08-08-2025
Today in history: 1915, State putting pressure on Marysville to update its unsightly, unhealthy sewer situation
On Aug. 7, 1915, the Marysville Appeal laid out an argument for its readers regarding the need for the voters to approve a bond measure to improve the sewer system.
It was a real scolding.
'Now is the time to act,' the newspaper argued in its headline.
'The importance of the coming bond election was attested to this week be a representative of the state board of health, who has been in Marysville a couple of days looking over sanitary conditions,' the newspaper began.
'After viewing the place where the drainage sewers empty e said the state board of health would order these conditions remedied, but in view of the approaching election he said no action would be taken by the state board until the voters had Venn given the opportunity of expressing their wishes in the matter.
'He gave as his opinion that this was not only an unsightly and filthy place but it was a serious detriment to the health of this community and the state board certainly would not permit such conditions to longer exist.
'It is seen now then that this work MUST be done. If the voters are short-sighted enough to turn down the bond issue it will be up to the property owners to stand the cost of the work and the only means whereby this money can be raised is by an increase in the tax rate.
'If this comes to pass it will work a hardship as well as an unnecessary burden upon those who own property in this city and for this reason if for no other it behooves ever person owning property in Marysville to get out and work in the interest of the bonds.
'Once in a while we hear the argument advanced that the state board of health has no authority in local matters further than to recommend that certain things be done; that they have no way of enforcing their orders. This is an erroneous impression because the state board has all the power necessary to enforce its orders where it is shown that conditions such as those existing here are a menace to the public health.
'Should the bonds be defeated it will not have the lightest effect in retarding this work other than to make it more expensive and it doesn't matter whether the city council favors having the work done (and they are all strongly in favor of it), they will have no other recourse in the matter except to carry out orders of the state board of health.
'If there is a man or woman in Marysville opposed to the bond election, they are so few and far between it is a most difficult task to locate them. They are ashamed to let their identity be known and no one can blame them for being ashamed of such a stand. If we were opposed to the bonds we certainly wouldn't have the temerity to let it be known for the simple reason there is no other side to the question.'
Solve the daily Crossword
