The record-union., 1891-06-06


what does remain is kept in cess-pools,
oozing into the soil, in open privies and
III sewers, some Of which are smallest at
the outlet, and some of which the con-
structors tried TO make carry matter up
hill. If the system is continued the town
will be one vast seething cess-pool and
the city one great nuisance. Many of the
sewers are useless, some are positive
evils. But with the awful danger lurking
in the cess-pools and open privies, the
matter below the city is greatly
MORE TO BE FEARED.
Within ten feet of public buildings are
focuses for disease which, if an epidemic
gets started, will empty hotels and all the
houses. Within 4 stones throw of the
Sutter Club is vileness enough to sicken
the stoutest stomach. 1t is by the merci-
ful providence Of God only that we are
spared, not by our diligence or foresight.
Before levee and bonds and water works,
clean your household, citizens, ex-
claimed the doctor. 1t amazed him to
near men talk of cent-per-cent, and in
ability to raise money now or next year,
and to talk ofbonds and scrip, and all that,
and of the impossibility Of getting $780,
600 now. Would you be asked, ''Sell
your wife and little ones for 100000?
Would you sacrifice S200,0 to save their
lives and guarantee them health? Well,
you must do it or you will be at risk or
Iu6 DcldlIy ne SpOh6 lFOIl luG result
of his official examination. 1t was his
duty and he would discharge it. You
can do nothing to so much increase your
property values, secure your city pros
perity. insure the certainty of family life
and health, as to correct your sewer sys-
tenn. After your soil is once all impreg-
mated with filth, and will take no more,
you will eat and drink the filth as you
now breathe it and sleep with it.
THE REMEDY Is SIMPLE.
Raise the money and put in a new sys-
tenn at once. It can be DONE A city of
such people as these ought to be ashamed
to hesitate and talk of can'ts and money
troubles. Abolish your vaults, dispose
Of your sewage, and you will have q city
to live In as fair as any on earth, and with
future any one might envy. Delay and
danger means death. The danger indeed
is here.
Mr.. Weinstock- long will it be
safe to delay?
DIR. NicholS-What time is it now?
Noices-Half-past nine.
Dr.. Nichols-Then, until tomorrow
morning.
Mr.. Weinstock-Suppose we delay three
or four years?
DR.. Nichols-A bad investment.
Mr.. Weinstock-So if it costs us $780,
900 sacrifice to raise 100000 to avert the
danger and give US what we need, will it
be worth it?
DR.. Nichols-Yes, gentlemen. if the
sacrifice was $500, 600 it would be cheap.
Mr.. Woodson told how San Francisco
citizens, IN war times, advanced that city
money in few hours to raise the sunken
monitor and prepare her to resist threat
ened assault by Confederate cruisers, and
asked if the doctor considered Sacra-
mento's case as urgent. He replied
Equally SO.
OBJECTION ANSWERED.
DIR. Nichols said some people said the
city, could not raise the means for its
need. Such were foolish. Some said we
need no better system; such are mad.
Some said wait, and well the debt is too
great TO permit it,; such are short
sighted. Some say the city is too level.
Why other level cities have good systems
and they do not cost so much either
Shall ours be a wholly new system?
Possibly. But we can begin, collect
our sewage, purify the liquid, sell or
burn the solids and there the danger is
ended. Does 100000 cut any figure with
10000 people in such a condition. Why,
no, nor 100000, if you value life and
health for your wife and children.
FINANCIAL.
a discussion then sprang up as to the
feasibility of raising the money. Ex-
Trustee Nielsen spoke, assailing the Bond
Commission, and he was replied to by
Commissioner Smith. Colonel Hamil-
ton wanted Judge Beatty'S commission
to cancel 100000 worth of bonds, and
both MIR. Smith and Judge Beatty said
they could not do it. The latter, in reply
to a speech by Clinton White, said the
money the commission handles is the
creditors, not the city's. The creditors
would have taken it all; the commission
was raised to intercept it, and speculate
for the city in the debt. The commission
is trustee for the city, but it must pay the
money to the creditors, and the law and
the courts compel it, and so does hon
esty. They explained how many hun
dreds of thousands of dollars the COM
mission had saved the city
Mr.. Luhrs, Colonel Hamilton, Mr..
Green and others insisted that if cancel
latlon would lose the commission money,
would enhance bond values and all that,
the sacrifice would be cheap in view of
the great need to correct the sewage svs-
tenn at once. Even now the people below
the city may be moving to enioin the city
and close the drainage canal and shut all
the sewage in the city. Clinton L. White
said he had heard DIR. Nichols, with shame
for himself and his fellow-citizens, with
admiration for the man who had the
courage to tell the people the truth, over
which they have been sleeping. He had
paid out lately $500 for street improve
ments. If they would return the street
TO mud he'd now gladly pay the $500 to
the sewerage fund and wallow around in
the mud contentedly few years more.
Mr.. White -at length urged the Bon d
Commission to cancel bonds 50 the city
can lawfully borrow what she needs.
Ex-Mayor Green made long, vigorous
and practical speech, full of historical re-
cital. After general debate, Mr. Wein-
stock moved that a committee of seven
be named by the Mayor, to consider and
report sewage disposal plans and esti-
mates of cost. Carried unanimously.
He then moved that committee of five
be appointed by the Mayor to report ON
ways and means. Carried unanimously.
Colonel Hamilton moved for committee
of five on levees, to report what was
needed in that direction, and it was
adopted with some demur because several
reports have been made by engineers
and citizen committees.
Mr.. Woodson asked, inasmuch as the
committees could not speedily report,
what was to be done meanwhile? He
urged that, for present needs, the sewage
be lifted into the river, and that liouOr
licenses be raised fairly to produce the
revenue.
ExMayor Green would not oppose if
the Trustees followed the example of the
Supervisors, but he wanted no pro-
hibition.
DR.. Nichols said very grave question
is what shall be done while sewerage
system Is being planned. No committee
even of sanitarians and engineers, could
report plan in q week, or several weeks.
to fit local needs. Some means should
be taken to rid the city of the nuisance at
Y street now.
Mr.. Woodson said that was lust why
he had said what he did. Neither was he
prohibitionist, but liquor could afford