The record-union., 1894-05-18
+" EVERY MAN TO HIS PROFESSION. !"
The Physicians Take Engineer New
berry to Task.
They Have Something to Say on the
Question of Sewerage, as APP
piled to This City.

EDS. RECoRD-UNIoN: Engineer New
berry is losing his temper or he is not
naturally courteous man. He accuses
the Board of Health of being criminally
culpable for the patchwork of sewers put
in by engineers and calls somebody slo-
cal charlatans." | understand him to
call the local engineers local charlatans.
That is all right, but it is not my fight. 1t
only goes to show that engineers do not
always agree, and he can fight that out
with them.
One would suppose after reading his
tale of woe that the only men standing in
the way OF his proposed system are the
doctors" and he labors heavily in an
argument that doctor knows little
less than almost anyone else about sewers
and what they don't know less than
alleged engineers would supply all space.
Here is some of the lament:
'But supposing a jury OF doctors
should disagree regarding the choice OF
plans, the allopath, the homeopath, the
eclectic, the curer by prayer and the lay
ing on OF hands, etc. (the one knows as
much about sewerage as the Other), then
the multitude of engineers plans submit
ted to them on behalf of the citizens of
Sacramento would surely come TO grief"
That would be awful, wouldn't 1t? Ter
rible calamity! In the face of such a
narrowing possibility, would it not be
better to ignore the Board of Health en-
tirely? Dreadful! dreadful!
But he has not yet accused the doctors
of digging the ditch between China
Slough and the river OF course that was
done by alleged engineers. Neither has
he accused the doctors directly of putting
in the sewer on S street that runs up hill.
That, too, was put IN by an engineer, but
III neither case was the Board of Health
consulted nor doctor asked for an opin-
ion by the City Trustees or by an en-
gineer. 1t is safe to say there is not a
tyro in the medical art who does not
know enough about sewers to know that
sewage cannot run up hill.
But the two foolish engineering schemes
did not cost $500, 0O0, as the one proposed
will do, and it is necessary to scrutinize
closely not only the credentials of an en-
gineer. but his plans as well. Upon what
monuments OF sanitary engineering skill
do MIR. Newbery's pretentions rest?
Where has he built system OF sewers,
the gentle murmurs OF whose sewage in
restless flow sound his praises above the
aroma of manhole? Mention the name
of that happy town whose sewers and
conduits and great intercepung sewer are
operated by big pump remote from the
river, where coal must come in cars all
stamped by that springtlme name
berry,"
Mr.. New berry is said to be or to have
been railroad engineer and has no
doubt indicated whore many culvert
should be made, but he has not yet won
his spurs as sanitary engineer-at least,
to the knowledge of the doctors. His
plan may be excellent and the best that
may be offered, but his plaintive anxiety
lest others should be submitted and his
manifest sorrow because the doctors do
not fall in with his scheme, would indi-
cate anything but a secure faith in the
superior merit OF his plan. Woodland,
an inland town, received four plans and
chose one of them.
Stockton spent about $4,000 in getting
plans. Sacramento, who would resent
being called a jay town, gives Mr.. New
berry 5000 for his little plan and he belly
aches because the doctors want to COM
pare railroad engineers plan with the
plans of modern sanitary engineers of
acknowledged rank and ability.
But see the bid this little man makes
the Trustees: 1.-The Trustees of the city of
Sacramento know better than to part
with their delegated trust in any such
manner. 10 SANDER them and talk OF a
job in connection with the sewerage
SCu6Ul0 VIII uiOOb Will Lie
condemnation it deserves"
He reminds the Trustees that they
should know better than to listen to the
citizens who elected them and whose
servants they are. He wants them to
listen to him. The city is in danger from
the doctors and can be saved by the rail-
road engineer.
If Mr.. Newbery's sewers are no bet
ter connected than his argument, we can
get along without them. He first lays
the patchwork on the sewers to the crimi-
nal negligence of the Board of Health,
and ends up by saying that the Trustees
know better than to part with their right
to construct sewers, etc. The Board of
Health never had the right to interfere in
the construction of sewers.
Mr.. New berry knows that, and vet
charges criIninality to the Board of
Health. But the Board of Health as citi-
zens have the same rights that other eiti-
zens have, and are scrutinizing Mr.. New
bery's pet scheme with some interest,
and they hope that subsequent events
will cause them to entertain better opin-
ion OF his engineering ability than he
seems to have for the doctors.
BOARD OF HEALTH.