The record-union., 1894-05-10
SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
Report of Mechanical Engineer G. A..
Stoddard,
He Thinks the City should Get Plans
or Ideas From Other
Engineers.

gineer Stoddard 10 the Board OF trustees
on Monday night not having been pub
lished in full, he has sent the following
communication to the RECORD UNION:
EDS. RECORD UNION: Will you kindly
allow me little space in your paper,
which is designed to be the dispenser OF
correct information on subjects OF gem
eral interest2 1t has never been my
wish to crowd myself into public notice
through the papers or otherwise, as IL Is
exceedingly distasteful to me. L Will,
however, in Justice to myself, submit the
following [ was kindly called upon by
Mr.. Leonard, acting for the City Irus-
tees, to examine and report on the plans
for q sewerage system presented by Mr.
Newbery, to which | with some reluct-
ance consented, believing that Mr.. Leon
ard was, as myself, looking disinterest-
edly and honestly for the city's best in
terest. I made particular inquiry as to
what was desired, and was given plainly
to understand that my honest opinion
was wanted as to whether these plans
were all right. and such as would be adj
visable for the city TO adopt; If other or
farther plans were deemed necessary the
people wished to know it. l accordingly
made the report as presented, and would
like to have it given to the public cor
rectly so that my position Will be rightly
understood.
Mr.. Newbery says: "Stoddard did not
advance a single idea that he would wish
to incorporate in his report" l did not
intend TO add to his report, nor submit
plans for his or any other system, neither
was L asked to do so, nor have any per-
soDal interest in anv scheme, contract or
contractor to influence me one way or the
other. While l certainly have my own
ideas, l carefully avoided anything that
might be taken as a prejudiced report. L
have G MIR NnVV hRTU manfIOnS- lived
sacramento twenty six years; my home
is here, and my interests also, and be-
lieVe / am entitled to entertain an opinion
and ideas on public matters that come in
my line OF study, even if l do not choose
to advance them uncalled for. have
quite as much call for my time and at
tention as is desired. l could have said
much more on the sewer question, or adj
vaneed some particular plan or recon-
mended some competent engineer, but
did not consider il wise to do SO under
present circumstances. What did say
| believe to be right. Sewerage and drain
age have by some been confounded and
taken indiscriminately one for the other.
They are not identical or synonymous,
although closely connected.
G. a. SroDDARD.
Mr.. sroDDARD's REPORT.
10 the Honorable Board Of Trustees
of e1tO-GENTLEME At your
REQUEST have examined the plans and
specification for the proposed system OF
sewerage for this city, as submitted by
Mr.. Newbery of San Francisco, and it is
with some reluctance that | submit this
report. 1t is a matter which l consider
of vital importance to the city, ana sub
iect to which l have given considerable
study both now and heretofore. L think
IL is generally conceded there is need 1--WE
might almost say necessity for an i'm
provement on what we have at present.
The system is certainly a mixed one,
sewers having been put IN at various
times and according 10 different ideas,
without any definite, fixed plan. | had
expected to meet and counsel with an en-
gineer, to be appointed to represent the
strictly sanitary side of the subject which
is of the greatest Importance. The best
results can be attained only through the
best mechanical arrangement. Every
point should be carefully considered and
plans modified or made to meet all re-
qulrements to best subserve the public
interest. | would not wish this TO be
taken as criticism on anything that has
been done, but simply the conclusions TO
which l have arrived after careful in
vestigation. [ desire to see the city as
we'll guarded as possible against false
moves or unWise expenditures.
The plans of Mr.. New berry, while
they may have points to commend them,
vet, taken as whole, are not such that
! can fully indorse as system. They
are incomplete, or | might perhaps more
properly say. are lacking in detail.
find nothing definite in reference to
house connections, cesspools or laterals.
their sizes, grades or construction, nor
how or where they are to reach the sew
ers All these matters l think should
be fully and definitely provided for in
the plans and specifications, in order to
have anything like a complete working
system. 70 me they would seem quite
as much of an essential as the main
sewers, q very important item of ex-
pense and quite as difficult to satisfac-
tOrily arrange as the mains. The speci-
tications seem to be more of q general
than specific nature, leaving too much
to be understood-or misunderstood.
These of course could and would be
righted in contracts for work, although
no mention is made as to how contracts
are to be let. Perhaps, however, Mr..
Newbery gave all he was called upon
or expected TO do. 1 believe good
pumping plant TO be Indispensable to
the satisfactory working of any system
that could be applied 10 this city, owing
to the low land of sewers and high
point of discharge, for at least q large
portion of the year. Good centrifugal
pumps, l think, best adapted to this
service.
The proposed plan of flushing, as 1
understand it from MIR. Newbery though
not otherwise ex plained), l think is new,
or mostly so, and can be considered as an
experiment | should think the city
might hesitate at practically untried
plans. 1t appears to me very uncertain
OF satisfactory operation, and l believe it
TO be expensive to maintain. 1t calls for
large quantities of water TO be pumped in
both Cirections-in and out-and ] do not
- l. I'D to hn QH xrcF Qrrn n
economy. a different plan of flushing
might dispense with the 1850 feet of II
inch pipe at a cost OF over so, 600. The
4S-inch intercepting sewer laid In con-
crete is a substantial but costly piece OF
work, and il is quite possible different
arrangements, but as effective, might be
developed at less expense. lido not ap-
prove of the plan of running the dis
charge pipes to the river through or un-
der the levee. II is considered by many
TO be unsafe to do so, and l can see no ab-
solute necessity for it when 1t can be car
ried over, as is done in drainage districts
Much more might be said, but 1t Is
hardly called for in this report, and
have already extended it to greater
length than at first intended. In con-
clusion, | Will say that L do not consider
the work done or money expended on
these plans is by any means useless or
thrown away, whether accepted and
voted by the citizens or otherwise. 1t Is
move at least, although / look upon the
work proposed more as an extension or
addition to the present system than q
complete system of itself. 1t would no
doubt help TO relieve and improve the
operation of the old sewers to con-
siderable degree, and would very much
improve the drainage in the lower parts
of town; but l do not hesitate to say that
think it would be the part of wisdom to
obtain further plans or other ideas before
deciding on the proposition with only
one thing to choose where so much is in