Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-05-16
WILL BEAR THEIR SHARE
7,Ipsysis 1ho Vnt Proper ssI.a6s
and You'd Gladly Ply
Towards c. mplsss System. vAluable
Ougssstfor .. that viii be Reed with
Intsssst.

Intsssss.
Hon L. G. Alien 10 Known TO have a.
ways taken great interest In the welfare
Of Augusta AID when JOURNAL reporter
called on him for IN expression Of bis opin-
ion concerning the sewerage question he
kindly lsid aside urgent business matters
to answer the reporters questions. Whsp
s,ked . general question on The subject he
said
Eyes, there 10 no ground 10, discussion
- to whether serers, properly constructed
under . proper system. are needed in this
city. There is 10 question whstevef but
What their Absence has been the cause Of .
great deal Of sickness and many deaths.
II pointed out the need in this direction
which would stare Us in the face, some
years ago when the water supply question
Vas being agiss.sd II Was then said We
can't &c, the money to build sewers. snd,
With our natural drainage the city will be
quite IS healthy and very likely more So
pointed out the fsilacy Of this - clearly
- could, and think With some force.
but il vas met with ridicule, and derisively
referred to Is Aliens Swamp
Il said the'sewers should come before the
great superabundance OF water. Few sgseed
with me then; but think many do now.
Nov have no desire or ambition to pose
- . prophet, and that part Of the question
referred to may rest, unless further die
cusslon 10 invited.
The question now is, what il to be done !?
That there is urgent need no one questions
that there 10 no money for the purpose we
ell know; that upwards of two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars are needed for the
purpose Is apparent; that We are in debt
nearly up to the constitutional limit 10 also
sppsrent; the levying Of an enormous
direct tar would Cypress business and pre-
vent new enterprises from locating in our
mids.
II think the only way to approach this
matter 10 to annually levy . moderate sewer
tar, calculating to complete the work. say,
10 from SIX to ten years.
Nov. how shall this money be spent?
should say by all means by . nom partisan
commission of business men, duly and pro-
perly constituted with proper authority and
proper restrictions. 1 would advocate such
. commission, first. last, and all the time
.isain shnutt ha hus Al
msu, intelligent. high minded, and to be
depended upon under all circumstances to
serve with An eye single to the interests Of
the city.
The work should be done under general
plan and in the most thorough manner,
building each year as far a, We could pay.
III, in our present financial condition no
progress whatever could be made in the
direction Of laying a comprehensive ard
substantial snbterrsnean sewage system |.
might possibly be we'll to consider the sub.
ject OF surface sewage for q part Of the
city. | say it might be we'll to look into
that. 1t is held by many very we'll
informed men on the subject Of
sewage, and also by ssnitarians,
tina. surface sewage 10 not unhealthy.
Years ago when FRS. learned Of that,
after seeing the surface sewage Of Pills
delpbis was amazed and surprised that it
WAS possible for spy such system to be
healthy; but, il it is rot unhealthy, even
though it is not pleasant to the sight, in our
present condition it might be we'll 10 thor
oushly consider and study it. That sys-
tenn, if adopted, would not be very expen-
sive. DO not advocate it; am not pre-
pared to advocate it; but, i. nigh. be
worthy looking into"
DR., James W. North IS one of the lNg-
est taxpayers in the city but when approach
cd BY JOURNAL reporter on the subject OF
sewerage he expressed himself in 9 very
pronounced manner - in favor Of immedi-
ate action toward = complete system Of
sewerage.
II sm." he said, "in favor Of having 3
complete system Of sewerage in this city
think it the most importsn. subject for
Augusta people to consider"
You are physician OF experience and
do you not think that the present condition
i,s constant menace to the health of the
people of our city?
II believe am satisfied that the exist.
ing defective condition afYects the health of
our city. | know more about the lower
part Of the city than about other portions
though DO not think by any means that
the trouble is conf ned 70 the southern part
Of the city. ] do, however. know of places
- bsd. l think, as that mentioned BY
Col. FArrngtoa IN his letter. Down
back Of Crescent street or between
Crescent street and Prsy's Lane
there is a cessrool ,ha. I think equal in
danger TO the ore mentioned by the
colonel. There the Western Avenue
sewer which by the way runs for the most
Of its length on top Of the ground. empties
also the sewer from ihs Augusta House.
Daring the Legislative session especially
good deal Of fifth runs on. this latter sewer.
All about that locality there has been COZ
siderable sickness much Of which believe
was due to the unsanitafy condition Of the
sewerage, then on the other side of Cfes-
cent street the sewer which crosses Grove
street is built Of stone and the top Is left
uncovered allowing the poisonous gases to
escape and pollute the atmosphere. This
should be covered with two or three feet
At least of earth
How DO you think the city should
proceed with regard to the sewer problem
my opinion is that . certain smount
should be appropriated each year
For the frs. few years at lessi should not
the amount be larger than for succeeding
years in order to care for the worst places?
II should favor that. There would be
no tax that would be more willing to pay
than for such purpose and il necessary l
would be willing to subscribe toward it,"
OF course you believe that property
would be enhanced in value by q proper
system Of sewerage?
Property owners would derive benefit
from good sewerage - from . good invest
ment Everybody who enters . sewer
ought to DAY for so doing. They hAven't