We have long believed, and are now prepared to show by facts, figures and
an experience of twenty-one years in the Health Department of Montgomery,
that it is entitled to rank amongst the healthiest cities in America. We
make this assertion in no boastful spirit, but with security born of
experience, and sustained by the following carefully prepared statistical
tables, compiled from data furnished by a number of American and foreign
cities:
| | ANNUAL DEATH
AMERICA. | POPULATION. | RATE PER 1,000.
-----------------------|-------------|----------------
Baltimore, Md. | 400,000 | 19.63
Brooklyn, N. Y. | 600,000 | 20.46
Boston, Mass. | 375,000 | 19.46
Buffalo, N. Y. | 150,000 | 16.52
Cambridge, Mass. | 60,000 | 23.51
Charleston, S. C. | 60,000 | 28.68
Chicago, Illinois | 500,000 | 14.19
Cincinnati, Ohio | 300,000 | 12.84
Cleveland, Ohio | 170,000 | 21.50
Elmira, N. Y. | 20,583 | 18.69
Erie, Penn. | 200,000 | 13.35
Fall River, Mass. | 50,000 | 20.39
Lawrence, Mass. | 40,000 | 23.80
Lowell, Mass. | 60,000 | 16.73
Lynn, Mass. | 35,000 | 18.96
Memphis, Tenn. | 80,000 | 16.08
Milwaukee, Wis. | 150,000 | 21.55
New Haven, Conn. | 80,000 | 15.50
Norfolk, Va. | 25,000 | 19.82
New Orleans, La. | 220,000 | 22.78
New York City | 2,500,000 | 22.74
Philadelphia, Pa. | 100,000 | 19.37
Providence, R. I. | 105,000 | 21.20
Richmond, Va. | 100,000 | 18.11
San Francisco, Cal. | 350,000 | 16.04
St. Louis, Mo. | 600,000 | 18.94
Washington, D. C. | 175,000 | 31.12
Worcester, Mass. | 55,000 | 22.07
Yonkers, N. Y. | 20,000 | 15.33
MONTGOMERY, ALA. | 30,000 |White 9.50
" " | |Col'd. 18.00
" " | |Total 13.00
| |
FOREIGN. | |
Amsterdam, Holland | 289,982 | 33.01
Antwerp, Belgium | 150,000 | 19.07
Basle, Switzerland | 49,158 | 17.
Belfast, Ireland | 180,412 | 28.
Berlin, Germany | 200,000 | 23.9
Berne, Switzerland | 40,168 | 20.2
Birmingham, England | 400,436 | 28.5
Bombay, India | | 42.7
Breslau, Germany | 260,000 | 25.9
Brussels, Belgium | 173,000 | 20.2
Buda Pesth, Hungary | 60,000 | 39.6
Calcutta, India | 892,000 | 49.4
Christiana, Norway | 80,000 | 21.4
Copenhagen, Denmark | 200,500 | 24.6
Cork, Ireland | 580,076 | 41.6
Dublin, Ireland | 334,666 | 31.7
Dundee, Scotland | 145,600 | 31.5
Edingburgh, Scotland | 220,729 | 28.
Geneva, Switzerland | 46,783 | 19.
Ghent, Belgium | 127,653 | 32.6
Glasgow, Scotland | 560,933 | 24.
Liverpool, England | 600,000 | 32.6
London, England | 3,560,802 | 25.7
Madras, India | 397,352 | 98.6
Manchester, England | 360,212 | 19.8
Messina, Italy | 80,136 | 16.8
Munich, Bavaria | 200,000 | 32.
Naples, Italy | 907,000 | 25.7
Paris, France | 2,500,000 | 25.4
Rome, Italy | 286,000 | 21.3
Rotterdam, Holland | 125,097 | 28.2
Sidney, Australia | 60,079 | 25.5
St. Petersburg, Russia | 210,000 | 45.80
Stockholm, Sweden | 165,677 | 27.2
The Hague, Holland | 105,000 | 29.5
Treiste, Austria | 127,936 | 41.1
Turin, Italy | 225,488 | 32.2
Valparaiso, Chili | 111,500 | 44.3
Venice, Italy | 140,796 | 29.8
Vienna, Austria | 1,500,000 | 32.24
Warsaw, Poland | 300,000 | 21.58
[Illustration: Synagogue]
[Illustration: St. Peters Catholic Church]
It will be seen from the foregoing tables that Montgomery stands first in
the list, the annual death rate being only 9.50 per 1,000 of the white
population, 18 per 1,000 of the colored population, and 13 per 1,000 of
both races. It is from these facts, representing as they do, the vital
changes of a people, that values of health are obtained. Hence they are
not only priceless to us as citizens, but to representatives of our own
and of foreign countries, who, with their families, design making this
city their home. These ask and expect what we hope to give them, namely,
immunity and protection from all influences prejudicial to health.
[Illustration: M. I. Moses' Residence]
It would be well, just here, perhaps, to answer the many questions put to
us about the location, general appearance and sanitary advantages claimed
for Montgomery. This may be done by the following simple illustration.
Take an ordinary soup dish. Cut out one third of the rim, and place the
cut surface due north, and you have the city in miniature. Explanation:
The bottom of the dish represents the business or commercial center; the
rim the hills. From this flat, containing about eighty acres, the ascent
is gradual to the crest or water shed. Back of this is a sweep of green,
undulating country, which Nature seems wisely to have placed there for the
free and unobstructed outlet of storm waste and surface accumulations.
Extending from this water shed to the river, is a net-work of large
underground water mains and conduits, of sufficient capacity and strength
to resist the pressure of the tons of water that flow through them at
every heavy rain fall, thus carrying off the debris, closet refuse and
other matters to be wasted in the Alabama river. The Waring system of
sewerage is now being added to that already in operation. When completed,
the drainage of our city will be as perfect as human ingenuity can make
it. These natural advantages, aided and controlled by a liberal government
and a wise, energetic Health Board, will ever render Montgomery a charming
and safe resort for the tourist, and a home for the invalid. How can this
be otherwise when Nature has bestowed upon us this gift of position, and
invested our city with broad avenues, shaded by endless lines of the water
oak, elm and maple. These give charm to our parks and add beauty and
attractiveness to the many handsome public buildings and private
residences to be seen on every hand.
Apart from these attractive features, and above price, is our exhaustless
supply of pure artesian water. Its constitution, source and chemically
pure composition bear directly and remotely upon the sickness and death
rate of our people. That many disorders, some of grave character, are
justly due to contagion contained in the water we drink, is an established
fact; and we should know this when the question of choosing a home is
under consideration.
Again, Montgomery is wholly exempt from those wasting blizzards, cyclones
and storms so destructive to life and property in other sections of the
country. Such are unknown here, whilst around us, yearly visitations of
wind storms are common. No disease, especially of epidemic kind, as
small-pox, cholera, diphtheria, etc., takes hold here, and we do not dread
them. As a