Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-21
BY Mrs. Anna ii. Wood

The Harrisburg Civic Club, always
keenly alive to the needs and the bet
terment of the community, has been
much agitated by the filthy condition
of the city's streets this winter and
the danger of serious epidemics which
threaten with the first warm days of
spring. 1t has appointed one of its
members, Mrs. James l. Chamberlain,
its official representative to investl-
gate the matter and report upon what
can be done.
Working heart and soul for the
cause, Mrs. Chamberlain has been I'M
firing in her efforts to secure the in
terest and cooperation of various or
ganizations whose influence bear
weight She has been successful in
gaining the help of the Visiting
Nurses Association, the City Health
Board, the Municipal League and the
civic committee of the Chamber of
Commerce. 1t is the aim of these
workers to secure expert outside ad-
vice upon the serious position in which
Harrisburg finds itself to-day and to
be able thereafter to submit to the
City Council a detailed plan for a mu-
nicipal plant for the disposal of all
garbage and rubbish and municipal
collection of ashes.
Something Must BE Done
Mrs. William Henderson, president
of the Civic Club, views the matter
very seriously.
Our streets are a disgrace" she
said, when we are so far ahead of
cities of our size in some ways-open-
lair schools, schools for deficient chill
dren, etc.-why in the world must we
suffer this? 1t means q fearful out
break of disease If ii is not corrected
at once. l know it is hard to get the
men; they promise to work and then
break their word and there is a woeful
lack of finance but something must be
done and If the Civic Club can find
the way, you can rest assured we
shall accomplish it,"
There is pathos in the fact that in
the city of Philadelphia, the Child
Federation has been the first organi-
zatlon to urge the attention of the city
to the need of clean streets this spring
because of the dread and imminent
danger of another epidemic of infan-
tile paralysis. Never before in the
worlds history has there been an age
when childhood meant so much, when
the conservation of the lives of the
future men and women was of such
tremendous national importance. The
children of the war-torn countries of
Europe are virtually their only hope
for the future and who can prophesy
when America shall be drawn into the
blood-sucking vortex? 1t seems such
a little thing to do. Such little care
and foresight is needed to save our
babies and allow them to grow to
normal, healthy manhood and woman
hood instead of into crippled, de-
formed wrecks passing their mute con-
demnation upon the absurdly made
quate management of municipal af-
fairs by the citizens of the present-da
Harrisburg.
Must Incinerate Garbage
In Great Britain 1t has been found
that burning is the one and only sani-
tary method of disposing of garbage
and rubbish. London has 81 receiving
and disposal stations where garbage is
burned and the Stag converted into
paving material. Manchester, Bir-
mingham, GLASGOW and others by
burning the garbage generate the
electricity for the city's use. In Man
chester one large city bathhouse Is
furnished steam from the refuse In
cinerator next door.
In German cities the services of an