Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-06-19
THIS OBLIGATION MUST BE MET

committee of citizens will go before the city
council tonight to tell that body of public officials that
an obligation, undertaken in an emergency several
months ago, must be met and that, as it was an
emergency that affected the whole public it is an OBJ
legation that should now be assumed Jointly by the CITY
and county.
This committee, representing the chamber of COM
merce will ask the city council to appropriate money
to pay its share of 1000 which promised the public
health service, if called for for maintenance of the
anti-maarial drainage work then nearing completion
in Sumter county Today the has called for
the money, pledged condition of carrying on the
work here. ~, l& 3 sy s, ~ NJ t rs n =. ..s4
- The pledge given by the chamber of COM
merce but it would not only unjust but show lack
of appreciation of facts and of public spirit for any
to contend that the chamber of commerce should
pay the amount any part of it. The chamber of
merce acted in emergency when other body was
in position to act, and at time when definite
pledge was required quickly by the government, then
considering the completion of the project upon which
at that time $4,000 had already been spent The
chamber of commerce, being told that the guarantee
was essential the work would be abandoned under
wrote the amount and the government continued and
completed the project.
This guaranteed fund not to be for construc-
ton work, but insure proper maintenance of the
drainage system after completion, and that the
government appropriations everywhere being cut
down the u s. public health department get along
less money for the fiscal year beginning July L.
and it has called upon Sumter county-or the chamber
of commerce, with which it dealt in this transaction
to take up the burden from the first of next month
The citizens of Americas are conscious of the en-
barrassng situation in which the administration is
placed in being confronted with any new expenditure
until the debts accumulated by the municipality
paid However, the public with sympathy expend
lures for such purposes health and will not IN any
degree class extravaganza the sharing of this obi
cation by the city, In fact it is certain that if left to
vote of the people, the sentiment would be shown
whelmngy for this modest expenditure for the meeting
of the obligation properly entered into and for the
carrying-on of this most important health work.
Every citizen who has resided in Americas in for
summers realizes what the drainage work has done
in the matter of general comfort in Graduating the
mosquito; the physicians have definite idea of the
great reduction in sickness that has resulted in the
community although records are too meager to permit
of figures. But in Lieut. Tiedemans
letter published yesterday showing that of 500
blood tests taken in this only showed traces of
malaria, tells the story.
This maintenance work must go on. The expense is
ridcuously small. 1t is oblgation-both city and
county-and it must be met 1t will be met, but it
should not be left for the chamber of which
acted in good faith when there other body ready
to act in the mergency, to pay