The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-09-07
DEFECTIVE SEWERAGE.
sEEsors STATE er avvaIns ALONG ruE
KEAcH.
Diseass-Produeing Sewage Allowed
70 be Poured oat Above Hsgh-Tide
Mara DIsgr.eefui DumpIax
Grosnd At the Gilmsrs wharf
Tannery Nuisance.

The attention Of a PosT-IxrErI1-
skscEE reporter was drawn yesterday
10 the sewer which cmpfies is en-
tents on the beach at the foot OF seneca
street. At high tide the water inst
reaches il, while allow tide the mouth
OF the sewer is about 30 feet from
water margin. The sewer drains
seneca street to the top Of the hin and
the waste matter which it conducts Is
thus deposited on the beach under
the hot rays OF the summer sun. The
consequent stenches, il need scarcely
be stated, proves not only disaxreeabIe,
but seriously unhealthy to residents.
or those employed in the vicinity.
Mr.. strout OF the ice works has
complained Of the nuisance. and
Captain c. Hopkins was loud in his
dennnciations TO the reporter. The
sewer said Captain Hopkins, "was
constructed about three months ago.
and ii ought 10 have been carried At
least 80 feet farther, where il would
always have poured its contents into
deep water"
The point of termination suggested
by Capt. Hopkins lies between the
track OF the Columbia & Puget Sound
road and the Seattle, Lake Shore 4
Eastern line.
While the reporter was listening TO
the suggestions mentioned, he OBJ
served a wagon back on to the Gilmore
wharf and deliberately dump load OF
garbage on n heap OF similar nature,
which at the time appeared several
feet above the surface Of the water.
is this allowed by the city authori-
ties was queried
That is the authorized dumping
ground for all the city offal and refuse
Of every kind. " vas the reply. The
property belongs to Ex-Governor
Squire, and the wharf from which the
matter is dumped is at present in
claded in the Starr estate, for which
Mr.. Humphrey Is agent Both OF these
gentlemen have stated that they would
remedy this nuisance, but up to the
present, no active steps have been
taken.
Look at that pile of putrefaction
and refuse, continued Captain Hop
kins with dramatic air. 1T smells
TO heaven and is sufficient, not only
10 breed wide spread disease
in the community, bat To create a mob
that would anBihilate the common
council of this city. Dead hogs and
horses are thrown in at that very
place, within Stonethrow OF dwell
ing houses, and left there at the mercy
ssF Nn Ia -. a Il.
thrown mp again and again on the
beach where they I'll the atmosphere
with pestilential e.tiuvia'
The heap Of rubbish was stated to
be about fifteen feet in depth. and
from its position il was evident that
large portion OF the matter Is liable
TO be carried TO the beach By the
action OF the tide, and there deposited.
But this is not all. said Captain
Hopkins. 'keliogg's tannery adds TO
the general stenches Others, equal to,
II not more than those described. .
The reporter then visited the tan
merry premises and, although the odors
were not worse rnan those usually
prevailing In places of the kind, the
location of the works seemed alto
gether out OF place, Judging from the
TACT that there are occupants of sleep
ing compartments almost Immediately
overhead.
a petition signed by fifty people
was sent in 10 the city council some
time ago on this very matter" con-
tinued Capt. Hopkins, land, as re-
suit, the health officer. 4. l.. Smith.
was ordered 10 inspect the premises
and report. This was done, and that
officer among other things said in his
report that the drainage was good,
water abundant, and desire on the
part of the company 10 be as cleanIy
as possible Mr.. Smith said that no
bark was used in any of their pro-
cesses. but | can youch that some
thing much worse was employed.
What is known among tan
ners as 'bait-w hich is nothing
more or less than foul excrement. was
used 10 absorb the noxious smells
from the hides. and, when this solu-
ton was poured Oft, no one with oil
factory organs and an ordinary
stomach could stand the effects.
understand that the company has dis
continued the use OF bait, employing
bran instead, but when this solution
of bran Is let loose one needs nose
case and q new breathing apparatus.
Just look at that distended gunny-
sack floating there in the water.
What DO you think that is2 That,
sir. Is filed with rotten pieces OF hide,
clippings, etc, tied up and thrown off
the wharf Its contents gradually de-
compose. gases are generated, and the
sack floats as you see right up TO the
beach. | would guarantee that there
are scores of those sacks lying
on the bottom among the
piles and under these very wharfs. Is
Il any wonder that We hear of eases
typhoid fever In our midst, with such
deleterious gases as these rising TO the
surface and conveyed hither and
bither hy the atmosphere
ON his way down the Columbia &
Puget Sound track the reporter found
that another improyised dumping
ground has been made in front OF the
Seattle excelsior factory, where three
heaps of refuse matter are carelessly
thrown. IL was ascertainsd that Cap
tain OfToole. formerly one of the
partners in the works, made com
plant to Chief Murphy about
the nuisance, and was advised TO
lodge complaint against anybody
who committed the ottense.
Captain Oreole considered that
this was the dutg of the health officer,
and 50 the matter was dropped. In
the meantime the abuse i continued,
and decaying organic substances are
left 10 rot within 80 feet of workmen
engaged in providing bread Tor their
families. AZ the junction OF Madison
street and the Columbia q Puget
Sound road, the odorS are OF No. ]
strength for stomach disturbing prop
erties, but trench i being dug
through the sawdust and lumber cut
tings To the water for the purpose, the
reporter was informed, of extending
the sewer.
On Front street. in the vicinity Of
the Palace restaurant. there ). at
times. a very disagreeahie stencil
which must have Its origin in defective
sewerage.
STAKE LIGHTS NEEDED.
a Tafla 81 Gawn-al