The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-10-12
SEWERAGE.


pretty near being right that Sunday
morning few weeks ago when it stated
there was enough property committed
to sewerage to carry the proposition.
As time passed aud the matter was dis
cussed through The medium of inter
views that appeared in THE HERALD
those who favored i: at first seem to
haYe been confirmed in their decision,
and many who waYered then have
since wheeled into line. Undoubtedly,
the report of the City Council commit
tee setting forth the views and inten-
tons OF that body regarding the dis
posal OF the sewage, and also giving
facts concerning the water supply,
present and prospective, had much
weight in determining many
to favor the project who pre-
viously had been undeceived. With
psrdonable pride The HERALD
may claim that it has done much to
forward the enterprise, mostly by the
publication, fully and fairly, or the
views of property-owners in the dis
trict. whether for or against the
scheme. Thus there has been general
capitalization of thought in its favor,
and it is a matter to-day of doubt, if 25
per cent. of the property in the district
will be found opposing the introduction
of sewerage.
Fhe valid reasons in opposition were
the absence of sufficient water supply
and the fear that the sewage might
be emptied in the Jordan and the lake :
As to the first THE HERALD has claimed
that the water supply would prove
sufficient; as to the second, we con-
tended that the Council would not
think of putting the sewerage in the
lake, but that it would be turned on
the Jordan alkali fats. So fer as the
City Council report goes our position
has been well taken.
Sewerage will not be hardship to the
poor, if there are any poor in the dis
trict; that is to say, the hardship will
not be such as to make this valid ar
gument against the improvement. for
the reason that the district embraces
the wealthiest section of the city and
the cost of the sewers will necessarily
be largely borne by the rich. But ad-
hitting that some will be distressed by
the tax, should that fact be regarded as
valid reason for the aban-
Comment of the project? If SO,
there should be no taxes for
any public purpose, as to pay taxes
will always distress certain portion of
the community.
Bat who will get this money? The
rich? TIE increase in values to them
while reasonably certain is problemati-
! cal as to extent; but the money spent
| will still stay in the city, and will go to
him who needs it most, the man who
must toll and starVe, and who gets per-
haps $3.50 day. Is this hardship to
to the poor?
Then again on the outlying portions
of the district sewerage will never con- e
to them as cheaply as to-day. This
should be borne in mind, and the last
to protest should be those on the outer
edges of the district.
The question of health is the great
one, and the experience of thousands O.
years supports the theory, not that sew
erage is blessing, but that it is by far
the least of the many evils associated
with the disposition OF the disease
breeding elements which are INSOFAR
able with the gregarious habits of the
human race.
If it be true that the bottom of the
whole proposition is scheme to in
crease values, work up "boom" and
the like, what matter if tie public
welfare be conserved by it? One
should not com plain of motives if the
result be for the good of all.
q. @. M. l., the Deseret Nationa
Bank and the Tithing Office will MOI
protest. Here is repetition of the
cheap talk of lot of soreheads who
are forever hunting sore place tina
they may indulge in picking it.