Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-23
BflbO Canal.

Editor Morning Nelcs: A petition
largely signed by many Of our most promi-
nent business men, which seeks as its OBJ
ject the closing Of the famous ''Bilbo
canal" was presented to Council at ITS
session Wednesday night, Oct. -. The
gentlemen having the matter in hand are
earnestly working to rid the city Of this
great filth pond. The object which these
gentlemen seek TO accomplish is good
one and merits the cooperation Of every
citizen having the welfare Of Savannah at
heart.
Bilbo canal is famous adjunct to the
history of savannah. Possibly no other
waterway Of its pretensions in the State
has received the same consideration or
become more widely known through pub
lie print. and certainly no other stream
has more Justly merited this distinction.
for 10 its influence may be attributed
much OF the city's misfOrtunes and the ap-
palling experiencessOf 1876. As a cesspOOl
FOR the sewerage Of a city Of nearly 10000
inhabitants, it has done its work elfec-
lively. breeding disease from out Of its
depths Of filth and proving a most con-
summate and active agent Of our Gene
teries, and | feel that the efforts Of the
gentlemen who have interested themselves
in removing this obnoxious nuisance.
sustained as they are by our best citizens,
should te taken hold Of earnestly by our
Council and prove finally productive Of
success.
AS to the method Of accomplishing this
effectively: 1t is certainly a subject for
system Of conducting the sewerage Of the
city by an open waterway to the Savan-
nah river and have found it productive of
the greatest evil. 1t Is patent, therefore,
that TIE same system diverted from its
present course to the Vernon river can be
no better. The city certainly has no
greater right to infect the farming
district contiguous TO Savannah with the
obnoxious OdOrs, which breed disease, by
making such an outlet for its sewerage,
than it has to infect her legitimate
boundaries with the same offensive mat
ter. and / feel assured that the majority
of the good people of Savannah will agree
that il BilbO canal, as an OPEN outlet to
"a water-cOurse, has proven unsuccessful
and impractcable for the sewerage Of
the CITY. that a similar system, only
diverted in another direction, can prove
no better. Ifthese are facts the question
arises as to the best plan to pursue as to
the adoption of a system which will prove
perfect in Its sanitary construction. This
plan | conceive to be the conversion Of the
present outlet. "Bilbo canal" into
covered sewer Of sufficient capacity to re-
ceive the 0fTal Of the city, and empty it,
as at present, into the Savannah river.
This can certainly be accomplished at
much less cost than by the other plan
[ understand has been suggested of con-
Quoting it to Vernen river, and with
greater safety to the health of the city.
Inasmuch as this important matter has
again become agItated, let every citizen
realize the Importance Of actively urging
the abatement Of the nuisance by what
ever system that may prove the least eX-
pensive and the most practicable. Let
this cesspooI Of disease be wiped out,
and thereby insure the future good health
IT the city against its obnoxious in
iuences. y.