The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-10-01
the ROCHESTER, EXTENSION:
continuation of the Hearing Before
the County Commissioners.
testimony of City Civil Engineer
Goodwin as to the Bad Condition
Of the Flats.

~~aWHt dS 70 the bdu GS'A's'~'
OF the Flats.
The hearing on damages caused by the
Rochester Extension was continued yester-
day before the County commissioners.
A. w. Wilson, one of the assessors of
Deering, was called by the railroad. The
Deering field is assessed $780, Mr.. Conant's
lot is the same. Mr.. Mltchell's tax is reck-
oned at $4,000 ON land and building
Benjamin Shaw was called by the railroad.
Heestimates that the Dow lot opposite the
Deering lot is worth $500. He thought that
so far as the changing of the Grove street
grade goes it will improve the value of all
property in this vicinity.
City Engineer Goodwin was called by the
railroad and testified in regard to the grades
and lines of Grove street; also In regard to
estimates for filling for flats at the park and
prices and sales of city lots.
The following testimony was then given
by Mr.. Goodwin in answer to questions by
Mr.. Libby;
Q.-Now Mr.. Goodwin, suppose your at
tention has been called to the very serious
condition OF affairs which Is growing mp In
the l0wlands between the Oaks and Deering
field. caused by the increased amount of sew
age which Is being deposited there. and not
Ayes sir. l made an estimate
for an extension of brick sewer from Port
land street down to the old farm road where
there Is ridge. That was year before last.
Last year made an estimate for conduit
from Grove street to the sewer In the Mill
Pond, and across Grove street to the ditch
there. That was not allowed and, of course,
could not be DONE This year / represented
to the committee that If we didn't put sew
or there now we never would.
Q.-What committee?
A.-The committee on drains and sewers.
We could put i've foot brick culvert In
there connected with the old drain, and the
railroad said IL we would make that connec-
tion they would cut down around and go into
the old channel, so that for the present the
drainage isn't stopped there and held. The
old culvert was a foot and half higher than
the bottom OF the culvert above 1t. That
was put in by Joel Merrill, the Aims House
keeper: / don't think he did right when he
made the bottom of the culvert lower than
the culvert through which it must naturally
pass. That impounded depth of sewage
there which now has free access to the chan
mel.
Q-Then the line of sewer that you have
laid out includes closed sewer from Port
land street to its junction with the sewer in
the Mill Pond at behring's bridget
Ayes sir.
2s-Anu tuCtC 10 uUbuiuE Ill bu0 CUuIS6 VI
that sewer as proposed by you that is not
feasible and easily worked out?
A.-Not at all sir.
Q.-Is 1t true from your knowledge that
the evil resulting from this sewage matter
has been increasing within the last few
years on account of the increased popula-
tion served by that sewer in the neighbor-
hood Of the Union Station?
.A.-Certainly sir. have been after it for
six or eight years.
OTTAWA Won haen awara that tho worJ.
men employed on the extension of this rail-
road, the Portland d Rochester through
Mr. behring's land, have been made sick by
the condition OF affairs resulting from that
sewer In the summer?
Al heard one morning in the summer
that there was trouble down there: there
came an anonymous communication to the
sewer committee and they sent it to me. /
went over Immediately and found that some
body had undertaken to clean out that cess
pool, and had put it on the bank without
any covering OF earth on hot summer day.
Q.-Wh0 was responsible for that?
Al don't know sir they told me it was
done by some of the workhouse employees.
Q.-D0 You not consider the condition of
affairs below Grove street, that culvert
whereby sewage matter Is held in deposit<6n
this place, between Green street and Grove
street, serious menace to the public}iealth?
A.-Yes sir. and backed Esaup with an
estimate for the work assas urging its imme-
date COMMUNICATIVE took 1t up through
street; that was last year.
Q.-What was the estimated cost of this
sewer that you originally recommended?
Alt would cost less than $4,000 il made
years. Of timber and plank; to build brick
sewer there would cost double that money,
because of the difficulty In getting founda-
tion. 1t is difficult in the matter of money
alone; it is not difficult engineering prob
lem.
o. Has there been any appropriation
made for the purpose of this sewer at any
time within the last few years, which has
not been used for that purposeP
Ayes, sir; l think last year that that
was included in the estimate. made the
estimate anyway, In the joint appropriation.
Q.-Why wasn't 1t used?
Al don't know, sir. There were other
works, l suppose, they considered as being
needed more.
Q.-Do you know of any public work con-
nected with the city and affecting public
health, Of more Importance than taking care
Of the drainage that comes into the Mill
A.-Nothing that approaches it for abso-
Lutte necessity, in my opinion.
Q.-And yet you cannot prevail upon the
City Council to give the necessary appropri-
alton?
Al have not been to the City Council.
think 1t Is in my reports.
ON what reports made by you has the
necessity of this work been alluded to?
Al have brought 1t up several times.
think my very. last report speaks of the
necessity OF filling the flats, and in that re-
port that was made in the spring / say that
there will be large quantity of earth taken
from the railroad cuts and In my opinion the
city cannot afford to go elsewhere; that is
the way l put 1t. That Is the very last report
have made.
Q.-What becomes of that sewage matter
In the present situation of affairs there, be-
tween the Oaks and the Deering line?
Alt Is dissolved in the main and passes
off; there is not so much deposit from 1T as
1t has the credit Of depositing.
Gas matter of fact isn't it met by the
advancing tides and more or less Of deposit
made over all those flats there?
Alt is met by the tides and every gallon
OF water, every CUBIC foot Of water that
comes in Is a solvent, and now the fact is,
Mr., Libby. that when we make settling
tank for the express purpose of settling sew
age you can't make 1t settle, but 1t will settle
anywhere where you don't want 1t. That is
the theory. that It will settle, but 1t is not in
practice; there Is great deal more say so
about 1t than actual fact.
MIR. Coombs then opened for the city. He
claims that the owners are entitled to pay
Tor all the land taken, also for the damage
that may be done to the remaining land.
e. Z. Chase was called by the city. He
said he had served on the board of ovaseers
of the poor for FIVE years. The help at the
poor house have been used for long time
IN grading and improving the city property.
lt has been the plan of the board to improve
this land so as to be able to sell the property
for good price and make other arrange
ments for the care of the city poor. The val
ne per foot taken by the location ON the city
farm Is 10 cents. The lots next to the ex-
tension are damaged one-third, or five cents
per foot. The land north of Washburn
street Is damaged two to three cents per
foot for one-half of the land and less for the
others. made an offer of $4,000. This
was about nine cents per foot after taking
out the streets. The buildings are worth |
$4,000, If they could be used, but to tear |
down would be worth but little. In answer |
to Mr.. Putnam he said he thought the best
back land lots could have been sold for 10 |
cents Pc. foot; lots on Portland street for 25 |
to 80 cents.
Elias Thomas said the value of the land |
taken by the extension is 10 cents per foot. /
The damage to the first row of lots ON the /
east side of the location is 81 cents per foot |
Inc damage to the balance of the land on /
the north is S-10ths of a cent per foot.
alexander Stevenson said the value Of the /
i ia taken Is l23 cents per foot. Damage to |
i U on the location or cents per foot /
damage 70 land on the north of the location /
or cents per foot
10 AZ t .. Stevens said the value of the
o aant saASn py the extension is from to II
orn'o &c. Lo.s on the location are damaged |
" cents per loot The balance of the land /