Wichita eagle., 1889-06-02
OUR SEWER SYSTEM,
To the Editor of the Eagle;

| To the Editor of the Eagle
| Since there has been a change of city en-
| gineers and through no voluntary act OF
mine, it is thought but duty to the pub
| lie that attention be called to this fact III
case any mishap may befall our intricate
sewerage system, all branches of which,
| and all appliances connected Herewith.
must be in perfect harmony and correctly
| constructed, that it may work successfully
when completed.
! It by no means follows that a change of
| engineers will cause disaster but it is con-
ceded by those best qualified to know that
such a change on any large and delicate
piece of engineering during its con-
struction is at least hazardous and
that those who are most intimately
connected with its designing are best
| calculated to construct it and to make
such alterations from original designs as
must of necessity be made at various
points.
Mr.. Rudolph Herring, of New York, the
sanitary engineer who designed the plan
! of our sewer system, said in a recent letter
to the editor of the EAGLE. he had seen in
copy of the EAGLE there was proba-
bility of a change of city engineers in
| Wichita, that Il cannot help feeling that
possibly you may not be aware of the risk
that is always run in changing engineers
and other officers whose duties require a
| special professional Training 10 III JueIl
for their work " You are constructing a
system of sewerage upon a plan which is
much less expensive than that followed In
| large eastern cities with their huge sewers,
but this economy is only to be bought by
much greater skill and care in designing
and executing its details"
"a small pipe system is like a machine,
all ports of which must work in harmony
must constantly be watched and exam
l Ia iyDy n pi
repaired when the slightest imperfection
is observed, in order To avoid a possibly
| serious disorder"
''My conversation with Mr. Mulvey con-
WINGED me when designing your system
that he could be trusted to take care oil
the building and of the maintenance after
it is built. and whether | said it or not |
felt that you were fortunate IN having his
services
Before you make change, therefore, it
would be to your interest TO be quite sure
that it is not in a retrograde direction"
AS the editor of the EAGLE had received
this caution he deemed it his duty
of the mayor which he did
councilmen that they might see the re-
sponsibility assumed IN making any
change.
Small pipe sewer systems, such as ours
is have not always been successful, some
have been failures owing to false con-
structlon-
Some charges have been made that there
were serious defects in portions Of our
sewer already constructed, but the COM
mittee appointed 10 make examination
failed TO find any such and has so reported.
That there may be dirt or debris in por-
lions is not doubted. but previous 10 find
inspection of any portion for acceptance,
this should Be removed.
All the details of this system and its
grades were determined In my Office. The
alignments and grades OF the parts now
constructed are good, much better than
that Of the Topeka avenue sewer, insur!ng
a greater velocity and better flow than
that sewer has, yet that sewer does as
good work as any sewer OF Its size and
grade anywhere On earth. Il has frequent
" been full 10 the tops Of the n1anholes. it
has never broken. has cost nothing for re-
pairs and is clean after every heavy rain.
Il does all and even more than was expect
&c OF IL
II the original design OF Cur new system
IS properly carried out have no hezitz-
ton in SAYING we shall have most excel
lent system. capable Of doing al for which
il was intended q. AuLvET.