The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-02
.rR. SUDDEN SHARPLY CRITICISED.

Editor Morning News: nave enjoyed
the privilege Of reading the communica-
ton Of Mr.. Percy sugden in your issue Of
last Sunday. It is assumed that the pur-
pose Of all who are interested in this dis
cussion is the ascertainment of truth, and
for its calculation 1 ask space in your
columns.
It is well TO bear in mind that the long
entertained idea that running water puri-
hes itself has been exploded. On the con-
trary, it is known that organic matter
when submerged in water, is preserved
Indefinitely. For proof see the obstruc-
tons in the Savannah river which We're
placed there during the revolutionary
war. and have only recently been remov-
Ell at great cost. See, also, the remains
Of the lake jewellers of Switzerland, which
have been recently reclaimed, after sub
mergence, it is estimated of from 1000 TO
1000 years. The reason is simple; the
bacteria of decay and putrefaction are air
breathing plants, and cannot live under
water. Piles are always destroyed at the
water edge, where air and water meet;
never below the waters surface.
This being the case, sewage discharged
into a water course is preserved, except
the portion consumed by fishes and water
plants. of necessity, therefore, there IS
constant accumulation in the water.
1t was hardly fair for Mr.. Sugden to
minimize the force of the statement:
Unless he 0he municipal ruler has
command of a free sweeping sea, or a
strong flowing river, the chances are
that his neighbOrs, near or remote, will
insist on his getting rid of the waste in
some other way than by simple unguard-
ed dOw," by attributing il to me, a per-
son without distinction, when he knew
Il nfat ffop
Waring, a man of worldwide celebrity,
and whose Endorsement Mr.. Sugden
says he sis proud Of"
Just what, in that general statement,
Col. Waring said the chances are will
take place, has taken place, here; for the
beautiful villas which line both shores
Of the St. Johns, above and below the
city, are having their water fronts pol
luted by sewage. And 1 predict that
ere long their owners will ask the inter-
vention of the courts to abate the nui-
sance.
The discharge Of sewage into the st.
Johns has long been hobby Of Mr..
Ellis, formerly city engineer, now en-
gneer of the board of bond trustees.
When Expert Bowditch was here, the
foul condition of the water front Of the
city was so patent that he who ran
could smell. For the abatement of that
nuisance Mr. Ellis had advised the eX-
tension of the sewers TO deep water.
Mr. Bowditch, who, in his report, CLOSED
every mistake that the engineer who
was instrumental in bringing him here,
had made, was asked what he thought
of Mr.. Ellis plan in reply, he said: 1t
win be a safe experiment for a few
years'-which was the best that could
be said for it. 1 ask particular atten-
ton to the fact that, while Mr.. Sugden
gives my view of 1.-The cause of the nui-
nj ch he wit
the explanation of Mr. Ellis, saying,
simply, 1T is entirely different" The
conclusion IS irresistible, however, that
MIR. Ellis admits the existence of the
nuisance.
l know that the nuisance is caused by
sewage, for within a few months / have
obtained specimens of the deposit in the
river bed (Which in one place is a foot
thiclO from above and below the city, on
both shores, and after exposing them TO
the air few hours, the odor was so Of
fensive that they could not be kept in my
office. This fact impaired to Mr.. Sug-
den.
Mr.. sugden says: I'm sanitary science
experience always comes ahead of theory
We are not informed whether Mr. Sugden
offers this as an original proposition. But
whoever is It's author, it does not always
find application. The sewer, like steam
and electric motors, was mentally evolved
q
suggest that sewer irrigation was a
theory" before it became an expert
ence."
However, my printed communication, a
copy of which was sent to you, contained
number of indisputable facts which
demonstrated that a disgusting nuisance
went ahead of any theory have an
nounced. And it should not be forgotten
that this nuisance, which affects the river
front of .nis city-as Boston's harbor was
once similarly affected by the same cause
and extends miles above and below, was
created by very small part of the popu-
lation of Jacksonville-about $500.
Mr.. Sugden says Il found that Dr.
Maxwell stands almost alone in his OBJ
lection to discharging the sewage into ST.
Johns river" Does Mr.. Sugden mean to
imply that a scientific question should be
decided by popular vote of a community
which is absolutely ignorant of the sub
Ject? History shows that Bruno, Calico
and Columbus, each, stood alone" in the
advocacy of a grand truth, now universal
ly accepted, and they apotheosized
l must again charge Mr. Sugden with
unfairness. 1 certainly never suggested
the impracticable, not to say absurd meth
3D. of disposal of Savannahs sewage, by
establishing "a sewer farm located some
where on the Ogeechee river" 1t is
strange that Mr.. Sugden should have
mus misrepresented me, for the subject
was freely discussed by US. 1 did not
speak of the "Ogeechee river" What I
dld recommend was sewage farm a few
miles south of the city, and the dis
charge of the water of filtration into the
Little Ogeechee, or into the most ac-
cesslble stream, near by. The water of
nltration is innoxious, and may be safely
discharged into any stream, as at Ber-
hn' where there is a sewage farm of 10000
acres, which rendered that city cholera
proof when that disease prevailed on
every side. A nuisance is not necessarily
injurious to health, and disease-producing
germs are not always nuisances, in the or
ulhary asceptation of that term, or even
appreclable by the senses.
NO man has urged the improperly of
oischarging sewage into rivers with great
er emphasis than did Col Waring in his
audress at Columbus o. While advis-
lng the establishment of a sewage farm
there he was asked; How far the sewage
II emptied into the Sciota river would pol
Iute that stream" He replied: ITO its
mouth. that is, ninety miles.
without following Mr. Sugden through
ms long list of cities in which the sew
age outlet is at the city front, I will
SIMPLY say that the infection of the
river water supply of several cities mem