The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1920-11-24
UP TO THE TOWN OF
MANNING TO ENFORCE

Editor Of The Manning Times:
IN recent Issue of your paper ycu
wonder if the town authorities ar,
GONG TO enforce the plumbing ordn.
ance."
! am wondering the same thiny bnt
sincerely hope they will not. Not that
;Vh against sanitation, for ! am
, barNTg John Wesley strong on his
classic statement that "cleanlinrss is
next to GodlinrSS," but on account of
the present high cost Of plumbing fix
tureS materials and work.
Plumbing fixtures and materials
have not fallen in price like MANY
"thcr commodit .cS, but are COSTING
almost three times as much as they did
III 1914, and as Tor plumbers charge;
they are out Of all reason They are
charging $500 per hour, which wouic
mean 5000 for 4 ten hour day, they
20 Keep the time, with no deduction for
time spent piddling around and smok
ing cigarettes, but for a wonder they
furnish their own cigarettes. Where
houses are widely separated like most
OF houses in this town, it is not neces-
SarY for sanitation that thew have
sewer connections, for with care such
premises can be kept sanitary with
out such connections.
MY own premises were kept Just a.
clean and free from odors before 7
Installed plumbing as they are now.
ON the other hand one Of the towr
inspectors volunteered the information
mat some Of the most unSanitary
places in town were in the yards of
the We'll 20 do people. haze no idea
who they We're as | did not pursue the
subject which he brought up.
/ can readily GOO tln,,,rb b,,,, ib;s
could be the case, with the spotlcss
sanitary plumbing arrangements in
doors for use Of the family, and with
servants accommodations, horse
stables, cowstalls, and hog pens in the
backyard, is anything but u spotless
condition. You can readily sec that
such a place, although plumbcd and
sewer connected would make IN ideal
home for numerous flies, which be.
hcrc in early marriages and large
/ families, and whose thoughts never
run towards race suicide Not only
this but if every house along the
sewer lines was connected | think
there would still be a majority Of the
houses III town not connected because
they are rot on sewer lines. SO YOU
see sewer connections do not in them
selves guarantee sanitary conditions,
and they arc not available Cor half o.
the homes III the town, so some other
method is necessary if the town is tC
be kept clean.
The only way / can think of is tt
have frequent inspections, the year
round, Of all places in town, and fine
heavily without fear or favor all who
are negligent in keeping their prcmi-
ScS clean and practically odorleSs. The
! inspector should be liable to come in
unan" ounccd at any TIVE like a bank
examiner or a corporation auditor.
90 not know however il an admins
tration which did this would succeed
itself in Office, as many people do not
I like to be made to keep clean.
There are some houses along the
sewer line so cheap that it would cost
about as much as the :lousc and lot
irc worth to build a bath room and
equip it with fixtures and pipe them
to the sewer.
/ In the event that this ordinance is
! lmpartially enforced, a sensible own
cr of such property would dismiss the
tenants and tear down the shack anc
plant potatoes on tn" ground, hut
houses are very scarce 50 he should
not be forced TO do this, especially as
! II Is not necessary, as hcrctOfor,
SHOWN. |; would probably be Il wise
thc health officers have not the power
already, Hut INrlZc them to require
these connections to be made whcr
III their Judgment an unSanitary con.
dItlon cannot be corrected in any 9th
on way.
! If this is done it is my belief thar
every house Of consequence, whether
occupied as owner or tenant, will be
connected when work and material Of
THIS Kind become reasonable in price
again, as sanitary conVcnicnccS are q
lag" part Of modern home comfort
| Even renters would be willing to pay
Il reasonable advance for them, but
rot the advance necessary to yield 4
! talr return to owner at present high
costs.
! state taxes, county taxes, license
fees, abuttng property taxes, ETC., arc
already heavy burden on property
owners here, and there is danger of
the town being like the lady III the
story who was taken to the hospital
by her husband. He left her there,
and each morning he would call to in
qulre how she was getting along.
Three mornings in succession the doc
tor assured him she was improving,
but on the fourth morning the doctor
told him she was dead. When the
Door fellow recovered from the shock
/ he sad: "Why doctor she must have
died of improvements"
In cOnchSIOnS-I am hoping that
-" town authorities will not allow
those plumbers to hold that ordinance
T." |u heads as weapon, e thcN
H r.G