The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-11-19
THE MAYORS VETO.
Directed This Time at the Sew
age Pump.
Until The Gravity System Can Be Put In, the
Mayor Believes the Sewage should
Go IutO he Jordan

council in contracting with Jones and
Jacobs for an addition 10 the sewer pump
Ing plant OF the city, and set forth as his
reason for SO doing the strong reasons that
have heretofore been presented by TIE
Herald and urged by many citizens in
opposition to the scheme.
The mayor also developed strongly, but
In most diplomatic way, the pernicious
practice Of the present council in ordering
bids for public work solicited by heads of
departments and committees Of that body,
instead or advertising for the samoa
practice INDUCED 10 under the sDecious
policy Of economy, but which in The long
run costs the taxpayers incalcnlan y
more lnan columns OF ne wspaper aavertls
Ing would. He appended TO his report
communications from Fraser q Chalmers
O this city, and Hail s. Brown OF Ogden,
asking that they be allowed the privilege
OF bidding upon the proposed additional
machinery to be added to the plant, and
stating that the committee on sewers and
The superin ten6ent of sewers had not
given them an opportunity TO bid upon the
same, the committee specifying but one
kind OF machinery. handled only by GER
tain firm Of the city. and although one or
two other bids were requested, The reading
between the lines set forth IN no unmls-
taxable terms that the whole matter was
cut and dried enc TO alot the contract to
but one firm. and that ia pursuance OF that
plan the committee had 40 awarded the
contract 10 Jones & Jacobs The mayors
sit-down on TINS action OF the committee
WAS as follows:
ENTIEsiEN-The report of the committee on
sewerage, recommending the acceptance Of the
BID OF Jones 4 Jacobs 10 furnish Wortnlugton
Sewer pump and plant adopted b. the council
on the lltn inst. authorizing me 20 close a con
tract with Jones & Jacobs in accordance with
-f1tr- RI
this authority for the following reasons 10 wit.
The city does nos own foot OF land ct or near
the point OF The discharge OF the sewer pipes
connected with the present sewer plant nor has
II ever acquired any easement o. right TO dis
charge the sewerage where 1t has always been
done and where il is contemplated that ii shall
continue TO be so discharged 1t is q matter of
establishment that the present plant should
have been erected at cost of many thousands
Of dollars without the CITY having first acquired
rgnis unGer Wnlcn Inc sewerage could nave
been discharged without the city becoming La
be as q tresSpasser. II would in my judgment
now be unwise 10 expend the additional amount
proposed N increasing the capacity Of the
plant without first acquiring, as should have
been done. in the first instance the rights which
are essential 20 the continued use of the plant.
Al present heavy suit Tor damages and an IN
junction is pending against the city and other
suits OF like nature are being threatened It
X rot ana cannot be reasonably claimed that
the city can except by permission or suferance
Of the oWLeIs OF the contiguous lands continue
10 discharge The sewerage al the present point
present vera plant may al the pleasure u
such owners be entirely stopped therefore
recommen nd that steps at once De taken. either
by purchase CT condemnation proceedings
10 acquire for the CITY such lands or easements
rs may be thought necessary TO ensure the con
tinuous cperation OF the present and any future
sewer plant which may hereafter DC erected.
Soon after the inauguration OF the present ad-
ninistration in con pany with number of
counolmen visited Inc present sewer plant,
aud, much 10 our astonlshmenT, we found that
q large portion OF the sewerage was being DIS
charged into the Jordan river for the reason
that the quantity of sewerage matter was too
great Tor The capacity OF the pump That the
II itself was located so TO speak, down in a
sink hole, and that nearly all OF the sewerage
came from point east OF line running north
ana south 81 snInclent 1911 10 carry away Inc
sewerage by gravitRtion; that discharge OF
portion OF the sewerage into the river was an
unavoidable necessity, and must remain so
Ill other means oe provided to dispose OF the
same. For this necessity the present admins
traton is in nowlse responsible. but the exls-
upon the council the duty Of devsing
the means for relief. IN consequence
OF which at ing request Mr. Hardy made mo-
lion for the appointment OF scommittes, with
the city engineer associated charged with the
duty OF investigating and reporting 70 the coun-
ell upon the practieability and utility Of a grav-
ity sewerage line Il was thought that 8 line
following the course of the river would be
available and furnish speedy relief. that the
idea mistaken one has been show n by the
report OF the COMMITTEES. The matter is OF
such complication, magnitude and moment as
not to permit of the making of any mistakes,
hence delay has been unavoidable. Sanitary
considerations as well as comfort and conven-
fence demand that system OF sewerage be at
his zine adopted thai win meet the emergen-
cies OF the city for all time. In my opinion the
only system that viii meet the desired ends is
one by which the great body of the sewerage
will be carried away by gravItaton. Sach a
system viii cost more in the hrs. instance, but
in the end viii be the most economical, and GER
fany the most effective.
Al present The city has balance in the treas
'lry, and IL has s3O0uO0 Of bonds for sale. These
assets with the current revenue OF the city,
makes il reasonably safe 10 enter upon an
enterprise 30 costly as the proposed gravity
sewer
that the building OF such sewer is an i'm
psTatiye necessity which at present urges itself
upon the attention Of the council is certain
1 therefore suggest that a point has been
reached that the future expenditures of the
city should re guaged so as not to endanger
this most urgent Improvement, and recommend
that immediate steps for its construction be
taken. With iUs cOnsUmmati0n the proposed
plant Will De unnecessary But it is suggested
that II VIII require considerable time TO
build a gravity sewer. that the proposed plant
SHOULD be built TO dispose OF the sewerage in
the meantime
TIE present plant. after the gravity system
snail have been completed will be sufficient TO
handle the sewerage west OF the gravity line for
many years 10 come. The injury arising FRI N
The discharge OF the sewerage into the river
IS not so great as has generally been made 70
appear. OF course The water IS rendered there
by unfit 70 drink but otherwise the river is not
near as great IlsRlce 20 neailh ah tue surface
closets. wells and cespoOls Of the city.
think the best way 20 meet the emergency
would be for the city 10 furnish artesian water
10 those who are dependant on the river for
water il any such there be, snd until she
gravity system shall be completed let the
Sewerage run into the river as II has done ever
since the present plant was first erected.
have received the attached communications
which explain themselves and TO which direct
the attention Of the council. Respectfully sub
mitted, r. n. BASKIN,
Mayor.
The question TO consider tbs veto was
tabled for consideration at the meeting of
the council on Tuesday next