DEPEW, N. Y., April 20, 1898 State Board of Health, Albany, N. Y.: Dear Sirs-At a meeting of this board held on the 18th inst., the report of Mr. Olin H. Landreth, on the drainage defects of Penora and Neoga streets in this village, were adopted by this board. I also notify you of the reappointment for the term of one year of G. N. Jack, M. D., as health physician; also of my reappointment for the ensuing year as secretary and registrar. Very respectfully, N. MCDONALD. ALBANY, April 21, 1898 N. MCDONALD, Secretary Board of Health, Depew, N. Y.: Dear Sir-I am in receipt of your communication of the 20th inst. stating that the report of Prof. Olin H. Landreth on the drainage defects in your village was adopted by the local board, and will present the same at the next meeting of this Board. Very respectfully, BAXTER T. SMELZER, Secretary DRAINAGE QUESTION AT ATHENS There was submitted to the State Board of Health the matter of drainage of cellars, and one in particular, in the village of Athens. This village, of about 2500 population, has no public water supply and no street sewers, save on one principal street that runs up from the river (Hudson) there is a street sewer of tile for a short distance, not long since laid. This street rises with a somewhat abrupt grade; about three village blocks upon it be yond the point where the sewer is carried is the cellar in question. This cellar contains two feet of water, which is foul water and has a sewage odor. It has existed there since a drain outlet to it was cut off about a year ago by order of the village trustees because it emptied into the street gutter below the house in suck volume and in such a manner because of the grade as to overflow the sidewalk, creating much ice in cold weather. The location is elevated and should be well drained. Cellars to adjacent dwellings have no standing water, but show some dampness and apparently are relieved of accumulation by drains. There is no apparent reason why this cellar should collect water more than its neighbors; I found no source from which it would be likely to come to it especially. I think the water in it is chiefly soil water and increased in amount now by recent abundant rains. It is probably made unclean by receiving also the waste from two kitchen sinks in the house. The best remedy for this would be to extend the aforementioned street sewer to this point. Objections to this remedy are: it would cause a delay of several months to secure relief by it; it would be an expensive remedy, if it were laid deep enough to accommodate the dwellings on the lower side of the street, since they are at a much lower level and moreover the number of dwellings to be supplied is small; it is not desired by part of the owners of property adjoining; there is no public water supply to furnish flushing desirable for a tile sewer. A more speedy relief should be found and this was to lay a six-inch tile drain in the gutter line on the upper side of the street at depth just sufficient to drain the cellars, to have the half dozen houses closely adjacent find relief for the soil water of their cellars through it, cutting off from it all sink-water for which other provision should be made, and to allow this drain to discharge into the open gutter below. If only soil water enters this drain it will not probably create any nuisance. If it should be found to do so it can then be carried on to the existing street sewer, a few hundred feet further. I think this will speedily and satisfactorily give the desired relief. June 21, 1898. Respectfully, F. C. CURTIS VILLAGE OF CHITTENANGO CHITTENANGO, September 15, 1898 To the Honorable Board of Health of the State of New York: Complaint having been made to me as health officer of the village of Chittenango, N. Y., of the foul and unhealthy condi tion of a certain stream running parallel and close to Seneca street, the principal street of the village, I have inspected the same, and herewith enclose a copy of my report to the board of health of Chittenango. The majority of said board conclude they have no jurisdiction or power to cause the privies standing on said stream to be removed. Therefore, as health officer, I would respectfully submit the whole question for your decision and I herewith enclose a petition to your honorable Board to send a competent officer to examine said stream, that the whole difficulty may be settled permanently. Respectfully submitted, S. D. HANCHETT, M. D. CHITTENANGO, N. Y., September 15, 1898 To the Honorable Board of Health of the State of New York: We, the undersigned citizens of the village of Chittenango, N. Y., would respectfully call your attention to a stench nuisance existing in the village of Chittenango, Madison county, N. Y. said stench nuisance being a certain stream running parallel and near Seneca street, said Seneca street being the principal street of said village. We would respectfully ask your earliest attention to the same. LUKE MCHENRY, President of village THOMAS H. MITCHELL, Trustee S. D. HANCHETT, Health officer CHITTENANGO, September 15, 1898 To Secretary of the Board of Health of Chittenango, N. Y.: On complaint of Thomas H. Mitchell, alleging that the stream passing through the premises of certain property owners situate on the east side of Seneca street, in Chittenango, N. Y., between Clement Cook's property and the property of P. P. Carl, which is a nuisance and detrimental to public health, I have investigated the same and found that through defects caused by construction and narrowing of the water channel the stream was and is in a constant state of pollution, from which a foul and noxious stench is constantly arising. Said stream is one continuous privy vault from the south line of P. P. Carl's lots to the north line of the engine house lot, and that there is not enough of flow of water in said stream to carry off the droppings from said privies, said privies causing constant contamination of the water. I have served notices upon each and every property owner and tenant to clean the stream and make it of uniform width and remove all obstructions, including privies. Some of the property owners refuse to remove their closets and also refuse to make the ditch of uniform width of two feet; I therefore respectfully submit the whole question to the board of health of said village of Chittenango, N. Y., and I, as health officer, stand ready to enforce your orders. S. D. HANCHETT, ALBANY, September 16, 1898 S. D. HANCHETT, M. D., Health officer, Chittenango, N. Y.: Dear Sir-I am in receipt of your communication of the 15th inst., with enclosure in the matter of an alleged nuisance in your village, caused by the unsanitary condition of a stream which runs close to the principal street of the village. As you suggest the desirability of a competent person being sent from this department to make an investigation, you are informed that one of the consulting engineers of the Board can be sent at the expense of your municipality. Very respectfully, BAXTER T. SMELZER, Secretary ALBANY, N. Y., October 6, 1898 Prof. OLIN H. LANDRETH, Consulting engineer State Board of Health, Union college, Schenectady, N. Y.: Dear Sir-I am directed by Hon. C. W. Adams, to request that you proceed to Chittenango, N. Y., for the purpose of investigating as to certain unsanitary conditions alleged to exist in that village, and after investigation, to instruct the authorities as to the means necessary to be taken in order to remedy such unsanitary conditions if found by you to exist. For your information, we enclose the complaint made to this Board, and the correspondence in connection with same, all of which please return with a copy of your report. Your bill for services and expenses in connection with the investigation is to be settled by the municipality of the village of Chittenango, in accordance with our understanding had with the health officer, Dr. S. D. Hanchett. It is requested that you communicate with Dr. Hanchett, notifying him when you can make the desired investigation. Very respectfully, T. A. STUART, Assistant secretary SCHENECTADY, N. Y., October 24, 1898 To the Health officer and Board of Health, Village of Chittenango, N. Y.: Gentlemen-Agreeable to instructions from the chairman of the drainage committee of the State Board of Health, Hon. C. W. Adams, that I investigate certain alleged sanitary defects in your village, and "after investigation, to instruct the authorities as to the means to be taken in order to remedy such unsanitary conditions if found to exist," I beg to say that I have made the necessary examination of the locality in question and have to report that the conditions as found by me fully justify the complaints submitted by several members of your village government to the State Board of Health, which complaints are the cause of the preliminary action of the Board in ordering an investigation. |