The record-union., 1896-07-22
A SEWERAGE. PROPOSITION.
Mayor Hubbard GiYeS Reasons Why Il
Should Garry.
he Considers It Neither System Nor
Patchwork, But Much
Needed.

The following communication from
Mayor Hubbard was sent to the City
Trustees last night:
AS Mayor of Sacramento, deem it my
duty to express to the citizens Of Sacra-
mento some of my reasons why they
should vote to expend S65, 900 to con-
struct a pumping plant and a main
sewer on street.
All who are acquainted with the con-
ditions as they exist in our city at this
time will admit that it is absolutely
necessary to do something before winter
to protect the $20,000000 of property
within our city Many persons living
In our city do not understand the situa-
tton, and think that if we do nothing now
we would be no worse off than we have
been in winters past. To these persons
would like to explain the great neces-
sity for this proposed sewer and pump
at this time.
Our city covers four square miles of
territory and is all inclosed by levees;
all the flood waters, sipage water and
the sewage have to be pumped over
them Heretofore, during the winter
months, when heavy storms came on
and the waters flooded the low lands
south of r street, the gates through the
levee at Sixth and Sixteenth streets have
been opened, and the city relieved before
great damage was done.
Two years or more ago the properly
owners south of the city obtained from
the Superior Court Of this county
permanent injunction for the purpose
of preventing the city from opening
ehese gates. During the past winter,
in the month of February, when the
water came up so high south Of r street
that all that part of the city was inun-
dated and our pumping plant was sub
merged, the officers of the city prevailed
upon the property owners south OF the
city to let them open these gates, for
which privilege the city agreed to, and
did pay them, $3.50 for each day they
remained open, and also agreed that the
city would make some other arrange
ment to dispose Of this water before
another winter.
Whether or not it is right or just that
these gates should be closed is not
question for US to consider at this time.
The city fought this matter in the courts
and lost the case, and now the property
owners south of the city insist that
these gates remain closed hereafter. AT
the time we got permission to open these
gates in February last the water within
the levees was so much higher than it
was south of the city that 1t rushed
through the gates with great rapidity,
and within twenty-four hours we had
relieved the city so that our pump could
again be operated, and since then we
Y, rr$ haa oh n q q n
gates opened.
Our present system of sewers is much
better than is generally supposed; it
conducts the water rapidly to Sixth and
S streets If our present pumping plant
had the capacity to remove the water
so that the outlet would be free, there
would now be but little cause for COM
plant from any part Of the city.
The present pump is situated at
AEighth and streets, and discharges
through a twenty-inch pipe some 5000
feet into the river. This pump can re-
move from 100000 to 100000 gallons
per day. During the summer months
It can keep the sewers free, but when
the winter rains come 1t cannot remove
the flood waters fast enough. One inch
OF rainfall over the four square miles
Of our city means S0,0O0,0O0 gallons of
water, about one-half of which passes
into our sewers. After several weeks
Of wet weather, which we have every
winter. when the ground has absorbed
about all it can hold and our sewers
have filed the lake and covered the low
lands south of r street, then, If a rain
fall of three inches should come within
a few days, the city would be flooded,
our pump would be submerged, not a
gallon Of water could be removed until
the water flowed over the top OF the
levees, and every part OF our city which
IS not filed up to the high grade would
be under water. The damage would be
hard to calculate, not only to property,
but TO the reputation Of our city. This
city has not been flooded since 1862;
but, unless we could open the gates
which let the waters out through the