Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-14
BOARD OF CITY TRUSTEES.
China Slough to be Connected with the
Sacramento River.

Sacramento River.
The Board of City Trustees met in extra
session at 10 A. NJ. yesterday to consider the
! question of connecting China slough with
the Sacramento river. All the members OF
! the Board were present, as were also several
city officials and quite number OF citizens.
L. f. Bassett, City Engineer, said he had
made survey of the slough, and estimated
that it contained 40, 900, 900 gallons Of water.
The twelve-inch pipe, proposed to connect
| the slough with the river, would discharge,
under an average three foot of pressure,
| / 100. 900 gallons every twenty-four hours.
! At this rate the water in the lake would be
discharged TO the river level in less than
three weeks. He had surveyed the route
where it is proposed to lay the pipe, and
estimated that the same could be com
pleted by the end of the first week in Sep
TENDER. The route of the pipe runs under
the Central Pacific Railroad yard is COW
cred with several tracks, and will have to
be tunneled. As the ground is all what
is termed made ground" it will have to
be timbered and the excavation, on that
account, will be expensive.
WILL sHIRK NO DUTY
Mayor Brown said that the Trustees had
q duty to perform, which at this time
times where delay of day or Il week
might be fraught with great danger to the
public health. He was in favor of using
| the power invested in the Board, that of
immediate action, and starting the work
| without moments delay. AT this time,
gentlemen of the Board" he said, I'VE are
encOmpassed with grave responsibility
| and when duty calls us to action let US not
be found wanting, but at our post of duty,
acting promptly and fearlessly for the best
interest of the whole city
THE STREET COMMISSIONER VIEWS.
Trustee Nielsen said he agreed with the
Mayor and was i'll favor of prompt action.
He did not think it best to go through all
the formalities of advertising for bids and
delaying the work thereby for days and
weeks. The entire ground had been gone
over. The cost Of the pipe the labor neees-
sary, and all the contingent expenses had
been figured upon by the Trustees, the City
Surveyor and contractors. What it would
cost was easily figured. Mr.. Touhey, a
man who understood the work had all the
tools at command and could prosecute the
work to a speedy completion. He had
offered to do the work for 81 25 lineal
foot, which was lower than the lowest esti-
mate and he was in favor of closing q con-
tract with him at that price, on his giving
the city bond of 81 900 and agreeing to do
the work within a specified number of
days.
LET Us PROCEED WITH CAUTION.
Trustee Gutenberger said he hoped the
Board would proceed with extreme eau
ton and not 4" give themselves away" to
the newspaper reporter who was present
He said, while he fully agreed with his
colleagues and was favorably impressed
with the recommendations of the Board of
Health and Vigilance Committee, still he
knew there were some citizens who were
opposed, not only to this, but to the appro-
priation of public money for any sanitary
movement While on his way to the Board,
he was approached by some taxpayers, who
had read the proposed proposition in the
RECoRD-UNIoN, who solicited him to vote
against it. He believed that the lake could
be connected with the river by siphon of
galvanized six-inch iron pipe, that would
cost but $500, be laid down within week,
and would, to a great extent, accomplish
the desired result. He would like to have
the Board consider this matter before adopt
ing more expensive plan.
THE sIPHoN PROPOSITION DISCUSSED.
The other Trustees and the City Surveyor
discussed the matter of siphons for some
time, and the hydraulic sketches and fig
ures they drew upon the blackboard in Or
der TO better explain their ideas, plainly
indicated that their education, in drawing
at least, had been sadly neglected. Au-
ditor Mckee undertook to draw siphon,
but the result of his effort was very good
looking hydraulic ram.
Trustee Gutenberger, finding his siphQn
proposition unpopular, insisted that if the
work was to be done as proposed, it would
cost in the neighborhood of So 1000, and it
should be advertised and let to the lowest
bidder. He wished to be understood how
ever, as not standing in the way Of imme-
date action. He was no obstructionist, but
he thought any other mode Of procedure
would be contrary to law.
Mayor Brown and Trustee Nielsen re-
ferred their colleague to sections in the or
ganic act that settled his doubts on that
score, and he then asserted his willingness
to vote for the proposition.
The contract was then awarded to James
Touhey for 81 25 hneal foot of pipe, he
furnishing everything. The necessary CON
tract was signed, the bond filed, and the
work will commence early this morning.
Work will be commenced at both ends and
in the middle, and as many laborers EN-
ployed as can work to advantage.