The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-14
HEALTH DEPARTMENT NEWS.
PROVISION MADE By SOUTH
CAROLINA WESTERN TO PRO-
VIDE DRAINAGE IN THE
CITY.
Drip Cans Prove Effective
IN War on MOsquitOcs-MOrc Cans
Being Placed i'm New Sand TRAPS
Work Oh Street.

w
Work OH Street.
Chief Engineer, Moncure. of the
South Carolina Western Railway. WIS
in Sumter last Wednesday for the
purpose Of conferring with Alderman
j. +. Booth chairman Of the pub
nc works committee, and Health Of
ficer r. |. Reardon, in regard to
drainage of the right of way Of thai
transportation line within the CITY
ilnlts. In the course of building up
the embankment of the railway, from
point just south of Turkey Creek
drainage canal to "a point at the eX-
treme end of the right of way through
branch back of the property of the
residences of Miss Roach and Mr..
Bland, the railway company has
changed the natural run of the
branch into which the city empties
the water from a large ditch cross
ing North Main street from Live Oak
street which drains North Main and
other streets, beyond Warren street.
Water was backed up in the city
bitches, and over a considera BILE area
Of land near the railway embank-
ment and in the cuts along side the
railway, within the city limits.
Health Officer f. l. Reardon took
up the matter with President Bonsal
who sent Chief Engineer Moncure
here to look into the matter These
three officials visited the districts en-
braced in the complaint with the re-
suit that Mr.. Moncure very cheerfully
agreed to Immediately remedy con-
dltions complained of by putting in
ample drainage facilities. to carry off
the water into Turkey creek canal.
Mr.. Moncure stated that the track
laying had progressed to a point at
or about the plantation of Mr.. l..
l.. Fraser last Saturday, and that
from one-half TO three-quarters Of
mile of track was being put down
each day.
The South Carolina Western will
be running into Sumter at this rate
of progress, early in September.
The automatic drip cans containing
kerosine oil which the board of health
and city council authorized the health
officer to place in the numerous sand
traps or catch basins" of the storm
water drain pipes have proven a sue
cess and convenient and sure meth
Cd of preventing the breeding OF
MOSQUITOES in the pipes and sand
traps. One drop of oil every three
minutes is dropped into the traps.
Health officer Reardon saws that he
was examining the sand traps Thurs
day and he found that in two Of
them where he had, after rain, per-
mltted the drip cans to remain empty
for eight days, as a test, he found
that the water in the traps were
thickly impregnated with MOSQUITO
larvae. An immediate dosing" Of
oil killed every ''wiggle tail" This
test proves that sand traps without
oil are prolific sources for mosquito
breeding and this was the object IF
the test.
Drip cans are being placed in the
new sand traps recently built in the
Hampton and Hardy avenue drainage
pipe lines.
All of the old storm drain pipe
lines, without "catch basins" or sand
traps, which are being taken up and
cleaned out were found choked with
dirt and practically useless for etfi-
clent drainage purposes.
Examination of pipe lines With sand
traps proved that those equipped with
traps work 20. H." but the traps must
be cleaned at intervals.