The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-30
Horace l.. Hall Urges New City
Housing Ordinance.
Don't Wait for an Epidemic OF
Disease To Appear.
MAKE ALL HOMES SANITARY
Officials in Favor of Cleaning
Up "Little Mexico"
Porter Will Be Asked To Intro
duce Ordinance Soon.

Horace l. Hall, an indefatigable
worker for the betterment of health
conditions in Topeka, today joined IN
the fight of city and county Officials
for a building ordinance that vii!
force owners of box cars and shacks
in Little Mexico to erect structures
of suitable capacity to insure health,
Mr.. Hall for years has reallzeo tnae
Topeka needs a stringent building
ordinance.
Following the expose of condlt1ons
in Little Mexico he believes no bet
ter opportunity could be presented TO
the city commissioners for acqulrlhs
building ordinance similar TO tnose III
existence in other cities. DR.. IL l.
Clark. city physician; DR.. Thomas
o Common county physician, and MISS
Louise Duncan Shaffer, superlnteno-
ent of the Public Health Nursing asso-
citation, have all announced that the
shortest cut to sanitation in LiItie
Mexico" is thru the passage of build
ing ordinance.
Take Action Now.
II is now up to the city commits
sioners officials say, to lock the Darn
before the horse is stolen so TO SPEAK.
At present tho, it is pointed out that
sixteen and eighteen people are nTlns
in a single box car with tuberculafs
and that nearly every child IN Little
Mexico" has enlarged glands or is or
ganicaHy wrong as a result OF these
conditions. There has been no spread
of contagious diseases among the
whites of Topeka as result OF those
conditions.
"Such danger is imminent at all
times" said Mr.. Hall. 1T seems to
me the wisest policy for the commits
sion would be to pass such an ordl-
nance and enforce it, rather than to
and then take measures to check 1t.
1t has been pointed out that no mat
ter how hard city health officials en-
deavor to make the Mexican camp
sanitary. it cannot be done under pres
ent living conditions. Such an ordi-
nance, ordinarily, would be introduced
by w. L. Porter commissioner of
parks and Fairgrounds, who has
charge of the city's health depart
ment. Mr.. Porter is visiting relatives
in Manhattan. Those interested are
waiting for his return to ascertain If
he favors the passage of such an or
dinance.
Make Homes Sanitary.
| In other cities where such ordi-
nances exist, the amount of cubic feet
of fresh air needed is set forth, and
! no homes may be built that do not
comply with the provisions of this
ordinance. Dwellings not complying
with these provisions nave Deen torn
down in cities where such ordinances
are enforced.
Health officers declare that the
MeXicans are not the only people in
Topeka suffering daily danger of tu-
| berculosis and infectious diseases be-
cause of improper sanitary condi-
| tions in dwellings in which they live
Similar conditions exist in the homes
of white people and negroes, it is de-
clared.
! The state has taken steps to pre-
vent like conditions in rooming houses
| and hotels. Several buildings, used
for hotel or rooming house purposes
| in Topeka, have been ordered remod-
| eled in order to comply with fresh
air provisions of a state law, which
| just governs hotels and roomine
| hOlIseS