Omaha daily bee., 1885-08-11
GREAT EXPECTATIONS.
Disappointed Because The Sewer Refuses
to Carry OF Boxes, Tin
Boilers and Stove Pipe.
Sewer Sights Seen in n Short Skip
Through the streets.

"There Is a good deal of talk heard
about the sewer not being large enough,
and getting stopped up too easy, and all
that. You've heard folks talk that way
no doubt. Now l want to show you
something" and City Engineer Brodbeck
motIoned to the BEE man to jump Into
his buggy. 1t was but a drive of a few
minutes to reach Glen avenue, where the
first halt was made about q block from
Broadway. "Look there, and see II
any sort Of sewerage would allow of such
stuff to pass through It," Sure enough,
there was a large grating protecting a
big wooden drain, and this was in danger
of being stopped up, large as it was, for
around 1t was an accumulation of rubbish
which would almost choke q tunnel, to
say nothing of a sewer. There were the
cuttings of brush, where some citizen
had been trimming up the foliage, and
instead of burning it had thrown it In
the street to be swept along by the frat
heavy rain and landed at the mouth of
the drain. There were tin cans, boxes,
corn husks, In fact all sorts of stuff
thrown out by housekeepers. "That's
nothing, though; let's go to Willow ave-
nue., right where there are some of the
finest Residences"
Sure enough there was something to
see at the head of Willow avenue. The
Incline is very steep and the soil Is such
that 1t Is easily washed by heavy rains,
and the sewer has to carry eff 9 good deal
of dirt anyway, there being no paving,
but In addition to this there was q large
accumulation Of rubbish which should
have been burned or otherwise disposed
of instead Of being thrown into the street
to be swept along by the rush of waters
and finally landed by the CRATES at the
entrance to the sewers. AT the corner OF
Bluff street there Is on each side of the
street an inlet fully six feet In CIR
conference, large enough to take care of
an immense volume of water, and
a seemingly absolute protection
against food, but if each inlet was three
times as large, it could not carry off the
stuff which it Is apparently expected by
those people who throw it Into the
streets. at that corner was found be-
sides brush, vegetables, hay and straw,
such things as old tin pals, cans, wash
basins, and even an old wash boiler.
These are swept along until they reach
the CRATE, and there pile up, while the
wsahings of dirt gather about and cling
to them, and thus a complete dam is
made. "That's the way they do it, and
then they commence to howl about the
lowers not being large enough, and that
the syHtem Is a failure. Why the eve
system, as planned, lie large enough for a
city of loo, 900 people, and 1t could bs
built still larger If the people wanted to
pay the extra expense, but 1t can't carry
off all such stuff as that. not If 1t was
three times as large" .
At the corner Of Fourth street one of
the iron gratings was completely lost to
sight, though to memory dear. 1t was
covered with mud, and the water, not
being able to get through the CRATE, had
flooded the adjacent walks. 1t looked SIS
If the sewer had been completely stopped
up, but the assurance was given that by
digging away the dirt, lifting the CRATE
and using the shovel little In the mouth
of the sewer it could easily be flushed
ont and be all right again. ''It is diff
cult enough to keep the dirt from both
ering, such foods of water roll down the
street, and the soil washes so freely, but
this will be done away with
largely when the street Is paved,
L o.uod WILL ,rooro ill
be one of the finest streets In the city,
and property there will go jumping up In
price. But when paved it will be I'M
possible to provide sewerage sufficient to
carry off old wash tubs, barrels and stove
pipe.
Following down the street, and taking
q hurried drive over some of the resident
streets where the grade Is so nearly level,
the trouble caused by the indiacrimlnate
throwing of truck Into the streets be.
comes even more apparent. Right In
front of o beautiful residence, whose
owner evidently takes great pride In his
lawn, 1t appeared that he had recently
moved 1t, and all about the premises
looked clesn and attractive, but the with
cred grass thus cut had been carelessly
thrown wei the curbing, and there Icy in
the gutter, stopping the flow of water, and
then the wonder is expressed that the
streets are not drained better. Worse
than grass was to be seen In many a gut
ter, and beside the matter of drainage, 1t
would seem hat the question of health
and cleanliness would deter people from
throwing such offal into the streets as is
to be seen In many places, while the al
leys are still worse.
'"Only q short time ago." remarked the
city engineer, 81 saw where someone
had emptied q mattress OF huaks risat In
the gutter. Why can't folks just as we'll
strike a match and burn up such stuf!'
Why can't they9
They can.