Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-08-08
SEWERAGE.
To the Union and American:

Admit that the taxable value of the prop
erty of Nashville is S20,000,000. All per
sons VIII admit that this property would b,
worth more than twice as much, and some
OF it four times as much, If Wilson creel
valley and Lick creek valley were filed up
the citv drained, and otherwise improved, a:
advised in 1856. The city, as l have al
ready shown, bad a splendid opportunity t.
DO this in way to make it pay ell the ex-
pense and make large profit besides. Had
these improvements then been made, the
consequent accession of population and
capital would have made tie present wealth
more than 100000, 900, an increase of fige
hundred per cent. If any one thinks this
estimate too large, let him go to dozens of
cities inhabited by live people, where this
estimate has been far outdone. Nashville
must "aWake, arise, or be forever falen.n
Shall we stupidity continue to nope on in
idlenesSland wallow In filth, and compel
those who visit US to say of us, as Dr. Pc
tiers has done? Aid yet he speaks with all
the delicacy that truth would admit. Is it
to the interest of Nashville to have such q
name abroad? As we have lest SO many
Thousands of population and millions In
wealth, let us resolve to 60 to work at once,
and work increasingly until Nashville is
made, what she ought to be, one of the
loVeliest cities in America. Let us 90 10
work wisely and with the true economy of
comprehensive fberality, and every dollar
thus expended will return in five dollars.
What shall we do first? Begin. Work be-
gun is half completed. First sweep from
the city all priyies, and supply their place
With odorless earth-closets at 10 expense to
the city, and with economy to the owner.
This done, and the city is freed from more
than half the cluse of sickness, at no ex-
pense to the city. iE
SEWERAGE
should not be commenced until the follow
ing points have been well considered:
| l. We want no "mosquito factory" or
other nuisance In front of the city, but We
want the river front for future beautiful or
namentation, where not otherwise utilized.
! 2. We want distinctly 10 bear in mind
/ that our city is differently conditioned from
any other city in America, its base being
made up of alternate layers of rock and
earth, so that the seepage from garden ma
nure, from the stable, ETC., is compelled to
crop out on the next lot below, and that
there IS no possible remedy but seaoerage.
q. we want every man to pay for improv-
ing his own property. He has no right to
city advantages without it, and let him be
compelled to pay his part of needed ex-
pense. Let each lot pay its own sewerage,
and let tributary sewers pay their share of
the expen Of main sewers. Let two men
from each ward be elected-one from each
political party--to fix rate of the expense.
Let the owners in each ward sign a joint
note for the amount assessed, payable an
nually in advance, during five years bearing
I'M
turity to bear ten per cent interest. All |
who refuse to sign such note are to pay In |
cash and ten per cent interest for all DELAY, |
and ten per cent added for collectors fees. |
By having it in joint note, as convenient |
ly arranged as tax collectors book, it will |
save the trouble of large number of sepa- |
rate notes. AS mentioned in previous ar
tiele, the city is to have secured obligations |
from the owners to pay for filling up all |
property along Wilson creek and Lick |
creek valleys. She should also make SINH |
lar contracts to raise all the buildings, |
whether brick or wood, along these valleys,
to such height IS the filling would require. |
These obligations could be used as security
for any amount of money the city might
wish to borrow, but with the distinct I'M
Outstanding that all money received for fill
ing lots, etc, is to be credited on the notes
given for sewerage.
THE RULING IDEA
OF Nashville sewerage should be to close up
the mouth of Wilson creek and Lick creek
At the river, reverse their current and made I
the waters of Wilson creek to be conveyed
through sewer running west wardly, to
mingle with the waters Of Lick creek, ana
the waters OF both to be conveyed to the
river beLOtu the city by a sewer, Begin ing
1t point west of the capitol, thence
through the low lands Just west of Fort
Gillem to the river. This last sewer should
not be touched until considerable progress
had been made in other parts of the work.
This plan would be comprehensive, perma-
nent and much cheaper than most persons
would suppose. Each part should be so
lone SIS 10 last hundreds OF years. Digging
out at one place and filling up at another
should be carried on at the same time.
The walls near the river along the mouth
Of these creeks should be fifteen to twenty
eet high. Concrete material should be |
used for these walks and for much other
work. This will greatly lessen expense, as
he toughest surface rock can be used.
When these front walls have been raised ten
eet high bank of earth ten feet high
should be thrown up sainst the upper side
o prevent the pressure of water against the
vail, and also 60 stand upon while building
he wall still higher. A temporary food
,gte should be left through these walls AM
hut before showers so as to compel the
water from the hills to
pread out over the valleys, and few
pounds of ground alum would set !
lie 1t in one night, and the
water drawn off in the morning. Wilson
,reek should be made to take the course Of ]
! needed street running east and west
through this valley, and the street be made
Dver the sewer. The sewers along the val
les should be twenty-five feet wide, with a 8
enter wall to support the arch and this {
enter wall to De composed of succession |
# arches. The great width of these sew I
rs would aid much in filling up the lots. {
Alley sewers should be ten feet wide. |
These walls should be made only ten feet
figh at present, and the arch only put on as
he public good demands. Open Sc @ers
hat are washed every day will have little g
dor. When Wilson creek sewer is open c
d next, open t'em along the tributary al
eys. The streets now being used across
hese vallies should not at present be dis G
urbed, but the walls on each side should J
70 built, but allow the passage-way left as :
he arches, when the dirt now forming the ;
treet should be thrown on the outside of !;
be walls and the whole Of that street :
apidly completed. 1t would be economy .
nd good policy to complete the most i'm :
'ortant part of this work with as little de- !.
BY as possible so that the outside world
nay see that henceforth Nashville msans
BUSINESS. Put 100 hands to work the first
f the month and within three moths in
rease the number to 1000 and pay them
ash every Saturday night. Have no pay
ng in check to compel the workmen to
ell them "for song" for the benefit of
hsrpeTs or allow the city to cheat them
ut of $50 on hundred, of their hard earn
Dgs, as has been done within the last four
ears. The sewers being completed
long these two Vsllles, the streets and alleys
aiming north and south, should be sup
lied with sewers to empty into these main
runks. When the streets aud alleys run
ing north and south are properly supplied
With sewers, very little sewerage will at q
resent be needed in the streets running =
asst and wess. That in Church street =
hould empty into that in Market street and
e conveyed down to what we may call
VilsoD straat The 90 wera IN tho bioh