The record-union., 1891-05-13
A QUESTION THAT WILL NOT
DOWN.

Ihe RECORD UNION published the
other day a news item saying that Wor-
cester, Mass, conducts its sewage to
tanks, chemically precipitates the solid
matter, discharges the liquid in harm
less state into the river, and the residuum
is valuable as a manure.
What reason is there why Sacramento
should not do the same? The people
below the city pronounce the drainage
canal nuisance. Unquestionably that
is correct judgment We all know,
though 10th to confess it, that we cannot
drain the city through that canal until
water is made to flow, by the laws of
gravitation, uphill. The lower end of
the canal is higher than its head; the
ditch has no current; it simply conveys
our sewage little below the city, where it
1erments and poisons the atmosphere and
soil. To waste money in tinkering with
the ditch is folly.
There are but three ways known to
science or experience applicable to city
like Sacramento for disposing of sewage.
Atter"collection according to any of sew
eral means in a common receptacle: ].
By evaporation. 2. By chemical precipi-
tation. 3. By lifting into the river or
into pipe line sufficiently elevated to
carry it to tide-water.
Collection may be by gravitation or by
pneumatic exhaustion of pipes at stated
periodsIof each twenty-four hours. The
latter is a costly but effective process; the
former can be well and economically
adapted to our present sewers; defective
as they are, they will do until we can
gradually displace them.
Disposal by evaporation and cremation
costs about the same as precipitation by
chemicals. But in the latter case we have
residuum left worth some money.
Manures are coming more and more
into use. Whereas a few years ago one
had to pay a carter to remove stable
sweepings, now land cultivators buy the
sweepings in many cases. As high as
$500 year is paid for the sweepings at
Agricultural Park alone.
To lift directly into the river raises the
question of pollution, but after chemical
treatment the liquid is inofensive. We
come to this then, that true economy is to
be conserved by abandoning the drainage
canal, sinking tanks near the river, trans
ferring the drainage pump to that point
and supplementing it sufficiently to lift
the liquid into the river, the settled por-
tons remaining to be sold.
AS to the cost, we believe it is greatly
overestimated. Certainly it would be
worth the trouble TO correspond with
the Worcester authorities and ascertain
just what it is. This question cannot be
put down. Our people must meet it.
Wemust drain the city properly or see it
condemned. That is the simple fact con-
fronting US. If we have not the money
1t VIII cost TO inaugurate the plan, we
must devise ways and means TO get it.
With the drainage canal condemned and
closed, as the people below US threaten
and they are not to be blamed-we will
have the sewage blocked in the sewers
and flooding the lands between r and Y
streets.
The question before this people is,
"What are we going to do about the
drainage'?' We have talked for twenty
years upon the subject; it is now time tc
act The RECoRD-UN believes that
the city is able to inaugurate the Wor.
cester system; that it will save money tc
borrow money, if need be, to do it; that
it viii absolutely reduce taxation by en-.
HANGING values to properly drain the
city, and that it can be done now and
within the next few months
But to do it we must get up and out O
the rut of old ideas; we must not hesitate
and find objections, and raise up theo,
retical barriers. Nothing is easier thar
to hold back, and object, and find fault
We should be guided by experience
profit by what others have learned, anG
act withs1romptness. We cannot have
as we need, gravitation system of sew.
age disposal; let US inquire into the mex
best scheme, and at once.
SCHWATKA'S THIRD EXPEDITION
Lieutenant Schwatka's expedition t,