Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-12-14
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.



| EDITORS APPEAL-Would it not be wise to
advise the common council to be careful with regard
TO their action on the seWering of the bayou? 40
d5ISlaEd there Few men who are always Gil the
alert get chalers for work which they know must
doing it themselves but in order 70 be able to sell
out 10 others when the time comes for the work to
be accomplished, am well satisfied that the pipes
are already laid-not in the bayou, but IN a back
office up town; and any man who will support the
proposition to sewer, at the present time by vote or
say from ten to fifty shares, assigned him. hope
snd Jss ee Is Of ass a0Ign e 10 t s % m
No one living believes the bayou had anything to do
with yellow-feyer but while the excitement is up.
those gentlemen who SO very much Interested in
the welfare of the city may get hold Of good tn ng
We have streets to make. which Is OF iar more I'm
them be we'll paved with stone, and then we can
talk about the sewerage QUESTION. One thing at
portance. You Messrs. Editors, can do great deal
the people. TAA-fA1ER
Sewerage and eur Financial Condition.
EDITORS APPEAL-As so many are ven
tatng In their views the sll-absorbing toplc 1.-THE
sewerage system, and how to do it" thought that
| would ueSpASs On your columns, with your per-
mission: to give you my ideas OF what l consider
PTaGe taking eveTthng int tS ~ that
be done. OF the various plans proposed, only one,
In, ny estimation, presents any practical features
AUdLanche the other day. But he does not go far
the main bayou, as he proposes, and 1gnore the diff
tereut branches which empty Into 1t. You might as
Well say that the blood IN yO1r BODY should only
circulate through one artery and tuat all the rest
should be cut off and take care OF themselves and
take care of themselves they would, and ~ a way
that would not be conducive TO the health of the city
in case the health of the body in the other.
To cary ont his proposition, every branch Of the
ba would have to be severed to Its source, which
would make the work cost US millions Of dollars,
and consequently place the work beyond our reach.
In place OF the unattalnaoie, submit TO you the
following plan, wheh Is both within our means and
perfectly practical: First of ALL let the bayou alone;
is the natural drain for four or five thousand acres,
and cannot be successfully tempered WITH and past
experience has proved that II Is none To large for the
WOlk nature has 0dt out Tor IT, and the only way In
Whch 1t can be successfully tnterfeIed with Is TO
strengthen 1t where it needs 1t Next, let the city
bayou forty feet in Width clear all distractions out
of the way, make street each side, and pave the
banks of the bayou ana sod Them with Bermuda
grass; then put good fence on each side OF the
6ayOu-just OF the edge Of it-so to
keep out hogs, goats, ETC., and as a pro-
tection to teams and pedestrians: then lay in
say three feet six inches in diameter up As tar as
Adams street, from Adams toB .ale street. three feet
half feet In diameter at the north and south line
of each street openings are to be left to receive
bayou. At the bridges; at Intervals of say every
second street vent pipes can be raised sufficiently
high to carry the sewerage gas (Which pours in all
sewers) above ans building in the vicinity. Tho
north end OF the main sewer can be carried either
around by this north OF Wolf river leave the bayou
at Auction street, and thence Into the Mississippi
river, as may be determined upon. And right here
from discha1ging our sewerage into the Mssissippi
river TOR tae city of London, with atty times our
population discharges its sewerage into river OF
much smaller volume than the Mississippi and with
tide obsreting the outflow twelve hours out of the
tW5nty-fOuTs and finds 70 evil effects from
II. sever Tucied an tlis plan
would be financially within our reach, and In addir
tlOn would have two other features to recommend It.
First 1t would have head Of thirty forty feet at
the highest stages OF water. counting from Shelby
street 10 The bayou, which would be enough insure
the "a Did and efIectual discharge Of all sewerage.
mater; Seeon4-Lt would relieve our city Of that
fearfuy diIaD:dEted ieoK l. hes along the bayou,
and would give US two good streets which would con-
meet all our railroad cep DIS, eoltonshedS and coli.
presses, and would consequently relieve Main and
Front streets of the crush of drayage which makes
them now almost impossible for private convey
ances. :. would also distribute the drayage and
heavy h7u Ing owes E.Sater surface, and streets
would consequently last longer 20. Us -eason
If no other, the plan is WORTHY of consideration In
2nnther communication Will give you an estimate
Of the cost OF The entire work.