The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-05-14
WITH STRONG ENDORSEMENT
CITY SANITARY ORDINANCE
ADOPTED BY COMMISSIONERS
Petition Was Filed Againss
Measure But Was Not
Strongly Urged BY Ks
Promoters.
ROTARIANS ATTEND
MEETING IN BODY
New Ordinance is Effective
Immediately and Health
Campaign Will Continue
Unabated.

O11dOdlCQ.
At the special meeting of the city
commissioners yesterday afternoon the
sanitary ordinance abolishing surface
privies and inaugurating the box and
can system was unanimously adopted
on it's third reading and became at
once effective. A petition of citizens
against its passage was presented by
Clement BIount, but without effect.
The circulation OF the petition, and
the report that desperate eleventh
hour effort was being made to sweep
the ordinance into the discard brought
out crowd of citizens TO the council
chambers. The Rotary Club marched
in as body just after the petition had
been presented, completely filling the
hall. Mr.. Burleson made an earnest
speech in behalf of the ordinance.
Agent Allen of the boiler makers un-
ion made an earnest appeal for it's
passage as benefit to the working
classes; DR.. Cox appealed for it as a
means of preventing an epidemic OF
typhoid; Rev. j. J. Brown explained
worked at Gainesville years ago; and
President Malone of the American Ma
tionaI bank, declared that the Rotar-
ians came not to advise the commis-
sioners but to back them and encour-
age them in progressive step. Presf-
dent Watson of the Rotary Club spoke
with dignity and force for his club in
behalf of the ordinance, and said that
the motto of the Rotary club for pub
lie service regardless of personal in
terest ought to be the Watc1word OF
every citizen.
]. o. Walker said that he was free
lance, between the devil and tha brlny
deep-the clerkship and the conlptrcl~
Iership; and while in this private ca
pacity wished to relieve his mind Ife
explained his own experiences with
sewer connection; that it has cost him
500 a year for IL years, and wouia net
at that rate be an ideal solution for q
poor mon.
Supt. Paul Stewart of the shin yard
made striking appeal for the or
nance, explaining how at the begiaFss
here the management experience
much trouble bringing in labor
expense of $50 head only t0s& I'd
most of the men disappear; u1tI Sa0
plant was forced to investigaN 2
cause, and found it in the unsa e
and unsatisfactory housing in r.. Ne
cola. He declared that the day
past when the laborer could be III
ed as a dog; that Bolshevism wa lone
result of the neglect of the cons "a
of the laboring classes in their homes r
and that it would appear here IL LABOR
ers were not treated right in time.
DIR. Tatom stated that the epidemic
of typhoid fever last year was an eco
nomic loss to Pensacola OF quarter
million dollars, which could have been
prevented by proper sanitation. AZ
A citizen who stated he owned prop~
erty at S14 e. Aragon street, had tried
the box and can and had gotten rid OF
all the flies. He was eloquent in +
praise of the proposed change. DIR. +
Ingram stated that he had signed the T
petition under a wrong impression as
to its intent, and asked to have his
signature erased W. c. Diffenderfer
and Lieut.. Earl Thornton made SINH +
lar statements, and DIR. Kennedy re-
lated an experience Col. Mayes had
once brought to his attention where
45o people signed a petition one day
for the discharge of a teacher, and the
next day the same people signed an
other petition for her reinstatement
1t was stated that the petition con-
tanned number of Implications, where
as the total of signatures, including
duplicates and withdrawals, was 4Os.
The city commissioners then stated
their position, each declaring that he
would vote for the ordinance. Some
of the statements are of public interest
for the light they throw on the situa-
| ton. Mayor Sanders stated that he
had arrested folks ten years ago for
failure to connect with the sewers who
are not connected yet. Commissioners
| Hinrichs stated that the present sewers
are little more than cess pools, and that
the citys' need for a good sewer system
is crying one; however, the new
| system would cost three million dol
lars. and so cannot answer present
needs.
Mayor Sanders received word during
the day by wire from Tallahassee that
the state senate had passed both bond
bills in behalf of Pensacola, and he re-
garded it certain that they would pass
! the house. One legalizes the bonds is
sued in securing improvements to the
ship yards: the other sanctions the
use of the bond issue voted last An
gust for water system improvements
for any municipal purposes the com
missioners may elect. subject to the
approval of the people at an election.