After visiting and
reporting on some of the most egregious unhealthy locations in Hamilton and after
investigating what other communities were doing as regards improving the
healthiness of their local districts, the Spectator reporter who had been on
the case was then sent to interview two indivisiuals : Alderman Carruthers,
chairman of the health committee and Police Chief A. D. Stewart
The reporter’s
interview with the alderman included a focus on the Caroline street, a former
inlet from the bay between Caroline street and Bay street, north of Cannon street
which was being filled in by the dumping of all sorts of refuse into it:
“A SPECTATOR reporter
yesterday afternoon interviewed the chairman of the health committee in regard to
what had been done in the way of remedying unhealthy spots in the city, which
had been pointed out by the SPECTATOR.
“In answer to the
reporter’s question as to whether anything had been done to the Caroline street
gully, Ald. Carruthers said that nothing had been done yet.
“ ‘Do you intend to
do anything with it?”
“ ‘Well, no; there is
nothing to be done there. The place does not smell at all.”
“ ‘Ought there not be
some notices put up round the gully to prevent persons rom putting refuse
matter there?”
“ ‘Yes. There should
be. I have thought it advisable to have notices put up, prohibiting people
putting any more there. The chairman of the board of works is having the stagnant
water that has accumulated in the gully below Barton street drained off. That
is the only place there, and when that is cleared away, the gully will be all
right. There was one thing I saw there, and that was a bed of watercresses that
I should have liked to have some of.”
“ ‘Is anything being
done to the Cathcart street sewer, do you know?”
“ ‘No, I don’t; I
spoke to Ald. McLagan, the chairman of the sewer committee, and he said they
were getting along with it as fast as possible.”
“After this
interview, the reporter went down to view again the place where the
watercresses grow, and found as Ald. Carruthers said that nothing had been done
save the draining off of the water, which is a good act in itself. The work of
renovating the Cathcart street sewer is also commenced, but the workmen are
down at the exit yet, and the people in the vicinity are still complaining of
the sewer.”1
1 “Yours for
Health : Points That Ought to Be Considered.”
Hamilton Spectator. August
08, 1883.
The police chief was asked about the
role of his men in enforcing regulations in terms of unhealthy nuisances in the
city:
“ ‘Yes,” said Chief
of Police Stewart, to a Spectator reporter yesterday, in answer to an inquiry, ‘I
have read about the scheme for sanitary supervision which they have adopted in
Toronto. The idea of constituting members of the police force health inspectors
is a capital one, for the officers know every nook and cranny of the city, and
are therefore admirably qualified to nose out nuisances. But we cannot imitate
the example in Hamilton. We have not one man, to say nothing of ten, to spare
for such a purpose – and just at this season particularly, when three men are
off at a time for their holidays.”
“ ‘How does the
Hamilton force compare in numbers with the Toronto force?” was asked.
“ ‘We have 45 all
told; Toronto has 150 odd, that’s the difference. I have for some years been
advocating an increase in the force, but to no purpose. The commissioners don’t
view the matter from my standpoint. Then there is another comparison to make.
Our men have a district to look after quite as extensive as Toronto’s police precincts
with the difference that it is less densely populated. Fancy how much
distribution there must be of our few men to cover such an area and what
disadvantages an officers labors under when so obligated to act without needed
assistance. Once when Detective McKenzie (then sergeant) arrested a prisoner at
the head of York street, it took him from 11:30 to 3:30 to land his captive in
the cells. The officer knocked his obstreperous prisoner down 27 times, and the
obstreperous performed a like service for the officer to the number of about 20
times.”
And the chief laughed
heartily at the funny incident.
“’ But are not police
ex-officio health inspectors?” the reporter queried.
“ ‘True, they are
supposed to report all nuisances coming within their observation. The reports
are recorded in a book and their duty in the matter ends. But to think of
detailing members of the force to specially act in this direction would be
useless. I want more men on the force as it is without proceeding to utilize
some of those no employed for the purpose of sanitary inspection.”1
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