Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-01-11

Areport submitted Tuesday'eVening to the
City Council, BY the City Civil Engineer,
John Whitelaw, on the Canal street main
sewer, brought 10 the light of common day a
project which that officer originated and
has been Developing fol, the last two years,
and which, when contaminated (fer there is
not the shadow Of q doubt that the Council
viii adopt it. although they deferred the
consideration of the report one week. will
be, next to the Water Works, the most ex-
tensive Improvements ever introduced into
our city, and, the sanitary condition Of the
city considered, by far the most important
enterprise that has at any time claimed the
attention and approval of our citizens. We
will knit together for the bene6tof our read
ers in The city, the chief points of the above
report.
While our present system of sewerage is
superior to that of many cities, it has serious
defects, ~preiudicial To public health and
involving a large annual outlay Of money
in the line of running expenses. All the
drain of the city south and west Of Eagle
street finds its way into the river through cul-
verts at the foot of Eagle, Huron, Seneca,
C~hamplain, James, Superior and Stellar sits.
As a necessary consequence the river is fill
ed with an amount of filth which its current
cannot sweep out into the lake. NGYiga-
ton is impsded, and the Council have been
obliged hitherto 10 make annual appropria-
tiOns Of $4,000 and upwards for the ;dredg-
ing of the Cuyahoga. The plan1deyised by
Engineer WhitelsW embraces the construc-
tion of la'gecatch basins at the feet Of the
above named streets, TO receive the drain
from those streets, and the building Of a
sewer which shall wind liks a large
anaconda its outlet into the lake under
the union passenger depot in the following
~course:a From the depot under the @. c. 4
C. Railrosdtrsck to St. Clair street, thence
up River street to Msrwin street, up Mer-
win 10 James street, up James to Canal
street, up CanaIt to the center Of Ohio street,
to Eagle street. This anaconda viii
gulp and suck the contents Of the
catch basins or cesspools spoken of
BY this means not 8 particle Of
fIth or surface water from all these specif-
ID portions Of the city, between Eagle street
and lake Erie, will drain into tho river, but
he whole mass Of corruption will 'ooze and
along the belly Of this huge serpent
until it is vomited.into the lake.
The distance from Eagle street to the lake,
by the sewer, is $500 feet and
here is difference enough Of elevation from
he outlet to the, source Of the sewer, to give
uniform grade ofover n foot in four hum
lred feet. The sewer will be constructed of
~uficient size to drain the filth and surface
water Of all the sewers which shall eyer be
constructed, south and west Of Eagle street.
noton1y take the flow Of water from
Eagle street main sewer and its many late
al branches, but be of sufficient size at that
,oint Eagle street, to permitOf its extension
yhen necessary, TO the south end Of Canal
treet, as now laid out, a distance of 5000
eet and upwards. gEE x9Ers A1
The deepest excavation, at the intersecs
ion of Michigan and Canal streets, is TWEEN
feet and tins. only for a short dis
ance. The average cut will not be deeper
han seventeen feet, which is but two and a
Ialf feet deeper than the average cut for our
Their main sewers. Therefore, no engineer
ng difficulties will have to be overcome.
The total cost Of the work, in cash, is es-
at $7I,379 So. If given in sewerage
onds the cost will be increased ten per
emit.
The c. &C. Railroad Company, with
characteristic generosity. give the city a
ratuitous right Of way under their track
rom the depot to ST. Clair street.
The City Council will take up the report
f the Civil Engineer next Tuesday evening.
Ve understand that every member Of that
ody is heartily in faver of adopting the re-
and putting the projected enterprise in
he wsy of accomplishment. +