The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1890-02-07
SEWERAGE.
An interesting Artirie by Engineer Mecausi.
land.
AsroniA, On Jan. ash, 1890.

AsroRtA, On Jan. sSlh, 1890.
Editors Democraf
The subject Of town sewerage Is attract.
Ing much mole attention than formerly
and ia quite properly being made the sub
ject Of very serious thought by maj y OF
Albany's most progressive citizens
Time was when the Morale regulations
might have been enforced In our midst, but
the Queen City OF the Valley has long
since grown 10 such proportions that the
old time melhods OF sanitation fall far
short Of our present needs. Cleanliness
and purity of surroundings are Of the frat
Importance IN new and growing city.
Pure air. pure water and pure soil ARE the
necessary coneomlItant conditions Of per.
feet hoalthiu.ness. An examination Into
the sanitary surroundings OF Most OF our
older towns and cities shows a dcplorabIe
need Of some system attic efforts locking 10
ward publication.
Water supplies from most questionable
sources are common and unsuspccled as
shown By recent investigations at Tacoma
Add TO tainted water supply a soil feek
Ing With The accumulated hilh Of years
and wc have condition OF affairs inviting
disease and death. When this follows as
a natural consequence, hypoefites and
csarlatans cry out against the ssiern de-
crees Of an All-wlsc providence" Out
upon sueh deceit and short. sighted folly.
TO store the filth OF city ailhia city Is
~ defy fate and Invite destruction. Let
TIE new town OF the west learn wisdom
from the sad experience OF their older sic.
tiers in the eastern states and keep their
surroundings pure and eleaniy. Il Is
easier 10 keep our soil pure than |, Il to
purify Il after once polluted and Is less
costly.
Money judiclousIy expended In a care
fully designed sewer system is always a
paying investment for ciiy.yet Is seldom
done until the need becomes imperative
and the cost probably doubled. Often at
temesa are made to convey sewage from
towns In 80 called Asewers" designed by
sanliaiians who are quacks In engineering
end laid by engineers who are quacks In
sanitation. They utterly fall In the most
vital particular, but by their presence iull
The unthlnklng into false sense Of seeur.
iiy. Their original eest also stands as an
argument against thcl. complete aband-
onmenl and the substitution of something
better. Now 10 come directly home and
consider our own condition Il is giaringiy
evident that something ough; 10 be done
soon. We Nigh, grow on for several
years before We would be forced 10 action.
but the time Is fast approaching when a
complete sewer system must DC built IN
Albany. Every cent that IL spent now IN
hap-haxard manner Il msney wasted and
must be mace up BY future generations.
The question Of cost Is one OF paramount
importance and ia too oiteu the ouiy de.
gliding one. The old style Of building
sewers 10 carry of sub-soii and storm
water usually costs from $s TO $40 per
lineal foot. The separate system designed
to eany only sewage proper costs from
rs cents 10 $s per ilneal foot under the
same conditions.
The continued adoption Of the combined
syatem 10 many cases only emphasizes the
TACT that II Il easier to follow precedent
than 10 make independent investigation.
IA an Instance, the estimated coat Of The
combined system for certain Eastern city
was $4,000. The separate aystem was
actually built ~ cost OF $4,000 and ls to-
day doing excellent work. To meet the
expense Of sewer bulldlng, various meth.
ods OF assessments have been adopted.
Much depends on the circumstances
whether the whole system il to be built at
once orby piccemeai. whether or not there
are dissinet sewer districts. and the total
eost Of sewers compared with value Of the
property benefited.
The most popular method In the West
seems 10 be the Issuing Of sewer bonds and
providing for their gradual calling In, or
by general sewer tax paying for sewers
as last a. built. think In the majority of
cases the best plan Is TO assess 4 certain
amount per front foot on adjoining proper
~ or on property directly benefited and
securing the balance by assessinga gener-
al sewer tax. However this IL q matter of
finance and entirely distinct from the press
Ing need Of purity Ia surroundings. Yet
often considerations Of cost weigh more
with city Boards OF Public Works than
Dies the most emphatic and truthful dc.
claraiion that acleanliness Is next 10 godll.
ness." When cleanliness can be secured
with comparative chcapness, there Is nc
excuse for public authorities 70 shIrk theii
plain duty. Let everyone who has tho
permanent good OF Albany al heart tax,
up the cry and demand that sewers shal
be built and that our city shall be known
as clean and wholesome. Let our frs
boast be Afiye miles Of perfect sewers" ant
save our second speech IL refer to on
street railways. Let us call the attention
of strangers to the purity rather tnan tn
price OF our soil. Let Us give them goo
water. Let US show him that wc TAX
every precaution &c preserve health an
strength, and be will rise up In his nigh
and call us blessed. And what Is more /
the point he viii remain with Us and len
the best energies OF his muscle and biai
20 make Albany what nature and locatio
intended her to be, the metropolis {
Western Oregon.
E. ]. MccAusrIASD.