The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-07
Health Utterly Disregarded

"The health and welfare of the com munity has been utterly disregarded no attempt beyond the sprinkling of a vigorous, being made to protect us. Even then the odors together with the lime caused several cases of sickness.
 We who live here for the most part own our homes. They are not fine, but they represent all that home means and we have taken pride in our com munity as the conditions show. and have been contented and happy until the authorities who are sworn to pro- test us so dreadfully abused us by forcing upon us conditions that have robbed us of our children, we our selves having lost one. It is an out rage to maintain condition that takes a baby out of a mothers arms when she has gone down into the valley of the shadow for 1t and we moth CTS are fired with indignation over 1t. We have said let each housewife take care of her own garbage; the author tiles were mortified and said, You do not know what you ask. it would ere ate an awful epidemic. We cannot see the reason, the justice or humanity in taking garbage froh- a wealthier and more influential district because 1t will make richer people sick and force IL on us because we live near the city limits. Life is just as dear to us as to anyone and our babes and families just as precious.
 Tt has been said tU us that this question of garbage is an awful one, a problem; we know 1t; we would not be foolish as to say that 1t IS not but we would like to state. that We would not have commissioners 1T we did not have problems The city of Bir- mingham is paying cf.O00 year in order that its affairs may be admin istered with judgment and justice.
 For Infant Mortality
 We noticed in the papers a few weeks ago that a committee of ladies had ap- peared before the commission and asked for an appropriation for the prevention of infant mortality, and $50 was granted We cannot understand why money will 1 be appropriated to prevent infant nor tallty in one district and a condition maintained that produces both infant and adult mortality in another.
 We went personally to investigate con-
 dltions this t5aturdayJ morning before writing this letter. and we found 19 dead
 chickens and one dead cat. The odor
 is terrible now, and the flies already |
 "In addition to the dumping ground the
 city maintains a stable and sanitary sewer
 where the excrotia is thrown This is i left unscreened and the flies breed here
 and feed on the filth of the dump and go away laden with disease producing germs.
 ! .'The city through the papers last year urged an unceasing warfare on files
 Swat the fly was the slogan. The sum
 msr through to us it was an absurdity
 and farce, for we knew the city was 1 committing the grossest violations of its
 own precepts. We would like to call to | the attention of the citizens of Wood | lawn that the Kennedy school Is only four blocks from this blot on civilization. More than 300 children are in school here and with the approach of summer their lives will be hourly imperiled.
 Have Not the Money
 1 We have not the money to spend to get 1 this nuisance abated, and we call on the citizens of Birmingham and Woodlawn especially to demand that the commission CTS treat us as if we were human.
 If the commissioners have their anger aroused because we desire to be rid of this death dealing spot. how do they SUD-
 post we feel when we have laid to theii