Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-12-15
X, p. nArsxAs. w.o.nAlrwAS.
(Estselih he'd iscD
BATEMAN & BRO.
Wholesale GrOcers
Commission Merchants,
Nos. is, "a. ID aud rs West Second street, cor.
ncr rhroekmor,on,
FORT WORTH.
SAN ANTONIO LETTER.
The System OF Sewerage aud bitches Of
the Alamo City Remarks
and Suggestions.

Nv ''"''N W. A'N"hs ~
aud Suggestions.
Correspondence otthe Gazette.
San Antonio, December Is.-.The
drainage and sewerage question Il Mt
last receiving sensible consideration
from our city authorities, aud Major
Humphreys, the distinguished cnvi-
necr who planned the system VI sew
eragc established nj Memphis, Ia now
here and has been employed by our
courcil ~ a salary OF Si0O per month
TO develop u plan TO drain and sewer
this city. Major Humphreys has q
big lot, ahead OF HIN, and he has
found u out from simple view of the
city. We hav" here city whose cor
porate ilmits embrace about twenty.
eight square miles, the larger portion
OF which area IL built up with resi-
dcnces and traver, cd 10y water aud gas
pipes and Irrigation bitches. Tue
heart of the city IL in u valley, two
miles wide and four miles long, with
suburban residences ON the hills en-
virouing the valley 10 the east aud west
There II q natural drainage Ia the
river, but the meauders OF the river are
20 frequent and take in so much terri
tory that II viii be found both difficult
and expensive Ia run main pipes on
both sides of the river to such point
below the city as will be decided upon
as the place to empty the sewers. The
people viii not vote the money To con-
struct sewer gc unless the system II
thorough aud the drainage IL enlpiicd
into the river south of the city limits.
The main sewer pipes VIII have to be
from five TO six miles In length la
order 10 meet even The pr, sent wants.
The rapid growth, and the wealth Of
the city, both require and will justify
the establishment OF II system of sew
crage that will answer future purposes,
as far as IL goes. Heretofore, ana now,
we have had, aud have. no drainage
other than such ms nature provided
aud STUPID and Ignorant, officials have
even placed inpediments Ia 'ho natu-
raj Drainage Our irrigation bitches
have been the best drains we have had,
and duIinp rainy -casous have proven
rs much of ~ blessing ms drains. az they
have In dry seasons 10y conveying pure
water la the roots of vegetation, giving
MS the finest vegetables, fruits aud
II overs the season round, ana emitting
us 10 the name Of being the Eden city
of the South. But we hndly need q
thorough stem of drainage, and
must have II; II II costs u milion ar
more. Speaking of our irrigation
ditch.s.it may be interesting 10 readers
of The GAZETTE to know the extent Of
these bitches There are five main
bitches Running through the valley.
besides San Pedro creek and the san
Antonio river. These bitches cm-
brace about forty miles al brisk,
running water, within the city
limits. The branches onianatinR from
them amount 10 probably seyonty.ilvc
miles more, ana In many Of these
branches the water runs constantly.
Where there II not II fife-plug, there Ia
river, the San Pedro, or an irrigation
ditch. II requires about three hun
dred bridges Ia span these bitches,
river and creeks where they are APP
preached by streets. Seven Of these
bridges are beautiful and costly iron
structures, and Others are stone arches,
aud the cheaper ones Of plank, 1t Is
quite an expense 10 the city To mniu-
tain these structures III good condition.
But while We are talking so much
about drainage we ire forgetting the
dangers from overflow that threaten
us. The writer has seen water run
over Commerce street several times
and stone houses have been swept
away In the center OF the city. What
has been may come again, and pre-
cautions should bc taken against
losses in the future About four
miles north OF the city Is IA point where
the surplus water that does the dam
age could he diverted into II creek
which runs west of the city, The riy-
er banks have been so heInmed In, and
low places filled up 10 such an extent,
that rains such ms fell In this section
from 1865 TO 1870 would do incalcula-
BILE damage, were they TO fall to-day.
Yet our Authorities, with imaginary
foresight and wisdom, shy there Is no
danger from freshets In the future
that the numerous dllcher will carry
the water OF and save the city. A
halfhour shower causes the bitches 10
overflow their banks But these wise
90 officials only learn this from hear.
say. and must be first knocked down
TO know the pain there is Ia "A blow. II
II too much The tendency now-n-days
TO await the realization of damage or
injury before II remedy or plan 10 avert
IL N sought after.