St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-06-14
HOLD ON, sANBORN.
Mayor Smith Shows Up the Erlimsy
Complaint of a Critic.


Complaint of a Critic.
Gen. John B. Sanborn, through the
columns of an evening paper hostile to
the city authorities. made a most I'M
warrantable attack upon his honor.
Mayor Smith. The general resides near
the corner of Ninth and Jackson, where
the colored boy Dawkins was discovered
sick with smallpox. He declares the
sanitary condition to be very bad, and
says that he called the attention of the
mayor 10 the matter and that no atten-
ton was paid to it. The mayor, when
his attention was called to the matter.
was surprised at the charge made by
Gen. Sanborn, declaring it to be quite
uncalled for. The facts of the case are:
Gen. j. B. Sanborn on May 23 wrote
the mayor, giving notice that 1.-The
water works or the sewerage system of
the city, or both combined, have
been SO carelessly and negligently
managed during the last month ada
cent to the northeast corner Of Ninth
and jackson street," 1t was stated
THAT the earth in that vicinity has been
saturated with water to such an extent
that the same has caused an overflow in
all the ceSSpoolS and closets" 1.-The
water had flowed constantly from some
OF the mains for the last month"
''There are at least four houses, each
having outdoor closets on or near this
corner, that have no sewer connections,
and it seems that the public interests
now lmperatively require that connec-
tons should be made and sewers be used
III place OF these original contrivances."
In the absence of the mayor, the COM
munIcatlon was forwarded by Acting
fn hn
who detailed Officer Seaman to iDyestl-
gate. His report, dated May q, was to
the effect that the leakage of water was
promptly stopped. The leakage was not
in the city mains, but in the service
pipes owned by w. G. Morrison, a
neighbor of Gen. SanbOrn. Proceeding:
THE sewerage system in this vicinity is in
perfectly sanitary condition, as shown by
the sewer man who removed the covers from
the manhole and catch basin for me to in
vestigate Consequently l fail to perceive
how the water works or the sewerage sys-
tenn, or either, are to blame. With
regard to sewer connections and outdoor
corner Of Ninth and Jackson. = I
VIII answer his complaint from existing
facts. 1t is the custom of the health depart
ment to cause sewer connections to be made
where practicable TO all buildings having the
advantage OF fronting on a severed street.
There is no sewer on East Ninth street from
| Temperance to jackson, just directly in front
of some of the property of which Gen. San.
born refers to, viz: 1863. 173, us and 179 East
Ninth street; and even if there was the
buildings are so old and of such ricketv
character it would be putting the owners of
such property to an unWarrantable expense
as long as the property could by other means
be kept in a sanitary condition until replaced
by better class of buildings. On the very
corner of Ninth and jackson there is an old
building, 4SS Jackson in rather dilapidated
condition. This has the advantage
OF fronting on severed street,
but the building is too old
and miserable TO warrant such
an improvement. Rear of Mr.. Morrison's
house and on his property there is an out
door closet, but l find that Mr. Morrson's
premises are about four feet too low TO be
connected win the jackson street sewer
Gen. Sanborn has an outdoor closet himself
in the basement of his kitcken. All the out
door closets referred to have been cleaned
during the present month except three ana
notices have been served on the owners of
two of these on the 21st inst, two days before
the dale of Gen. Sanborn's complaint to
have them cleaned. Only Gen. Sanborn's
remianes uncleaned, but it is not in a bad
condition"
Gen. Sanborn may now point out how
and in what way Mayor Smith has
neglected in attending to his complaint.