, 1891-11-30
THE SEW ER PLANS
WHICH THE CITY BOUGHT FOR
FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS
Are Said to be Almost worthless
An Engineer is Heard From
ON the subject.


An Engineer is Heard From
ON the Subject.
Editor Tribune:
We are about to elect four new council
men and mayor. In electing these off
GERS we should carefully consider the men,
their ability and honesty. Two problems
OF great Importance will confront us the
coming year, our finances and our sewer
age. Our finances must be handled with
skill or before the year 1898 we are likely to
be in the hands of a receiver. Our sewer
age must be looked after or there will be
pestilence
Olympia has always been healthful
place in which to live. We have always
been able to raise an over-abundant supply
Of health-giving foods, especially fruits.
Olympia is noted for her fruits, her healthy
and joyial people. If we expect to remain
healthy and joyial people, we must look
carefully into our sanitary conditions. BY
looking over the lower part Of our city we
find orchards dead and dying, because of
insufficient drainage, where before the
grading Of our streets they were in a vigor-
GUS condition. Also we have had more
sickness this year than ever BEFORE The
sickness has been of d low type, and some
Gil has been accused of inability and dis
honesty. We know they have acted iniu-
diciouSly.
A few months ago stranger came to our
city, purporting to be a sanitary engineer
He called upon some, or all, of the mem
bers OF the sewerage committee, but did
not present himself to the council. He
proceeded to draughting plans for sewer
age system for Olympia, copied the pro-
files of streets from the engineers office,
engaged an engineer to take some levels
to the amount Of S12 and procured blue
print maps to the amount of about $40.
With this as data, he proceeded to make
plans for a complete sewer system.
lie employed draughtsman at an ex-
pense Of about $3.50 to make map Of the
city. The map is full of errors, anyone
who is familiar with our city additions can
point out errors at glance. He has pro-
lected lines of sewers on streets where they
run into holloWs go feet deep, which shows
that Mr.. Camp was not familiar with the
topography of the city,
Mr.. Camp III this system introduces a
new feature, a "harbor reservoir" !" purpOrt-
ing that this Hharbor reservoir is now in
use in number of cities in California;
San Diego and others. This is true in the
case of San Diego, but not others.
There are other features Of this system
OF Mr.. Camps which are contrary to en-
gineering principles, which l will not intro
Guce here.
/ wish to quote here from the reports of
MT. Camp, Of the sewer committee, and
from report Of the board Of public works
of San Diego, CAL, on their sewer system,
OF the main features of which ours is a
copy.
First-Mr. Camp in his last report to the
sewer committee says: "In drawing these
pans have been governed by the most
modern experience"
1.-THE sewerage system l herewith sub
I ssi AZ has been formulated after every detail
OF elevation and topography has been mi-
nutely considered, and there is no portion
OF the city that cannot be made to con-
nect."
\ have made complete map at great
expense and trouble in order to familamze
myself with the extent of the system of
sewerage"
Second-Report of the sewer committee
to the city council: 1--WE recommend the
purchase, at 81 500, of said plans by the
city, as from the best information we can
obtain the plans are complete in every de-
tail. Your committee herewith submits
the report of Engineer A. J. GilIis, whom
we employed to give his opinion upon the
system" (Signed,)
MURPHY, SIcKLEs AND PERcIvAL.
Third.-Report of A. j. Gills: Messrs.
Murphy, Sickles and Percival, committee
OF the city council Of Olympia on fran
chises, licenses and sewers.
Gentlemen: In accordance with your
request have examined the plans for a
sewer system for the city of Olympia, sub
mitted to the council by J. S. Camp, G.
g."
"The plans are drawn in accordance with
the best modern practice, and are well
adapted to the present needs and future
possibilities Of the city. AT the same time
economic construction has been constantly
kept in view. The city while possessed Of
splendid natural advantages for drainage
is in part deprived Of them by the Seventh
street tunnel. Mr.. Camps solution Of this
difficulty is complete"
Your earnest attention is solicited for
that portion of Mr.. Camps report which
quotes from reports Of the national board
OF health. There is perhaps no higher
authority on sanitary engineering than
that body, and their reports are mostly
worthy Of the most careful attention and
respect"
Mote by writer-Mr Camp quotes from
this report of 1880 as to sizes Of pipes, but
the report of the San Diego board condemn
sizes similar to those of Mr.. Camps be.
cause of their insuficiency
"Some objection has been expressed to
the construction of a reservoir, but this
feature of the system is of vital impor-
lance, Without IL, fully 0ne-halt OF the sew
erage Of the city would be deposited along
our water front"
Mote by writer.-Practice does not sub
stantJate it. inexpensive gates are being
used with satisfactory results.
Respectfully,
A. j. GTLLIs, Engr.
Fourth report on the sewerage of San
Diego, by the board of public works of that
city.
"Our attention was first forced to an in
yestigahon OF the causes which have rem
dered the outfall so obnoxious to the
senses of the people," Complaints loud
and deep, were heard on every hand. Land
lords owning houses for half a mile either
side, complained Of the loss Of their ten
ants, on account of the intolerabIe stencil
arising from the sewer tank, at low tide.
And several cases Of illness have been
brought to our notice, arising, as alleged,
from the deadly odors Of the harbor reser-
voir." ''This sewage tank, or 'harbor res
ervoir," as it is called by its designer, is a
novelty introduced by Colonel Waring,
and we are forced to conclude in regard to
it, after the experience of more than a year,
in patient and costly endeavor by the city
to make the device work as it was in
tended, that it is a total failure"
''We do not hesitate to assert, after de-
liberate investigation, that the entire plan