HomeMy Public PortalAbout05-19-1933 `)
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Office of Special Council Committee
City of Richmond, Indiana,
— -- Friday May 19th, 1933 -- —
The Special _Council Committee, Board of Public Works of the City of
Richmond, Indiana, met in regular session at the office of said Board
H Friday May 13th, 1933, at 9 o 'clock A.M. All the members of said Boar '
! Messrs, Craob, Schnieder and Williams, being present , the following
proceedings were had, to-wit :
The minutes of the preceeding meeting were approved as read.
In matter of report of City Civil Engineer, on estimate etc. , for in-
tercepting sewers and sewage treatment works, referred to council on
May 15th, 1933, was read to the common council on said date, and by
them referred back to acting Board of Works, together with other mem-
cers of committee to be named by the Mayor.
Complaint of Councilman Benn, as to alleys 1st south of West Main St.
from Sw.3rd to 4th St; also from Sw. 10th_ to 11th Street, needing some
attention was referred to Street Commissioner.
i In matter of petition for arc light at West Main & 16th Street and
referred to Sup 't . , of Light Plant for investigation and report; the
Supat. , of Light Plant reported, that this request had been up on dif-
= Brent occassions, and that it would be nice to have a light at this
point, if the City could afford it at this time, but, it is not need-
ed here any more than a great many other places in the City, the Board
on motion decide as their is a light at 13th-15th-17th Streets and
Easthaven Ave. , and West Main Street, there is no need of a light at
16th & West Main Streets.
Upon recommendation of the Board of Public Health, the Board on motion
decide to discourag persons from holding picnics of large size or the
assembling of large crowds in Clear Creek Park, until provisions are
made by the city, in the way of toilet facilities and drinking water,
as it would be very unsanitary for large numbers of persons to meet ,
for hold picnics in said park at this time.
Mr. Hess,• was authorized to invite the Utility Section of the Munici-
pal League of Indiana, to hold there conference meeting in the City of
Richmond, this summer.
REPORT OF INSPECTION OF MORTON LAKE: BY INDIANA STATE BOARD
OF HEALTH:
At the request of the Board of Works of the City of Richmond, thru
B.A.Bescher, City Clerk, and the several petitioners an inspection was
made of Morton Lake by representatives of this Bureau on May 5,1933.
this inspection was made merely to determine the effect of the lake
upon public health as it is now; and the resulting effects caused by
the removal of the dam and the dispersing of. the lake waters.
There seems to be a difference of opinion of the citizens living in
o the Morton lake region. Some 23 asking that steps be taken at once. to
drain the lake for the betterment of health and 40 others stating
that the removal of the lake would be a detriment to puolic health.
Morton Lake is formed by a circular dam over the stream at North
17th Street with a bridge over it and two gates at the north end of
the °ridge for flood control. This dam was built many years previous
by a private concern or bank reality company to form a lake for pleasur
( purposes in a new addition. During the years the silt carried into the
II ( basin from the stream above has filled the lake, in most parts, to all
most the contour of the top of the dam. The gates were opened in some
way this year and by doing so a new channel was formed leaving now
only a meandering stream through the basin to the gates at the dam.
After a heavy rainfall with the gates closed and a slight head built
lover the dam a film of water is formed over the greater part of the
silt deposits and when the flow subsides after flood flow from storms
' water remain in small pools until it evaporates or seeps away. This
condition gives growth to reeds and marshy organic matter which may in
time proove a breeding place for mosquito larvae.
Certain petitioners contend that the resulting pools do form a breed-
ling place for mosquitos and a resulting unhealthy condition. For a
:time during the previous year the gates at the darn were kept open ac-
1 cording to the information obtained by representatives of this Buraau
from citizens living near and around Morton Lake. They stated that the
; deposit of silt without the water over it gave off very o°noxious odor
land that during that period 17 cases of typhoid fever developed in the
j ca.n:nurity. (See next Daze )
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Friday May 19th, 1933 .
deport on Morton Lake cont 'd. ,
In conclusion the Bureau is of the opinion that the conditions a.
Morton Lake are most difficult to give .a definite opinion for the
following reasons •
1/ Since there is not a public water supply in the vicinity of the
lake and the community where the typhoid cases developed, it is our
opinion, that the disease most probably developed through direct con-
tagion o.r pollution of individual drinking water from the feces, eith r •
from the pit privies to the wells or by direct contact .
2. If the dam were destroyed it would necessitate the expense of a
large sum of money to protect the banks of the stream ana prevent th-
erosion of the silt deposit, that would naturally be deposited farth '
er down stream near the Electric Light Plant of the city.
3. Due to the fact that the dam and lake were constructed by a priva+e
concern, the question arises as to the future intensions of that com '
- pany in regard to the lake.
4. The question also arises as to the jurisdiction of this Bureau in
the matter. In this- report will be found our bulletin on "What co -
stitutes a Health Nuisance and What Constitutes a Property Nuisance.'
In consideration of the above adverse general conditions we offer
the following recommendations
Inasmuch as it is not probable that the typhoid fever develop
ed from the . lake; and that the dam should its be destroyed due to re
sults stated above, we recommend that the citizens of the community
or the health department approach the owners of the dam and request
the gates be kept open. It is our opinion that the gates will handle
the flow in the stream under normal conditions and in time the silt
deposit will dry and present favorable gardens and lawns. Undoubted)
this deposit will present an unfavorable odor until the organic matt:,r
has become oxidized but a minor cultivation will soon eliminate this
objection. In the matter of cultivation we would request the company
or bank which developed the lake to plow under the top of the silt
beds after draining the top by the construction of ditches to the
stream/ The Bureau also recommends that privies be made fly-tight
and sanitary in this region and those wells which are polluted be con-
demned and a potable water supply for drinking be obtained.
In closing we further state that if the owners adhere to these
recommendations we believe the condition will be handled in the most
favorable manner for all concerned. The Bureau• does not state that
lowering the waters is the complete solution, because if the gates do
not handle all flood conditions, overflowing may occur. at any time,yet
we do not believe the overflow would be lasting enough to create a
continuous nuisance. Morton 's Lake if the flood waters had been oper
ated properly by opening the gates in flood time may have b.amm still
remained a pleasure lake with well defined shores, but at present ti i+e
the bottom is silted to such a degree that at least eighty per cent
of the old lake body sould now be a marsh in summer months and may
cause serious complaint.
The investigation was made on May 5, 1933, by L. A.Geupel and Clyd
E. Willi ams
Approved, by M . L.Lang, Uhief Division of Chemistry, Ind. State Brd.Hea th
Copy to, Alton Hale,Prest. lst National Bank, Richmond. =J. A,Bescher
City Clerk; Dr. M. F.Johnston,Health Officer, Richmond, Indiana.
On motion the report was ordered placed on file.
qa.ims in amount of k633. 21 were allowed, and transfer of 50, 000. 09
from M.E. L. & P .P . Depreciation Reserve Fund to General Fund was a.oprsved.
The various payrolls to May 16th, 1933 , were approved.
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The Board then adjourned,
Attest.: Prest. of Board
Clerk of Board