South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-07-04
1856 VIOLATORS OF
SANITARY MEASURE
MISREPRESENTATION
Administration Faces b / g
Problem in Wholesale
Violations of Law.

The names OF 1876 owners OF
premises have been secured by the
department of public health with a
view of citing 10 the city attorney
for prosecution because OF failure
20 provide proper sewerage connec-
lions. This number - expected to
be doubled when final returns are in.
With re-surveys Of zones but half
completed. the department Is find
ing itself faced with one Of the most
difficult problems It has ever been
called upon TO handle Ordinance
No. 1926, passed In 1917, providing
the abatement by July 1. 1922. Of
all outbuildings where sewer connec-
tions are available, has been only
partially complied with.
preliminary survey made the
first OF the year showed more Than
500 premises had not been connect
ed with sewers. Officers of the de-
partment then began going over the
city for a re-checking and notices
We're sent ont giving property own
ers so days to abate the nuisances.
Re-Surveys Not Finished.
Re-surveys after the 90-day per-
iods have been half completed but
records for June have not yet been
compiled. These surveys will con-
tinue in July and August and are ex-
pected 10 cover the entire city by
the last of September. The Febru-
airy and March re-surveys are before
the department and show that OF a
total of 327 owners to whom notices
were given, 191 have complied with
the order. 186 leaving themselves
liable 10 prosecution.
1t was because Of this situation
that the mayor called together at
two different times the boards Of
public works and public health TO
confer with him. for the best solution
OF the problem. At their meeting
two weeks ago. the health board
agreed to take the matter in hand
and devise some measure for relief
The administration made known its
determination TO enforce the ordin-
ance.
The program tentatively proposed
admits Of bringing the offenders be-
fore the city court, the city attorney
demanding criminal prosecution.
There is nothing to indicate there
VIII be anything resembling whole
sale arrests at the present time.
however.
The ordinance Itself provides that
the city IS empowered TO go upon
the different premises and itself make
the necessary sewer connections. the
owners failing to do so. This course
will not be pursued at this time. city
officials state, principally because Il
is impTacticable. Requiring the in
stallation Of several hundred such
improvements would necessitate To-
cal plumbing concerns to go outside
the city for additional labor. il is
pointed out How property owners
can obey the ordinance without
meeting this same condition is a
question that city officials have fail
ed 20 answer.
The ordinance was passed FIVE
years ago and set out the diStricting
OF the city into five zones. Zone No.
l was 10 be connected by July /,
1918. Zone No. ,, July 1, 1915, and
so on. requiring the last zone. that
Of the outskirts 10 have conformed
30 the requirement by July 1. 1922.
The first zOne-the downtown dis
trict-is reported entirely taken
care OF. The re-surveys being con-
Quoted apply only 10 the residential
and seml-residential districts and
one zone IS about as delinquent as
any other.
Section Of the ordinance reads
as follows;
1T shall be lawful for the board
Of public health to destroy. abate
of remove any privy, privy vault or
cess pool which is kept. or main
tanned in violation OF this ordinance.
and any officers or agent OF asid
board may enter upon any property
for abating any such nuisances.
IF the owner OF any lot or par
eel OF land shall fail or refuse 20
abate any such nuisance or make
connection with the sewer and water
main as by this ordinance required
the board Of health may file a com
plant against any such person. for
such violation i'm the city court Of
said city. and said board may abate
|
nections with the sewer and water
main. and do all things necessary TO
make the premises clean and the
connection operative.
said board shall certify TO actual
cos, Of doing such work 10 the city
controller who shall place the sad
cost upon the tax duplicate as a
charge against the owner or owner:
of said lot or parcel OF land. and
which cost shall be o lien thereon
and collected in the same manner a.
are street assessments for the paw
ing OF streets"
Section s OF the same ordinance
makes 81 unlawful for the tenant OF
owner ''to use or permit 20 b
used" such outside toilets.
The final section OF the ordinance
provides the penalty for failure q
comply a fine up 20 500 and ,
separate offense constituted for eaci
days violation indicates with wha
meaning the common council con
ceived The situation five years ago