The Penn's Grove record., 1915-12-10
BOARD OF HEALTH SCHOOL
States Board of Health Think PennS
Grove Record Too Critical. Sewers
Being Thought Necessary


The fortnightly meeting of Penns
Grove Board of Health was held last
Friday night. All members were pres
ent. W. 2. Denny presided.
The proposition to have the Sanitary
code revised or the penalties changed
was discussed. Mr.. Denny thought that
the State may make a Code which would
o%verrule the local Code, and the expense
may be saved. w. A. SummeriI thought
the Code should be revised and the pen
alties changed so there would be a mini
mum and maximum sum.
At the instigation of duPont's sanitary
inspector and the State inspector our
ordinance was made last August requir-
ing all privies to be fly proof and a met
allie receptacle used and emptied once a
week. A failure to do so would make the
person liable to $40 fine for each offence.
To build 400 will cost about SIS each,
total $4,000. To have each emptied each
week at a cost of 81 each will cost 400
times $50, total $20,SU0 a year. If each
has not been cleaned cut each week the
owner is liable to $40 fine, total $4,000.
For twenty past weeks, $3.50 1000.
As 131 wells have been condemned
and at least 100 have not removed their
pumps, $50 fine for each is $4,000.
There are probably 100 cesspools, each
subject to $50 fine is $1,000 more.
There are probably 100 puddles of wat
er in the borough subject to $25 each,
total $500.
This will total $1S0,50O. Other min
or offenses against the Sanitary Code
may bring the fines up to 100000.
When three members of the Board of
Health say let go the dogs which the
State Board of Health have ready has
had three men writing down evidences to
convict, the carnage may begin.
Mr.. Summerill said such would be
more expensive han installing a sewage
system. That would be one way of rails
ing a revenue to do it with. King
Charles /, of England, and Louis XIV,
of France, used that method to raise
revenue but both lost their crowns and
their heads.
S. M. Justice thought the ordinance
in regards to priyies should be changed.
The main thing was to have it done. 1t
was only a question of time when a sew
erage system would nave to be put in.
Mr.. Summerill thought it would be
wise and economical to have sewer pipes
laid on Broad street before the trolley
road and state road was built and ask
property owners to connect with water
and sewer as a matter of principle and
enterprise rather than from an espion-
age of foreign spies as witnesses and a
threaten of fines.
1t was decided to have the ordinance
in regards to privies revised.
D. G. Bowen, the State inspector, was
present and asked whether the Board
intended to continue to have DR.. L. w.
Knight to look after the inspection of
the borough. AS he is paid by the du-
Pont Company it was decided to con-
tinue him.
Mr.. Bowen said that the State Board
of Health held the same opinion and at
tiGde towards Penns Grove as to what
shbuld be done and that the local paper
hah been too severe in criticising the ac-
ions taken by the Boards of Health.
Mr.. Justice and Mr.. Blohm also disap-
proved of the criticisms.
Mr.. Summerill said that if there had
been any misstatement of facts he would
be pleased to be corrected.
In the Roosevelt libel case in October,
1909, Judge Anderson said ct is the
duty of a public newspaper to tell the
people, it's subscribers, its readers, the
facts that it may find out about public
questions or matters of public interest.
1t is its duty and its right to draw in
ferences from the facts known; to draw
them for the people,"
Thomas Jefferson said when a man
assumes a public trust he should consid-
er himself as public property"