The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-10-14
City Sanitary interests.

Whether the City Council has decided
wisely or not in rejecting the recommends
tion OF sanitary engineer having SO wide an
experience aud such extensive special
knowledge as Mr.. Shedd, it is perhaps now
useless to consider. 1t was virtually deter
mined to adopt another plan before any
complete consideration had been given to
that of Mr.. Shedd. A problem SO intricate
and impor ant that Mr., Shedd found it nee
essary for him 10 study the conditions sever
al weeks before arriving at his conclusions.
the members of city government who are
not specialists were all ready to act upon
off-hand as it were. Mr.. Goodwin explained
verbally in few minutes to the City Coun-
Gil his scheme for which he had made no
drawings and the cost of which he was I'M
willing to state any more closely than that
it would be cheaper than building two sewers,
which Mr.. Shedd's plan Contemplated as I'll.
timately, but not Immediately, necessary,
and Mr.. Goodwin's plan was forthwith
adopted SO far as an informal vote could
adopt it.
1t strikes us that this was rather summary
dealing with the conclusions of an engineer
who stands among the very fist in this coun-
try and has a high reputation abroad as a
specialist; but perhaps it is right and best.
II the sewer, which is likely to be built, af-
fords temporary relief it will tide over the
present clamor 10 have something done and
prove at least makeshitt satisfactory to the
ideas aud desires of the people who have
made most complaint of existing conditions.
Mr.. Goodwin said that Mr.. Shedd's pau was
an excellent one, scientific and adequate to
every exigency in its completeness; ami pro-
posed his own only as less expensive alter
native, saving that the question between
them was ''a question of political economy"
The City Council determined that the city
could not afford to make beginning on the
plan proposed by Mr.. Shedd, aud of that
matter they are the responsible judges. 1t
may be presumed they have some knowledge
of what the public will stand in the way of
taxation.
1t need not be thoughtihat the money paid
to Mr.. Shedd has been lost if his plan for in
tercepting sewers was not adopted. What
he has told US about the grave defects of our
general sewer system in sanitary view is
well worth what his services have cost.
There are perls here of which we were ig-
norant, and whi b call for prompt remedial
measures. Owing to defective means of ven
tilation into the the open air directly from
the sewers the danger of having poisonous
sewer gas forced into our homes, especially
where the plumbing arrangements are defec-
tive, as there is much reason TO believe they
are,in many cases, is greatly increased. This
is only one of a number of things which Mr..
Shedd has told us, come of which indeed we
had been told before by our City Civil
Engineer, but which will receive especial al
tention and consideration now. Our people
need to be aroused TO the truth that there
are many evils tending to the injury of the
public health which ought to have been con-
rected long ago and which must be abolished
If we would not invite a pestilence.