Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1912-08-10
WHY NOT BUILD A MODERN SAM
TARY SEWERAGE SYSTEM

the city for an up-to-dgte sanitary sew
erage system, and the demand has b ,
come practically unanimoug. Those
VINO are familiar with cohditi1ns IN
derstand that we have no sewerage
worthy of mention, and WAT we haze
is in such condition that the citys
refuse matter is not properly carried
away. This being true, the people
have come TO he conclusion that we
shall have a system as good as any in
the state.
At the present time The city is wrest
ling with typhoid fever and it has
been caused by not having proper
sanitary sewerage system. The Deo-
pie are compelled to throw their ref
use matter anywhere they can to ger
rid Of it, and after being deposited on
the ground, it pereolates through the
soil very rapidly and eventually reach
es the wells and springs, and they be-
come so filled with fever germs that
those who use the water live on the
border land Of disease.
The soil of the lots where the ref
use has been placed soon becon es
saturated with poisonous matter, and
when it is disturbed the gerlrs enter
! the air, and, by becoming part of it,
enter the systems of all Then we
hear complaints that typhoid fever is
In all parts of the city, and when the
physicians are consulted they attri.,,
ute the cause to only one thing-poor
1 sewerage.
This has been the condition FOR
/ years, and, Notwithstanding such,
4 there has been no action taken along
any line to make al Improvement. Ev-
cry physician in the city does not hes
itate to join in the movement for a
modern sanitary sewerage system,
and all agree that the money the peo-
| pie spend for doctor bills would soon
| pay for q modern sanitary system,
4 which means the preservation of our
/ health the building up AMI exte nding
of the city's limits and the placing of
I 1t before the world in l:sht which
would cause it to be recognized as Il
healthy place to live.
1t is evident that 10 bring the city
/ prominently before those who may dc
! sire to locate here, we must make it
attractive and healthy. With the
/ building of a traction line, and with
new manufacturing concerns knock
ing at our doors, it is certain that with
in the next few years our population
will double, and to properly care for
these people and provide suitable
homes for them we must first improve
the sanitary conditions. Proper sahi-
/ tation is the first thing that capital
/ inquiries about. and without it there
| is but little hope of interesting mon
eyed men. Manufacturers always look
after the comfort and welfare Of their
/ employees.
Not long ago some well-known bust.
ness men purchased valuable property
in the heart of the city for the pur-
pose of erecting fine apartment
house. Upon the arrival of the archi-
tect to prepare the plans he inquired
about the sewerage When told the
/ city had none he refused to proceed
with his work and advised those in
] terested in the undertaking not to
spend their money until a proper sys-
4 tenn was installed. The project WAS
given up, and the city lost hundreds
I % dollars in taxes, the merchants
thousands. because the people who
were to occupy the building would
have purchased from them and those
who were planning to erect the build
! ing have never been able to realize
anything from their purchase.
! With the evidence of physicians and
/ business men in favor OF installing
sanitary system, which would be in
keeping with the city's growth, would
/ it not be wise to start at the earlies
possible date? OF course some will
argue that the city hasn't sufficient
money but the needed funds can be
provided. If not under our present
charter, we can ask tae legislature Cor
such amendments as will enable the
city to make provisions for raising
such funds as may be needed for this
much-needed improvement. And none
would feel the burden of increased tax
alton because it would fall on all
alike, and all would pay their share in
proportion to the amount of property
owned.
Some people argue that instead of
improving sanitary conditions we
should pave the streets. This IS wrong
because it will mean greater cost to
the city to pave the streets and ther
install the system than to defer the
paving until we have made sanitary
conditions what they really should be
The World has no objections what
ever to paving any or all of the streets
but it does think that the sewerage
system should come first, because il
is the most needed. Isn't the health
of the people of more Importance thar
a few squares OF paved streets
Would it not be wiser to protect the
people against disease than TO pave
streets. and permit sanitary cohdi-
s.sA 49,,