Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-08-05
THE SEWER.
M1r. Spflhman Pleads for the Preser-
walton OF santa Monica.

Msr. spillman Pleads for the Preser-
walton OF santa Monica.
EDITORS HERALD-The discussion OF
the question of the outfall sewer is not
ended among the people, and will not
end until the voters have spoken at the
polls. 1t is probably the most important
question for thorough discussion and
consideration that has ever been sub
mitted to the people OF this city. Ii the
outfall sewer be built to the ocean at La
Ballona, as is now intended by the City
Council, then the sewage of this city is
to be deposited where the ocean winds,
always borne toward the city, will carry
the germs arising from the decaying
sewage along with them into our homes.
The soil where this sewage farm is to
be located, and where this sewage is to
be deposited, is not of gravelly or
sandy consists ncy, which would allow
the water to filter away, and the sewage
matter in the dry season to dry up and
become innocuous, but on the contrary
the soil is of an adobe nature and
will not let the water of the sewage
be absorbed. The sewage matter
would therefore remain upon the ground
on this lower farm in a liquid condition,
and the chemical action of the sun upon
it would inevitably cause the deposit to
become offensive to degree that would
render living in its vicinity an inpossl-
bility. But in addition to this, the decay
of such large deposit of vegetable and
animal matter would cause the atmos-
phere to become filled with germs Of
disease. The winds, which are always
blowing from the ocean past that locality,
toward the City of Los Angeles, would
carry these sewage germs into the city
and spread them everywhere. We have
now occasional cases of diptheria, scarlet
fever and typhoid fever among our child
rem, which we are told occur through de-
fective sewerage in the city, but what, let
us ask, would be the result if the poisoned
germs rolled up in the air from thesewer
farm at Ballona were to be allowed to be
distributed in all our homes? 1t needs
but little of the spirit of pro-
phecy to predict that such a
result would be attended with
the physical efforts of our citizens to at
once do away with sewer farm, outfall
sewer, and possibly also the authors OF
the outfall sewer as well.
What is the reason of this imperative
haste with which our City Fathers have
determined on the outfall sewer at
Ballona? Can it be that there is a job
in it for any of them, or any of their
friends? There is no need of this great
haste in this matter. Public opinion has
hardly had time as yet to become in
formed upon the advisability of what
direction the outfall sewer should 60, or
the place of the ultimate deposit of the
sewage. We cannot afford to ruin our
-: Il l.; :,
city have shown in the most unmistaka.
BILE manner their preference for Santa
Monica as place for bathing and
seaside recreation, and they rush
there on the popular holiday,
verdict has settled it that the people
want this bathing resort reserved for
their enjoyment; and this impulse and
grow with the growth of this city. See
how the people rush from San Francisco
on Sunday to it's only bathing resort at
Santa Cruz. Would the people of San
Francisco favor its ruin by the deposit of
sewage on the sea shore? The crowds
that visit Santa Cruz every Sunday are
sufficient answer to that question. AS
Los Angeles continues to grow, the de-
mand for place for ocean bathing will
continue to enlarge, and the number oi
the wealthy who will want a summer
residence at such a resort as Santa
Monica will continually increase. Los
Angeles hardly yet knows what prize it
has in that sea shore so close to its sub
nrbs; it hardly yet knows how famed
that sea shore is to become
in the future, and the visitors to
it alone will draw to our city
from the East. As Coney Island and Long
Beach are to New York City, as Cape
May is to Philadelphia, go Santa Monica
will become to Los Angeles, the one place
for the multitude. Its reputation will
draw to it many visitors from every town
in the country, while even from the north
snd Of the State and the East people will
come, as now comes Fanny Davenport
from New York, to enjoy our unsurpassed
bathing shore. Can Los Angeles
afford to destroy this beach? The voice
of the people will answer this question.
when they are asked to vote bonds to
enable the City Council to work this
degtructiOn