The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-22
STREET JOBBERS.
They Oppose the Sewer
Commissioners.
WHAT THE SYSTEM REQUIRES.
The Doodle Crowd Objects to Men
Who Will Give the City Good
Work.

In reference to the effort being made to
missioneIs member of that board said yes
terday:
Now, if the citizens don't want US, we'll
willingly step out. We do not propose to
make any fight for this whatever. We don't
want any politics. nor anything TO do with
matters of that sort. We have a great task
before US and we have set about accomplish
ing it in the best and most economical way.
1.-THE board as it is composed is a careful
and conservative body. There has been no
thought of TevolutiOnizing anything, but
the general idea has been first to find out
just what we possess that can be made use
of in perfecting a sewer system for San
Francisco that will not only be adequate
for present needs. but will answer for the
future. If we are let alone we will estab-
lish O system that is ceansed once in
twenty four hours.
"Such a system can be established, but it
will take time and thought. There are
many problems about this that have not
been taken into consideration apparently at
all The high ridge extending all abont the
north end of this peninsula. from Tele-
graph Hin TO the Preside, makes it almost
impossible to run the drainage from the
city TO that part of the bay where the cur
rent is the swiftest.
much of the Western Addition sewage
has 10 20 fully three miles before Ii reaches
tidewater at Mission Bay. There is talk Of
running some sewers out into the ocean, but
the currents must first be looked after, or
else we may ruin all our beautiful ocean
beach just as the beach at Southampton
was ruined. Not the least of our work will
be the fixing of grades, not only IN new ter
ritory, but wherever there are changes pro-
posed. The idea Of the Supervisors was
that all these questions, where important
changes Of grade were proposed. should be
referred directly to our board.
There has been a great amount of poor
work done of late years in our sewers
There are several miles in the lower part OF
the city which must be entirely recon-
structed. There are several Instances of
five-foot brick sewer entering into 16-inch
pipe. This commission would n OF only take
measures 10 remedy such things, but the
plan is to keep on hle an exact statement of
the condition of every foot of sewer in the
entire city.
I'VE know the politicians. the contractors
and mauy engineers are down on our board
because We will not have any politics in our
dolngs. we do not now propose to make
any night in this matter. We are all old
residents OF San Francisco and interested
in having the city's engineering done prop
erly.
1T Is not reasonable TO suppose we can
give our time without compensation, but |
am satisfied that everything will be done as
economically as possible We have two
young engineers who are TO devote their
entire time to this work, and have already
done so since last August, but they GER
tainly cannot afford to give their time for
nothing"
The COmmis sioners have certainly been
at work very energetically. There baye
been two gangs of five men each in the field
constantly. and about 80 miles of the sew
ers OF tho city have already been thoroughly
examined. Much of the sewer work is In
good order, but there is much that was
either poor work originally or else has be-
come worthless.
The present Board of Commissioners
comprises Irving NJ. Scott, Colonel George
II. Mendell, U. S. A., Professor George
Davidson Of the Coast and Goodetic Sur
yey, Marsden Manson and G. L. Grunsky
as associates. Both Colonel Mendell anu
Professor Davidson had to obtain special
permission Of the Government before TAX
Ing up the work, and it was only By the