The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-24
An Experts Opinion Of Work
on a Public Sewer in
Oakland.
MAYOR DAVE SUSTAINED
Second Chapter Of the RUPTURE
Among the Board of Works
Commissioners.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,
COS Broadway August o.

SUo DTOauWay, August 20.
Five years ago the City Council of Oak
land employed an engineer of National
reputation, Rudolph Herring, to examine
the city and make a report as to the best
system of sewerage to be followed. Mr..
Herring prepared report which was
adopted by the City Council as basis for
future sewer work. That the present City
Engineer, Arthur Wilson, has not fol-
lowed this plan brought about the open
rupture between the Mayor and the engin-
eer last Tuesday night The Mayor stopped
work on sewer in East Oakland and en-
ployed w. F. Boardman as an expert to
report on the work.
The report was completed yesterday and
supports the Mayors contention in every
particular. 1t is as follows and will be
night.
AS requested by you l have examined the
sewers on Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh
avenues at the intersection OF said avenues
with East Eighteenth and East Ninth streets,
in East Oakland, and beg leave to submit the
following report Fourth avenue is severed
with 12-inch pipe which terminates near the
southerly line of East Eighth street and from
the end of the line of East Eighth street and
| from the end of the pipe wooden box con-
veys the sewage to the margin of the estuary,
| where it is discharged.
| Fifth. Sixth and Seventh avenues are each
severed with 14-inch pipes which heretofore
| discharged into an intercepting box sewer con-
| structed from Seventh avenue and East Eighth
street westerly of what was formerly marsh
land to the margin OF the estuary, where 1t Is
| discharged.
| All of the pipe sewers above mentioned ap-
| pear to be outlets which lead TO the intercept
| ing sewer and the intercepting sewer, con-
structed of wood, has rotted out and requires
| immediate attention.
| found Mr. Qulnlan and his men engaged in
| putting down 12-inch sewer pipe on East
! Eighth street, which am informed is intended
| as an intercepting sewer to take the sewage
! from Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues.
| Now, as I have stated Fourth avenue has q
Pinch sewer and Fifth, sixth ana seventh
| avenues each have q 14-inch sewer. 1t is very
evident that the interceptng sewer whlcn
| receives the sewage from all of them should DO
| larger than II inches in diameter.
In 1889 Rudolph Herring, q sanitary engineer
1 of large experience, was employed by the
Council of the city of Oakland to make care
| full examination and report on proper system
| of sewerage for the city, and in that report he
| recommends that all the sewers from First to
! TWEEN ty-second avenue terminate and discharge
| into an intereepting sewer TO be constructed
/ along the southerly side OF the city ana along
| East Eighth street 10 point where the pro-
posed sewer along the east side of Lake Merritt
| would intercept it, from which point sewer
| large enough TO receive the combined flow
! from both branches would be constructed
| across the marsh land and terminate at the
southwest corner of "Larue's Addition now
| known as Sessions Point.
If am correctly informed the report OF Mr..
Herring was adopted by the City Council and
no doubt copy OF that report is now on flle in
the clerks office and should be found in the
| office OF the City Engineer, and in my opinion
whatever new work is done should be In con-
formity with the general plan adopted by the
| city, always keeping in view the ultimate COM
pletion of system approved by eminent
| authority.
The grade. If any, of the sewer now being
| constructed by Mr.. Quinlan is from Seventh
avenue westerly to Fourth. Ny opinion is that
! it should be reversed and that the sewer should
1 be not less than twenty-four inches in diane
| ter, constructed in such manner as to be-
/ come terminal of the sewer on the east side
OF Lake Merritt, and If the city is not prepared
| to construct the outlet across the marsh. al
| present, a temporary outlet may be made wes
| of the railroad as shown upon small maj
| which herewith attach.
The report cannot help but still further
widen the breach between the officials.