The Penn's Grove record., 1915-11-19
SEARCHING FOR A GOAT
State Board Of Health Ad lOurned In
a Panic When Confronted With The
Good Health Record OF
PennS Grove.
SATISFIED WITH SANITATION PROGRESS

Who shall be the goat to bear the
blame for condemning Penns Groves
good wholesome water in hundreds OF
wells? is a searching question. A rep
resentative of the DUPONT Company who
pays DIR. l.. G. Knight, the health inspect
or. disclaims any responsibility for ms
doings and says that he is under the dl-
rection of the Penns Grove Board of
Health. The local Board has no anthem
tic record of his employment and states
that the State Board sent him here and
furnished analysis of waters upon when
the wells were condemned. The State
Board on Wednesday disclaimed any re-
sponsibility for DR.. Knights actions and
said he is under the jurisdiction OF the
local Board. After the State Boards
legal light failed to clearly explain a
point of law the Board adjourned in a
panic when confronted with a satchel full
of geological dynamite, a pocketfull of
smokeIess powder, another pockettul OF
sworn statements pnder oati,s and
eight healthy residents of Penn Grove
who drink the water, also the vital sta
tistic and health records of Penns Grove.
They are amazed because their scien-
fife theories and representations made
four months ago have not become true.
They continue mystiied that the people
are alive and healthy and attribute it to
a miracle and the Grace of God so we
can make powder for a good cause.
Science has failed and microbes fail TO
kill as predicted.
A committee of citizens went to the
dupont officials in Wilmington last Sat
urday to endeavor to gain information
as to whether work would continue after
war rush orders that would warrant the
Borough putting in a sewer system.
Nothing was learned. They are as elo-
quent as a clam at high tide.
At a citizens meeting last Monday night
Major f. o. Whitlock. from the dupont
Company, attended. He had no infor-
nation to give, came to listen.
A.. NJ. Grier, chief sanitary inspector
at Carney Point, accompanied by his as
sistant, Paul Scott, said the Borough was
in such a bad condition four months ago
that there was fear for the w9rkmen's
lives. As he and his assistant could not
oversee the camps and Borough also, the
Company agreed to pay for one, but dis
claimed any responsibility for his action.
Mr.. lGrier stated that bacteria coli ere
ates typhoid fever and that he is amazed
that anybody is alive in Penns Grove.
Prof. J.. Harry Smith said that accord
ing to science there is enough dust and
bacteria on Broad street stirred up by
the jitneys to kill all in the Borough in
twenty-four hours-according to science.
CALLED TO TRENTON
The Penns Grove Board of Health was
summoned to Trenton N Wednesday.
w. P. Denny, s.. M. Justice and w. A.
Summerill. members of the Board of
Health; II. J. Blohm, Councilman and
eight citizens, accompanied them. Mr..
Deqny. and Mr.. Justice told the State
BoArd that the Council had cleaned out
the storm sewer ditch in the middle of the
Borough and q scavenger had been pro-
cured and begun work. A shallow well
had been closed and a sanitary cleanup
was now progressing as speedily as pos
sible. Mr.. Blohm told them the condi-
ton of his pond would be improved.
No information was asked from w. A.
Summerill, but he asked for an interpre-
tation of section Is, where it says, "The
local Boards shall examine into all nu-
isances and causes of diseases which may
be known to them or brought to their at
%tention, which in their opinion are in
1ur1OuS TO HedIJl. lie WlSueu 10 KNOW
whether their opinion did not mean the
local board as the law reads and not the
opinion of the State Board. The Boards
legal light undertook to explain that the
State Board could form an opinion for
the local Board and referred to the law
of 1915 where additional power was given
to enact a State code for the whole State.
When asked where the State code was
Mr.. Summerill was informed there was
none.
The Board speedily adjourned before
Mr.. Summerill could present any infor-
nations The State Board did not care
to hear the good health record of Penns
Grove from the nine witnesses present.
The citizens who accompanied the mem
hers were Messrs. Geo. Jordan. Edw. s.
Harris, las. E. Smalley, }. y. Layton
Levi Jess. Peter Mnntaenoli. Mr.. and
Mrs. Jos. NJ. WhitesPll; also DR.. H. r.
Johnson, of Pedricktowp.
THE WATER GOAT
Where. oh where has the water goat gone?