ALBANY, September 25, 1899 S. D. HANCHETT, Health officer, Chittenango, N. Y.: Dear Sir-I am in receipt of your communication of the 23d inst. and am pleased to note your statement that the local authorities are about to abate a nuisance caused by an open ditch in your village as directed by this Board. Very respectfully, BAXTER T. SMELZER, Secretary COMPLAINT OF TOWN OF CLAY, CONCERNING DISPOSITION BEING MADE OF GARBAGE FROM CITY OF SYRACUSE BAXTER T. SMELZER, M. D.: EUCLID, N. Y., March 2, 1898 Dear Doctor-Inclosed you will find copies of the orders which have been served upon the city of Syracuse by this board, on account of the garbage dumped by that city on the bank of the Seneca river about two and one-half (24) miles above the village of Belgium. Upon the receipt of the first notice the dumping was stopped in this town only to be carried on on the opposite side of the river, which is in the town of Lysander. The first order was obeyed, but the second was almost entirely disregarded. The drainage of the garbage left in the town of Lysander is into the river, and in case of high water a large amount of land will be overflowed by the river in Clay and much garbage will of necessity be carried into the stream. Already I have observed two cases of typhoid fever in the village of Belgium which are directly traceable to drinking the water of the river below the dumps. Believing the continuance of these uncared for garbage dumps to be a constant menace to the health of the people living along the river, that is in Belgium, Phoenix, Fulton and Oswego (many of whom use water from this stream), I would respectfully ask the State Board of Health to thoroughly investigate the matter. Respectfully, [Copy] G. L. BROWN, Health officer for Clay To the City of Syracuse, County of Onondaga, State of New York: We the undersigned members of the board of health of the town of Clay, county and state aforesaid, in accordance with an order served by this board upon the mayor, superintendent of public works and clerk of the board of health of the city of Syracuse, N. Y., on the 13th day of September, 1897, further order and direct that you cover all garbage dumped by the above named city or any agent or employee of the same within the limits of the aforesaid town, with quicklime at least two (2) inches deep, that this be covered with at least one foot of sound earth, also that a bank of earth at least six (6) feet thick and as high as the highest portion of the earth covering the garbage be so placed as to surround the whole dump. The whole work to be completed within the next thirty (30) days. Dated this 4th day of October, 1897. We, the undersigned members of the board of health of the town of Clay, county of Onondaga, state of New York, convened this 11th day of September, 1897, on the farm of Edward Clay in the town, county and state aforesaid, do hereby order the dis continuance of the dumping of garbage of any nature within the limits of said town by the city of Syracuse or by any agent or employee of the same. It is further ordered that all garbage already left upon the aforesaid farm of said Clay be put in a sanitary condition subject to the order and direction of this board. Signed, J. WESLEY SHEPARD, Chairman F. W. GREEN, ASEL J. MELVIN, ADONIRAM HART, Commissioners ALBANY, March 7, 1898 C. L. BROWN, M. D., Health officer Town of Clay, Euclid, N. Y.: Dear Sir-I am in receipt of your communication of the 2d inst. with copies of orders served on the authorities of the city of Syracuse by the board of health of the town of Clay, in the matter of the disposal of garbage from Syracuse in your town. In reply, you are informed that the attention of Dr. F. W. Smith, a resident of Syracuse, and a member of this Board, has been called to your complaint. Very respectfully, BAXTER SMELZER, Secretary ALBANY, March 7, 1898 Dr. F. W. SMITH, State Commissioner of Health, 700 South West street, Syracuse, N. Y.: Dear Sir-I enclose herewith for your information copy of a letter received from Dr. G. L. Brown, health officer town of Clay, also copies of orders of that board which have been served on the city of Syracuse on account of the garbage of that city being dumped in the town of Clay. Very respectfully, BAXTER SMELZER, Secretary SYRACUSE, N. Y., March 31, 1898 BAXTER T. SMELZER, M. D., Secretary State Board of Health, Albany, N. Y.: My Dear Doctor-In compliance with your instructions of March 7th, I have this day visited and examined the dump where the garbage of the city of Syracuse was deposited during the summer of 1897, against which complaint has been made by the health officer of the town of Clay. This examination would have been made earlier had I not been informed that owing to the high water a thorough inspection would be impossible. I learned, however, on my visit that up to this time the dump had not been flooded by the usual spring rise of the river, and unless the water rises to a point very unusual after this season of the year there will be no cause to fear from flooding or washing of the dumps. The dump in the town of Clay has been thoroughly and well covered with sufficient soil to prevent serious contamination of the atmosphere, and is sufficiently remote from habitation to preclude the possibility of any danger arising from it. The fact that the surface of the ground is higher at the river's bank than the dump itself prevents direct drainage from the dump into the river. The dump on the Lysander side of the river, also complained of by the health officer of the town of Clay, I find in bad condition owing to the fact that it has not been properly covered with a sufficient amount of earth, and a large portion of the surface of the garbage deposited there has not been covered at all. We think to remove the possible danger that may exist from the condition of this dump; it will only be necessary to cover, this dump with about one foot of clean soil, plenty of which is to be had in the vicinity, and it is evident that the city of Syracuse, or the contractor having in charge the disposal of its garbage, should be required to promptly and thoroughly cover the dump. Very respectfully, F. W. SMITH. TOWN OF CAMILLUS TOWN OF CAMILLUS, N. Y., April 15, 1898 To State Board of Health: The proprietors of the Yates hotel, Averill & Gregory, of Syracuse, N. Y., maintain a farm about five miles from the city for a source of supply. This farm is situated in this town. During previous seasons the kitchen refuse, etc., has been drawn to this farm, and dumped either upon the premises or at the side of the highway. Warm weather brought complaints from neighboring farmers as to the odor from this decomposing mass, which consisted of every variety of refuse imaginable in the way of animal, vegetable and fish from the table of this large hotel. This firm endeavored to maintain a number of swine the first year upon this garbage. This proved a failure, and the next season an effort was made to burn it. This proving unsuccessful, it was allowed to accumulate here and there according to the directions. given to the teamster driving the wagon. As a result of the many complaints the board of health, at its regular annual meeting, was obliged to take some measures to abate the nuisance, and the following resolution was adopted, and the clerk instructed to give me a copy, which read as follows: Resolved, That the health officer be instructed to notify Averill & Gregory, of Fairmount, to cease the dumping or burning of garbage on their premises or the highway in the town of Camillus. This notice is to be served immediately, and as the firm have hitherto shown no disposition to heed the protests or notices served by former health officers, I write to get an idea as to just what legal steps will be supported by the local board and by the State Board in case of non-compliance. Yours very truly, FRED W. SLOCUM, Health officer |