirty per cent of the population in
various cities of this country equip-
ped with good water supply systems
mainly use we'll water that is SUBJ
pect to contamination, was stated in
a report Of a special investigation Of
the sanitary condition of thirty-two
American cities, submitted to the As
sociation of Life Insurance Presidents
today by Hiram j. Messenger, actuary,
of Hartford, Conn. In cities with sew
er systems the population living in
houses unconnected with sewers was
given at about forty per cent.
The cities investigated are with one
or two exception In the south and
middle west, and are as follows:
Lynchburg, Roanoke, Knoxville, Chat
tanooga, Nashville, Louisville, Gin
cinnati, Indianapolis, Bloomington.
Springfield, st. Louis, Memphis, Little
Rock, Vicksburg, New Orleans, Mo-
bile. Montgomery. Birmingham, At
lanta, Macon, Jacksonville, st. Angus
tine, Savannah, Charlestown, Augusta,
Columbia, Charlotte, Danville, Rich
mond, Baltimore, New York and Hart
ford.
In addition to water supply and
sewage system, the principal points
Investigated covered disposal Of gar
bage; inspection of milk, meats and
perishable provisions; board Of health
ordinances for maintaining sanitary
conditions; laboratory equipment and
work of the department of bacteri-
ology; climatic conditions; location
Of city and natural character OF sur
rounding country; character Of city
government; character Of people. with
special reference as to whether or not
they appreciate the importance Of
maintaining proper health conditions
and whether or not there is power
full public sentiment that can be
brought to bear upon the city gov
ernment in regard to such questions.
"The evidence found practically
everywhere, particularly through the
southern states, showed that there
has been most wonderful improve
ment in the general sanitary condi-
tions during the last ten or twenty
years." states the report. Cities in
the south in proportion to their
means as rule are spending as
much money in improvements affect
ing the general health of the city as
in the north. AS Tar as observations
indicated 1t is impossible to select
one particular section Of the country
and show that from sanitary stand
point 1t is as whole materially
superior to another section in what
is being done by the various muni-
cipalities and state authorities In the
line of sanitary work. OF course. there
are sections Of the country where
natural conditions bearing upon
health are very favorable and other
sections where such conditions are
very unfavorable; but as far as ef-
forts of city authorities to put the
cities in the best possible sanitary
condition is concerned, one can find
some of the best and some OF the
worst instances in the south, in the
north, in the east and in the west. 1t
was surprising to find on the south
Atlantic coast city which in the ef-
ficiency Of it's board of health and In
it's maintenance of generally healthy
conditions by adoption Of the very best
modern methods stand about at the
top Of all the places visited-while in
the same section of the country, not
far from this city, was another place
which although greatly favored by ma