Wichita eagle., 1888-08-19
MORE ABOUT SEWERAGE.

| WICHITA, Aug. Is.
| To the Editor OF the DAILY EAGLE
Citizens who expect to reside in Wichita
and leaving out the payment of taxes can
not but be interested in the adoption of a
system of sewerage, which on considera-
ton shall prove the best. For moment
forget the cost.
Education, morals and health, are not
measured by the standard of mere dollars.
! Whilst economy is to be praised there
may be an economy in the ''out come"
which viii prove extravaganza.
Speed in the construction of sewerge is
worthy of commentator. but after a
year spent and nothing definitely
| concluded the haste OF the council
IL adopting one system over another and
shutting out a possibly better system will
| be subject to criticism if not TO suspicion.
The chairman on sewerage publicly pro-
| claimed that a gravity system could be
| put in for sl50,0 600 and that the Pacific sys-
| TEN would cost 500, 900. After branding
| the pumping system as a species of robbery
| and bringing it into disfavor, the city, by
! its engineer and sewerage committee, make
| an approximate estimate on sewerage of
| $425, 600, and in this estimate $50, 900 for
engineering. Is this fairness? Is it honest?
| The Pacific system has not been treat
ed with common courtesy by the council,
and has not had a chance to sub
NIT to the council detailed
| proposition. It's offer to give bond was
treated with rudeness. as though it was a
bankrupt concern; without inquiry or in
vestigation. Was this business? Was it
the act of business men?
= 10; 70 hot SC
for a level city than the gravity system, by
reason Of the pumping attachment. e.,
gravity system in Wichita 80 feet fall for
seven or eight miles to the river from
starting point. Pacific system, seven feet
fall for - miles, or more, and ~ feet to
the point Of discharge. Which looks the
best?
Pacific makes an offer to put in its sys-
| TEN and give bond guaranteeing salts
faction and repairs sewer and all machin-
cry at cost of 5000 per annum for ten
years, bond to be approved by two
reputable Wichita banss, of one of
which the mayor is ce-president.
To a citizen 1t looks as though the city
council owes duty to the tax paying ele-
ment to give thee sustem, which offers q
guaranteed bond, full investigation and
ample opportunity before it bars it out.
A gravity system is all right in a city of
bluffs and hollows, but neither city
engineer nor the sewerage committee, nor
the opinions of dozen prominent business
men, will convince the people of this city
that the gravity system on the slight fall
we have will be as successful as the pump
ing system" The guaranteed bond and
good contract is something worthy of con-
sideration, and in years to come this city
administration will remember this
and perhaps the tax payer
will also have cause to remember it.
Personally. l view good tight contract
and good bond as almost everything in |
anything we may undertake. When a
man has selfish motive in keeping his |
contract he generally keeps it.
The Pacific system" is the outgrowth |
of demand to have sewerage on level !
plain. 1t is submitted for consideration |
that if this system is not applicable to the |
condition of Wichita, that it is not needed |
any place on earth.
Four feet fall on a roof 140 long is not |
much out of the way-and yet it is assert
ed that four and one-half is enough !
for miles of sewerage. Who believes it? !
There is no way to escape the conclusion |
that seven feet fall is better than four.
You may twist, turn it, argue it, but You
are at last confronted with the dry and |
solid fact that seven is more than four.
The gravity system has grown from
$50 900 10 800, 900 in four months. Has it
reached The limit?
The city engineer is in a fog. He has
been driven step by step by the council and
grows holder as he grows older. He may
yet discover that the ''grUvity system"
can be turned into the pumping" one at
the nominal cost of new system.
Doubts of the city engineers ability to
advise the council have been expressed,
and business men have expressed the opin-
ion that the city engineer was handicapped
by some members of the council aud that
he was driven into the defense Of the gray
ity system against his better judgment.
Men who have attended meeting Of the
council have arrived at the conclusion !
that the council was viciously stubborn in
clinging to the gravity system, and no one
who has had anything to say an any other
system could get a patient hearing.
WICHITA
EDUCATION At TIE FAIR.