Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-05-03
LOCAL And GENERAL NEWS
Itsnized Account Of DOingS in City and
Country.
SEWERAGE SYSTEM WANTED.
The Board of Trade Resolve to Apply
to the City Council for Proper
Action.

trade. on Tuesday evening, H. w.
Cottle showed commendable inter
ost on the subject of sewers. He
dwelt on the natural advantages our
citv possessed in standing on an ele-
vated position, and having the
broad and swift flowing Willamette
rnn past our doors. With such easy
drainage a system of sewers could
ba built to drain all the refuse of
the city, and place our citizens in a
bvgienic condition surpassed by no
other community. With the ozone
from the mountains, the balsam
from surrounding forests of fir, and
the cooling breezes from the flowing
stream freshening the air, he said
we only needed well scavengered
streets and good system of under
drainage, to render this city sani-
tarium, resorted to by invalids from
all parts in search of health.
Mr.. Cottle mentioned a case in
point that had come under his OBJ
servation that same day. Some
tourist with his family, seeking
health, having grown tired of South
ern California, resolved to visit Ore
gon dpurchasedtickets for Eugene
CITY. By some accident he rode
past that place, and then he instruct
ed the conductor to put him and
his family down at the first bright
town on the way. The conductor
chose Albany for their stopping
place, and these passengers entered
a hack to drive to a hotel. But on
the way thither the valetudinarian
tourist was unfavorably impressed
with the fiat surface of the.streets,
and he ordered the hackman to turn
round and reach the train, if possi-
bic, before it left the depot. He sue
ceeded and the family came on to
Salem. "The lay of the land" suit
ed the eastern traveller, and he eX-
pressed his intention of sOjourning
with us while.
With indifferent sanitary ar
rangements, Mr.. Cottle argues
that the health of the city will
average with the most favored |
places but with all impuri-
ties removed from our streets and
alleys, and all the waste and draft
of the city carried through an effec-
tive system of sewers, all tendency
tOtyphoid and malarial fevers would
be removed, and the fortunate in
habitants might be spared a good
portion of the ills that flesh is heir
to.
He moved that the city council be
asked to employ a competent sur
yeyor, to determine where sewers
should be placed, and their probable
cost; also that the council be re-
quested to take such steps as may be
necessary to provide a complete
system Of sewerage. Which motion
was unanimously adopted.
This is good as far as it goes, but
more force must be infused into the
movement before the council will be
likely to act. The motion calls for
"a competent engineer" and we
may have to send elsewhere for one.
His survey and measurements must
be shown on paper in the shape of
a profile, and an estimate made of
the cost. An undertaking like this
will cost quite little sum of money,
and are our citizens willing to go on
with the work when the estimate is
made?
Some figure up the costof proper
sewerage system at $4,000. Under
our city charter the public indebted
ness we can incur is limited to one
nth that amount. How will they
get over that difficulty? Apply to
he legislature to amend the charter?
Ut ask for another special act to
'ond the city i'm the sum required,
Is was done in the case of the bridge?
An effort is being make to bring i'm.
migration TO this city, and to sue
'eed in this laudable endeavor, it
must be placed in an attractive con-
htlon. Los Angeles subsidized
ailroads, laid sewers, perfected an
xtensive irrigation system, and
'aded and macadamized without
hought Of cost. If we want sewers
ONE arrangement must be made to
pay the expense, and it would be
we'll to inform the city council,
'efore they are called ON TO act, ]
the taxpayers are willing
o meet the outlay. If the board of {
nde correctly expresses the feeling 4
u our citizens, Il would be well to I