Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-10-29
BY GEORGE W. erFr.
FIRST PAPER

A year since, a little more or less, |
fell in conversation with DR.. D. 7. Por-
ter, President of the Planters Insurance
Company. in which the Doctor remarked
that he was beset by great trouble and
annoyance in connection with the new
Planters building on Madison street;
which annoyance and trouble arose in
consequence of the utter lack of drain
age. He mentioned the expense of get
ting rid of the waste water and sewage
from the various Offices and rooms, and
wished me to suggest something in the
way of proper drain. Recommended
six inch iron pipe down the alley be-
tween Monroe and Madison streets, to
the bayou, and stated that it would cost
about $500. The cost, he assured me,
would be small matter, but he feared
that the sewage, emptying into the
bayou, would be declared nuisance, q
and he would be forced to abandon it,
AS no other plan short of system
Of sewerage seemed TO be feasible, the
subject dropped, and the best building
ia town is incomplete for want Of drain
age.
Several practical lessons are taught
here. Drainage is necessity for com
fort and convenience; a necessity to
the extent that one of our very shrewdest,
calmest and best business men was will
ing to pay in order to get it at the rate
of thirty dollars per front foot of has
lot. This is very astounding. The
Planters building would willingly give
$500 for a sewer, and the Planters
building has a front of but fifty feet, or
thereabouts. If sewer is worth that
much 10 the Planters building, it is
worth as much to others. Is not the
case Of the Planters Building applica-
BILE to the whole town? Now then, when
| know that a sewer, well constructed Of
brick, two by three feet in the clear,
with its bottom ten feet below the gutter,
will cost certainly not more then five
dollars per running foot, or two dollars
and half per foot on the property
fronting it-onc-twelfth of what my
friend Porter was willing to pay
then, / say, let US look into this
thing. Ten miles OF such sewer would
cost but $3.50, 600, and if we use the
bayou as main artery, it will cost in
the neighborhood of $50, 900 per mile to
make it into great covered sewer, ten
feet each way in the clear, and securely
arched over to bear the weight OF earth,
which will be thrown on, as the present
unsightly and ragged bayou is filled up:
Possible three miles Of main sewer will
be required, which will cost near about
as much as the ten miles of feeders
Therefore the proposition of the Ava
lanche to raise 5000 to sewer the
town was very near the mark. / hear
that better system than this has been
proposed, but it will cost $500, 900 to
carry it out. Let us be reasonable.
We have many people in our town
who have never seen a sewer, and who
will argue stoutly that no such improve
ment is required. These are good citi-
zens, but they are unsophisticated. They
have grown up with the town. or come to
us from country villages, where sewers
are unknown; and as it is an idiosyn-
Grassy of every mar 70 believe that his
town is model, and as it had no under-
ground arrangement for carrying of
slops. certainly none must be required.
Gentlemen, you must waken yourselves
up TO understand that you are in a city;
that whilst villages, containing a few
hundreds Of people. may exist notwith-
standing their fostering filth piles, cities
cannot. There is no other place OF the
same population on earth which Is not
thoroughly drained, where drainage is
practicable, and, where il is Impractical
Bile, other means Of insuring cleanliness,
and the prompt removal Of foul waters
is provided. Memphis ia the only place
where no provision is made for the
prompt carving Of Of sewage, and
Memphis enjoys the bad reputation OF
being the unhealthiest place in the
world. Memphis has a greater percent
age Of summer absentees than any other
place, hence the losses through the ex'
penditures OF such absentees Is proper
tionally greater than any other place.
Our press, and some Of our good people,
occasionally make an effort 70 arouse
lhe spirit Of enterprise, and get some
manufactures in operation, and thus
lay The foundation Of great city. !
warn them that al such efforts will prove
futile until We get Il established that
he business q undertaking is not quite
80 profitable. We must begin a.
1poet,, Porter Informed ne day e. I've
sircs that could this difficulty have been over
cone he Would have bsen willing . pay tSlo'