Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-06-24
SEW-ALL AND SEWAGE


The narrow escape of City Engineer
Sewall from drowning somewhere in the
streets of the Sixth ward, day or two ago,
recalls the distinguished services of that indi-
vidual to the city and reminds us what sad
loss his abrupt taking off would be to the
people. 1t is questionable whether Sewall
is appreciated as he should be. Few persons
know him personally, and, if the truth must
be told, fewer care to know him. 1t is diff
cult to account for this indifference. It is an
adage that republics are ungrateful, and mu
nicipal corporations are not exempt
from thesame charge. Great men have been
seldom appreciatedin their own country, and
by their own age. A prophet is not without
honor save in his own country. Ignorance
of Mr.. SewalPs claims to greatness may ac-
count somewhat for this distressing condi-
ton of affairs, but such ignorance is mex
cusable.
The day and the hour of Sewall's arrival
in the city is unknown. 1t was some twen-
ty-fve years ago, so that Sewall must have
very old man when threatened with a waterY
death few days ago. 1t is altogether
probable that he was very young when he
came to st. Paul. He is very young yet.
His first work here was that splendid mas
terpiece of architecture, called the ST. Paul
bridge, which has required an annual outlay
of the cost of an ordinary bridge to keep it
suspended near the moon. Sewall got the
idea by studying C@sar's commentaries when
boy, but has wonderfully improved upon
his model. He was then engaged on
the Lake Superior railroad, and would
have probably remained there but for his in
sisting against the decision of the directors
on continuing the track across Lake Super
ior. OF late years he has been engaged on
the sewerage system of st. Paul. 1t may be
safely said, that he is the only man in the
city limits who knows anything about that
system. 1t is an enigma beyond the grasp
of the ordinary mind. Mr.. Sewall has con-
structed some fine canals and drive
ways for short distances, in different
purpose has not yet been revealed. The
Rice street causeway is quite a solid piece of
Missionary, and being directly on the way to
the cemetery, it was thought it might be
utilized as an underground thoroughfare
along which tax-defunct people might be
borne to their last resting place. But con-
trary to all expecta tions, this grand work
was turned off into Rondo street, and there
abruptly stopped to enable Mr.. Sewall to
pursue mis- scientific explorations among the
mountains of the moon.
1t is true sewerage has be-
come a practical science. Ali the large
cities of the earth, London, Paris, New York,
are wonderful examples of mans skill.
1t is true, also, that nature did great deal
for st. Paul, nesting the city in an ampi-
theatre of hills, with gushing fountains and
brooks, natural sewers to the river, but Mr..
Sewall proposes sometime in the distant fu-
ture to improve upon nature by means which
he has taken the pains not to divulge.
AL this is very we'll, but it is costly, and it
is objected, that SewaII considers himself
the city of st. Paul, that his word is
law, and that sewall can do no wrong. Two
or three times year the courts are deluged
with suits for loss of property, and every
time Sewall comes up smiling, ready to
swear that no one is to blame, the elements
alone are 1T fault, and so on.
Every wilt admit that Sewall is lux
ury. 81 etimes it becomes necessary to dis
pense with Injuries. Sewail is too expen-
sive, too much of a good thing, too learned
and too wise, and after all, We are compelled
to say, painfully, that if he had been
drowned the other day, it might have been
| the very best thing that could have happen
ed for the city of Saint Paul.