The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-07-17
MESSAGE FROM TIE MAYOR.
4 Thoughtful Study Of the PTOpOsst
Sewerage System.
CrIIIcIsm Of the Plans and SPecIfIca.
GlOna BY Competent Engineers.
PFoVlHioH Inadequate.
To the Honorable .XsmDer. of the Cy

To The Honorable Members Of the Ciy
Council Of North YdkiMa, Washington:
GENTLEMEN On the oath day Of March
the council OF this city received and ac-
cepted the report Of an engineer on esti-
mates Of cost and Il plan Of sewerage
adapted to the wants Of this city aud paid
for the same by a warrant on the city
treasury. The matters therein contained
were referred TO a committee Of three,
comDosed Of members Of the council, who
reported favorably thereon with the ex-
ception that they recommended that the
proposed system be extended one block
westward, to Mckee avenue instead oi
Wenas avenue, us desi Snatei in the re-
port ci tho enIineer.
In accordance Herewith ordnance No.
lis Of this city was passed April 2, 1890,
and approved April 3, 1890, which ordains
THAT all that portion Of the city, tn-wit,
the blocks between + and Spruce streets,
between Front street and NatcheeE ave.
nue. between west Chestnut and west c
streets, between Mckee avenue and the
N. p. r. R. right Of way, shall have sewer
lines extending slonS at leost' two sides
Of said blocks"
Section seren Of this ordinance pro
vides that there shall be suitable out
flow into the Yakima river" (Ry plAc.
ing a scale upon the map and taking the
total length Of line included within the
points indicated by ordinance No. IT'S
and thence TO the Yakima river the coun'
ell will perceive that it 10 about A. SIC
feet.)
Section three Of this ordinance pro
viles thst the system thus established
''slIall be sufficient to accommodate u city
Of fifteen thousand Inhabitants " On the
adoption Of this ordinauce, and on the
coming in Of the report Of q committee
duly appointed 10 conformity with one ol
the sections Of said ordinance " hich sand
committee reported in favor Of sewerine
the district above designated apd laid out,
and that sewerage system be adopted
10 coat not to exceed $4O,0OO.) Ordinance
No. l23 was passed and approved calling
for Il special election Nay 18th for the
purpose Of empowering the city to issat
t40,00O Of bonds drawing six per cent
per annum for thirty years in order tC
construct the proposed sewerage.
The election wss duly held and oui
citizens almost unanimously voted II
favor Of the measure.
The former council ordered the city
sttorney to draw the requisite ordinance
for the preparation and issuance Of SAID
bond, and, at q regular meeting, July Z
1890, this council reiterated tho orler tC
the present city attorney ordering him tC
have such ordinance drafted at your next
meeting, July II, 1897.
Your order thus made in the premises
brings uS face to face with the sewer pro
blem. As mayor, and as a private eiti
zen, heartily concur in the statement
contained In section one Of ordinance No
llS that public interest and convenience
demand that system Of sewerage shoull
be adopted" for this city.
The necessity Of underground channelI
under the streets Of towns for carrying Of
the liquid rtfuse matters from the house,
is too well unders TODD to require argument
The only question for us to consider Al
guardians OF this municipality is this: Il
the proposed system for which this cit!
ia willing TO pay $4,000 principal witt
interest adequate and sufficient to tn,
wants and requirements?
By referring to the plat which accom-
panied the report Of the Estimating en-
Gineer find that his plat calls for sew
eraEe system Of 1920 feet in length, &C
cording to the scale. In his report th
same engineer has given the city an esti
mate for only 3I,0O0 feet at total cost o
1855. Why this discrepancy l a,n IN
able to explain; but here Is q diHerenc
in cost Of at least 5000 (adopting his dis
tances in the plat as corect), which, 1
added 10 the report, will briOg his sew
erage system to 1885 upon reaching tn
Yakima river for an outlet, as required b!
ordinance. Again, all know and under
stand that Il Is necessary to periodical!
flush sewers in order to cleanse them an,
prevent the pollution Of the atmospher
with sewer gas and the generation o
typhoid and other diseases. This system
a. marked on the plat. would requir
tWenty-one flush tanks, "costiDvin plac
about $I75 each, or total Of SS67S, max
Ing total cost Of the system upon Whicl
the engineer calculated and the commit
Tee reported Of t4Jy541, without a houS
connection being made or all Of the dis
trict severed as provided and ordered Il
ordinance No. I1S, (Which calls for I
length in lineal feet Of 4I,slO feet, or fOs
feet more than the system repOrted upor
by the engineer,l and which, acceptinl
hia figures as correct, must cost t4o.b4o
The system called for by ordinance No
II3. and voted on by the people, will cost
on the basis Of calculation Of r. A. Jones
civil engineer, one-iou-th more, or t60, ,675
or tIO,675 more than the eity's iAsuanu
Of bonds. Again. section three Of ordi
nance No. IIS provides that this system
oi sewerage shall [not only include thl
district deSignstsd), but bo "sufhcient u
aerommodaisa city Of fifteen THOUSAND
inhahitantas1 RafaFFinR 10 this aaid Fa