La Junta tribune., 1917-04-12
SPOTLESS TOWN
is IN KANSAS
Lyndon Sets a Shining Example
For Other Communities.
CoNQuERS TYPHOID FEVER
The Municipality Has Excellent Water,
Light and Sewer Systems, a Fine Park
and Library. Well Paved Streets and
Concrete Sidewalks.

and Library. Well Paved Streets and
Concrete Sidewalks.
OF the only 100 per cent perfect sani.
tary town IN the United States. Ii is
Lyndon. the county seat OF Usage
county, II town Of only SOS persons.
But 1t has the most complete and per
feet water supply and sewage system
OF any town. large or small. in the en-
tire country, according TO $. j. Crum.
bine. secretary OF the Kansas board OF
health. and government public health
officials.
Three or four years ago the town
had n scourge OF typhoid fever There
were many deaths and many more
cases OF the disease. all OF which We're
traced to contaminated water sup
ply. There were no sewers and no
water system. l.. 4. Hussey was then
mayor The city officials went to
work and cleaned out the vaults and
purified the water In the wells as much
as possible and persuaded the people
OF the town 10 boil the water and swat
the hy until the disease was checked,
and finally there were no more cases
Then the city council and the mayor
each took Q petition and went out on
the streets and obtained the signatures
Of enough taxpayers to enable them to
call an election. at which $6o,0OO In
bonds was voted for n municipal wa
ter and light plant and q complete
sewer system. After the election was
called the city officials went into the
homes and made their fight to carry
the bonds. They had hard opposition
from many good citizens. but the bonds
were carried by q small margin,
The water. light and sewer systems
one house on the entire town site
which cannot he connected with the
present sewer system. II happens that
this house Is unoccupied and has been
for many months and Is likely to con
tinue vacant because no one In the
town will live In u house that does not
have all the modern convenicnces.
In planning the water system the
mayor and the council purchased the
riparian rights along the creek for sew
eral miles up the stream. Then they
built . dam which stores up enough
water. counting the greatest posi-.
BILE evaporation, n period OF eighteen
months without drop OF rain falling
I'm the entire watershed, still TO leave
the town with an adequate supply for
all domestic and fire lighting purposes.
The water Is pumped from the creek
and Is then forced through n modern
filtration plant that guarantees pure
water at all times.
The electric light and power plant is
large enough TO supply every house
with all the light needed and all the
power necessary for the mills and 9th.
er industries. and Il IL one Of the most
complete street lighting systems In
Kansas. Besides this. the plant sells
electric current to light two nearby
towns and furnishes power for indus
tries and Is making contracts to sup
ply two other towns. Instead Of the
old fashioned incnndescent or arc lights
for the streets. the city hns had built
IN the center Of each street intersection
heavy Iron poles. on which there are
I've lights. something like the boule
ward and White Way lights used In ths
larger cities. Each light supplies four
blocks OF streets. so that there Is hard-
ly dark spot IN tho town at night
Lyndon IL 4 thoroughly modern town
In every other way. II has ~ hne q
twelve acre park ms could be found
anywhere, and the town pays for band
concerts during the summer months.
Andrew Carnegie recently gave 5000
for Il library building. The city fur.
nished the site and put up the building.
and there are now about 5000 books
In the library. and more are being add
cd each year.
The little town has well paved
sidewalks. Every home Is shaded BY
numerous trees. and the city sees that
the trees and parkings are kept In good
condition. The high school and grado
school buildings are new and m0lern.
II is the ordinary practice In most
scWhs tAht s"'abs hht 'V'ss sSt
public improvements the payment Of
the debt Ii left for future gcncrn rntions.
But Lyndon decided to pay on iu debt.
NO each year levy IL made ~ that
$1,000 Of the debt II actually retired.
The ciubwomcn Of the town aud the
city officials sec 90 II that the alleys
are kept clean and all trash removed.
and everybody swats tho ny. Since
Lyndon put on It's new clothes there
has not been q case Of typhoid fever
on the town site.
On the top Of the Lyndon water TOW.
Or thsrs IL ] zoo candle power beacon
Night that can 10 seen for thirty miles.
Do Lyndon lets its light shine out b.
fore al men and sets . shining sxaD.
p3o for othes small communities.