The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1912-09-11
Is THE PLAIN STATEMENT OF ND
ROWAN, WHO HAS JUST
MADE INSPECTION.
CITY JAIL IS FOUND
TO Be A NUISANCE
County Bastile In Better Condition.
Crematory is Found to be noinc i+s
Work WeIl-sanitary Regulations
viii be RsidIy Enforced.

Dr. W. H. Rowan, state sanitary in
spector, with Dr. Robert Donald. coun-
ty health officer, has been making an
active inspection of the public service
places of the city, and while he finds
the city as whole is much cleaner
than some in the state. there are MANY
places which show a condition that
would not be tolerated by the progress
sive citizenship of Hattiesburg if the
public was fully acquainted with the
facts. 1t is the purpose of the State
Health Department to put these facts
squarely before the people and ask
that the support of the city be given to
the state and local health officers in
the discharge of their duties
DR.. Rowan reports on conditions
found at the places visited as follows:
Garbage.
Some of the alleys opening into the
main business streets are full of waste
paper and accumulated garbage. All
of which is detrimental to health and
an eye sore to passersby. Back of
many stores, restaurants, etc, are
piles Of garbage that has been on
hand now since Monday and maybe
longer. The state inspector has snap
shots of some of these piles and will
perhaps use them for stereopticon
slides.
Crematory.
The city is fortunate in possessing
this plant. 1t is doing its work well.
1t just needs more of this towns garb-
age to handle. Yesterday two horses
were cremated there. How much bet
ter this is than dragging dead animals
to the outskirts of town to become a
menace to the whole country. Some
cities without crematories, notably
Natchez and Vicksburg, are having
great deal of trouble with their dump
ing grounds. The one at Vicksburg
was declared a nuisance last week by
the inspector; and now they are pre-
pairing to build a crematory.
County Jail In Fair Condition.
The county jail is in fair condition,
with the exception of its beds. These
are of unclenable construction and |
should be remeded by the purchase
of the proper kind.
City Jail a Nuisance.
The city jail is a public nuisance
in the terms of the law and unless
made better will be so declared soon.
The horses of the city, the next door
neighbors to the prisoners, are in a
more healthful place than the prison
ers. The large cell occupied by negro
men, almost 'stifled' the inspector.
The odor was musty and foul. The
four small windows, two opening into
the horse barn and two outside, give
practically feet of opening or intake
for air-not enough for one prisoner,
and it is said that there is often a
large number in this place. There
are fans being run in these places,
but they are simply circulating impure
air already there. In another cell with
an opening like an old barn door, with
a meagre supply of air over the top,
q white woman was imprisoned. This
nlace was some better than the others,
but none of it is good enough to stand
inspection.
Numerous jails are being found in
bad condition, usually due to poor
by those who think they
are living in the old Roman dungeon
age. It is the purpose of the health
authorities to make prison life better
in this state. A prisoner is entitled
TO a clean cell, fresh air and sunlight
and must have them.
Slaughter Houses.
} 1.-TWO of these were inspected and |
found in a most deplorable condition.
a condition that will not be tolerated |
syen though the citizens of Hatties-
bnrg are willing to put up with it.
rbis city ought to be able to look
after these matters without the aid Of /
he state Board, and It is to be hbped
hat 40 abatteiror 1nunicipai Slaughter
s ssaa'.