The New York herald., 1878-09-25
SEWERS AND SMELLS.

WHAT COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL HAS TO SAY
ON THE CONDITION OF THE sEwEns-MR.
ENGINEER TowLEs vIEws
Complaints have been quite frequent OF lato in GER
tain parts OF tho city that owing to what consid
ored the defective condition OF some OF the
sewers, not only many streets but many
dwellings had been during the past summer
rendered at timcs almost uninhabtabie. In
many parts OF the city up town citizens contend
that tho stenches they complain OF overpow-
erng at high tide than at any other time This due,
they believe to the contents OF the sewers already
blocked up, being pushed back, thereby driving tho
filthy odors through the connection pipes into tho
dwellings the Departments OF Public WORKS do not
put much faith In this idea SO strangely prevalent,
and claim that the city sewers are all In splendid
condition. A HERALD reporter yesterday called upon
Commissioner Campbell in relation TO the matter, ana
called his attention in an especial manner to tho
charges made relative to the by ex-superin-
tendent Of the department.
''The statements made by John NJ. Thornton, for.
mcry superintendent OF sewers" Mr.. Campbell said
shave no foundation in fact They are made because
he was dismissed from tho department tor bad
duct"
"Attempts 10 levy backmaIi on tho contractors.
When these iacs came 10 my knowledge caused nim
TO DO dismissed from the department. We havo
ample PROOF o his misconduct IN sworn stat ements
and expect 10 obtain still more conclusive evidence
per TO be circulated among tho contractors other
employees OF the department asking tor contributions
cases he demanded money from contractors. and
have an affidavit from John Muinoand among others
that such demand was made aud refused. As could
not permit sucn practices In the department he was
dismissed, and in consequences he now comes forward
with charges wnich are tissue OF iaisehoods from
beginning TO cnd."
charges in detaiiS"
"rnat can DO best done by M. Towie, tho ngneer
OF tho Bureau OF Sewers. He Is familiar with all tho
details and VIII glvo you all the Information you do
SIRE"
ENGINEsR's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Stevenson Towle, the officer 10 whom the re-
porter referred by the Commissioner, reiterated
all the denials OF his Chef and declared thore
foundation for tho charges whatever
"rhis is the first complaint We have ever had" he
said, ''o aHy foul odors arising from the vers
as The Commissioner has explained to you these
charges spring from the malice OF discharged SUPER
manifested al the foot OF West Twenty-third street.
but they are not caused by detective Sewers"
show, then, are they causcdS"
"rhcy arise from tho mud in the ferry slip, wb,ch
Is constantly stirred aud agitated by the Doats
sswage that part OF the Twenty ,niru street sc~er
west OF Eleventh avenue, whi ich was formerly dis
charged thsre' having been discontinued ior eignt
sewage received In the general or collective
in Eleventh avenue and discharged at the loot OF
Seventeenth street. Indeed tho whole district from
fhreonln to rnrty-htth street is discharged by this
ono outlet"
''whst, then. Is the remedy for the foul smells from
tho ferry slip ?"
''The remedy is for tho Dock Department to dredgs
out tho slip IL this Is done 80 deep that the wheels
OF tho terry boats do touch tho bottom there Will
be no ioul smells there Sooner or later this
viii havo 10 be done tho sewage at tho
bottom OF the slip cannot be got rid or
IN any other way. The boats Keep stirring 1t
up ali tho limo and washing In and out and in this
way some OF u Is carried away by tho tide but II this
process Is TO be relied upon u will require couple Of
hundred years TO cleanse II. -
"But, Mr.. Towle, Mr.. Thornton Is very specific in
ms charges, the reporter said uo gives copy Of
report winch he made TO you IN 1875 In regard to
stances with the work ut the loot OF West Fifty
street, and says you replied, Wc must 20 on, str;
don't care whether the work falls down or not.'"
"No such words were ever uttered by mo; tho story
is q pur0 fabrication "
"How about the FortioIh street scwcr, which Mr..
Thornton characterzes us "a big job and from tho
oversight OF which nc was relieved he says because
he was TOO jealous in seeing tho work wcll done"
the distance between THIS and his other duties
was loo great to enable him to do hs work efficiently,
but he Was Immediately rciusuted AZ the Instance of
Mr.. Kclly and SO was away IRON the work only
day. All this work regularly certified TO by Thorn
ton as properly done"
THE HARLEM PLArs
"Thep again, he says that In The Harlem fats piles
were driven where they were unnecessary because
the contractor was making large profit out OF them. "
"TGorn!on had entire charge OF that, and II any
work done there not in conformity with tho con-
tract he Is responsible"
"He also com plains that pipes and sewers ire-
quenty replaced at great expense whcn little
sight could have prevented
''Wo going on to take up aud replace defective
sewers matter who 1t may hur;.o
"Thcn, again, Thornton says sewers have beon paid
for where none were over built ~
"Ihc only possible foundation for such O statement
whore sewer ought TO DO ana finding mono over oc-
Cured. "