100 years ago: O’Fallon arranges for vaccinations to stop the spread of smallpox
Looking back at stories that appeared in the O’Fallon Progress 100, 75, and 50 years ago:
100 years ago, Feb. 5, 1925
“A warning from the State Department of Health to local authorities relative to the prevalence of small pox in various sections of the state, including East St. Louis and Lebanon, is in the hands of city officials and the local board of health.
“The city officials immediately conferred with the Board of Education and the health department in an effort to prevent the dreaded disease from spreading to our city and all efforts are being made to have the public co-operate in the move.
“A number of small pox cases have been reported from East St. Louis and Lebanon, where the disease appears to have taken a hold and is spreading to a large degree, giving officials considerable concern in curbing the malady.
“Local authorities, acting under instructions from the state department of health, are of the opinion that the disease can be prevented in O’Fallon if the citizens resort to vaccination as a preventative. This applies especially to children of school age and older persons who have not been vaccinated for some time. They are requested to immediately confer with the family physician and have the matter attended to.
“The city has arranged for parties who are unable to pay for the treatment to confer with City Clerk H. L. Siekmann who will furnish the vaccine points, to be applied by the regular family physician, no individual physician being stipulated.
“Small pox is a dreaded disease in any community and every citizen owes it not only to himself, but to his family and the citizens in general to prevent the plague. This not only eliminates inconvenience and expense to the citizens but a heavy burden to the city.
“With proper co-operation with the health authorities O’Fallon can be made immune from small pox, which when once prevalent is difficult to eradicate.”
75 years ago, Feb. 2, 1950
“Interesting figures are revealed in a checkup of the ever-increasing expansion of O’Fallon’s school bus service. Since most folks take this new method of transportation for granted, few have given it a thought as to the responsibility involved in getting the hundreds of children to and from their studies safely.
“Locally the busses of the O’Fallon-Belleville Coach Company, Loyed Cavins, president, carry approximately 650 students to and from school daily. These carriers are estimated to travel about 42,300 miles annually.
“Another interesting and important sidelight is the fact that in the 16 years Mr. Cavins has been operating school busses, none have been involved in a serious accident. This indicates not only efficient management, but unusual alertness and safety on the part of the bus drivers in whose hands is entrusted the safety of the children.”
50 years ago, Feb. 6, 1975
“JMJ Sanitation owner Dick Seipp appeared before the O’Fallon City Council with a second proposal on his company’s once-a-week trash pickup with a one-can limit.
“Seipp’s first request for a rate increase in that type service had been for an increase from $2.75 to $4.70. At Monday night’s meeting, Seipp requested an increase from $2.75 to only $3.25.
“Approximately 20 senior citizens appeared at the council meeting to protest the first increase requested by JMJ. However, most of the people at the meeting seemed a little less irate when the change in the increase was announced. Many felt the original $1.95 increase request was too steep for most people on fixed incomes.
“Seipp had stated that the increase was made to help eliminate the once-a-week, one-can limit service which he feels some people are ‘abusing.’
“’I would rather the people use the trash bags instead. They could be saving themselves some money by using the bags,’ Seipp said.
“Seipp sells the trash bags at 75 cents a piece but only in lots of 25 bags which costs $18.75.
“’That’s too expensive for most of us senior citizens to afford,’ said one woman in the crowd.
“Seipp suggested then that the people group together to have one person buy the bags and people in the neighborhood buy the bags from that person. Seipp’s contract, which is drawn up with the city on a yearly basis, calls for increase request being made once a year.
“All increase in rates must be brought before the council for its approval before the rate increase may go into effect. His last increase was in April, 1974. Some people had objected to the use of trash bags because of roving animals tearing up the bags and spread the garbage across yards in some areas.
“Seipp told the audience and council Monday evening that the people who wish to use bags may place them in trash cans to keep dogs from tearing the bags up. Seipp had not allowed the use of bags inside trash cans before. Seipp assured the council that the same rate increases would go into effect in the four other areas JMJ collects trash. The other areas are Lebanon, Troy, Fairview Heights and St. Jacob.
“Seipp has not gone before the councils of those various areas for increase approval but said the increases would go into effect soon. The new rate increase was approved by the city council with the increase going into effect April 1. Alderman Robert Lillie voted against the increase.
“Other increases effective April 1 include: An increase from $4 to $4.75 in the once-a-week pick up with no limit on the cans and an increase from $6 to $10 on the twice a week pick-up with no limit in cans.
“Seipp said increases in costs for purchasing new equipment, increases in dumping fees, salaries and fuel have all contributed to the increase request.
“The city council is also sending a registered letter to Boyer Sanitation, the second garbage collector operating in O’Fallon, warning the company of ordinance violations. Boyer Sanitation increased its rates in January without coming before the city council for approval as required by city ordinance. Boyer increased its once-a-week, no limit on cans pickup from $4 to $4.75.
“In a letter addressed to the council on Dec. 6, 1972, Boyer told the council that fees could be paid at Keck’s Supermarket for trash pickup.
“Alderman Robert Seipp, brother of JMJ owner Dick Seipp, told the council that Joe Keck, owner of the store, never received the equipment necessary to collect the fees for Boyer. Seipp asked that the letter be sent to Boyer Sanitation notifying the company of the violations.
“’If he does not contact either myself or the Mayor on the matter within 10 days, action should be taken against him,’ Seipp said.
“Under city ordinance, the mayor has the right to revoke an operating license when a company violates a city ordinance.”