The record-union., 1896-04-29
and commendable to that progressive
RED BLUFF.

RED BLUFF.
| An investigation was next made al
Red Bluff. This beautiful town is ad-
mirably situated for drainage. The
river at this point rushes madly by in a
| swirl that erodes the west bank into
| lofty escarpment of reddish clay, which
| gives the town it's name. An easy
grade carries all surface water to the
river by natural easement The sew
| age of about nine blocks is run into the
/, river by twelve-inch pipes. The re-
mainder of the city has no sewers.
| The quantity of sewage discharged
| into the river at this point is not suff1-
cient to injure the water taken for mu-
nicipal use below. The racing swift
ness Of the stream communities 1T, and
| long before it reaches any point where
water is taken for household uses the
| sewage has become oxidiZed and de-
stroyed. 1t is only when disease germs
such as typhoid fever and cholera
germs, pass through the sewers into
| the river that fears may rightfully be
entertained of contamination of the
river by Red Bluff sewage in its pres
| ent condition
CHICO.
It was next ascertained that Chico
has no system at all. Provision has
been made for easement of storm
water, but the need for an adequate
sewer system has not yet been brought
home to the people of Chico. The IA
cilities are ample. There is sufficient
grade to poor lands downstream
which could be fertilized to great
profit by the sewage of the town. Here
are all the evidences of an easy pros
perity. The water is lifted from wells
that have no surface contaminations
and the result is an absence of typhoid
fever. When Chico awakens to the
abolishment of her vile cesspools and
constructs a comprehensive system OF
sewers, she will treble her population
and double her money value. The soil
is rich and porous. Little effort is
needed to dispose of accumulations OF
years.
The soil becomes saturated in linn
tied areas. The cesspool or fecal odor
is prevalent. This is not only disagree
able, but is productive in region where
more or less malaria exists of various
disorders. Yet Chico is a comparatively
healthy town. This may be attributed
to a good water supply.
MARYSVILLE.
This historical city is most unfor-
tunately situated, being at the conf1u-
ence Of two streams each bearing tor
rents of sand and debris from the mines
situated eastward Her once rich
orchards are covered fathoms deep by
rolling sand dunes. Where once were
fertile soil, rich gardens and stately
fruit trees, are now seen the wild will
low struggling in the sand. 1t is a
scene that impresses one with a de-
pressing sense of destruction and desc
lation.
Yet, strange as it may appear, Marys-
vile is progressive city. She is the
only town north Of Sacramento which
has of late years increased in popula-
ton She is walled in by protecting
levees to guard against the mad rush
Of winter floods. Her streets are be-
low the high river beds. All Of her
storm water is pumped over her levees
Provision has been made for the col
lection Of storm water, but none for
sewage, except in one instance, and this
is available only during low water.
The abominable cesspool system is in
vogue, though an attempt to inaugu-
rate the dry-earth system has been
made. Yet the city is healthy. This is
explained by the fact that excellent
water is obtained in the heart Of the
city from deep wells. Here, as in all
cities obtaining water incapable OF
contamination at it's source, typhoid
fever is notably absent.
But the cesspool and fecal odor is
here. When the rains come the cess
pools are flooded, and the contents
f1oated to the surface of the ground and
under houses. The hot sun then comes
to dessicate and disinfect, but the
emanations are nevertheless a nuisance
that give rise to offensive effluvium.
Marysville has no great engineering
difficulties to overcome in order to ef-
fectually dispose of her sewage. A pit,
or several pits, should be sunk deep
enough to make a sufficient grade for
all the city sewage. The pit, or pits,
should be cemented to prevent seepage
All sewage proper should be conducted
to this point, when it should be pumped
into a pipe resting on a bridge across
| the old channel of the Yuba River
| flowing by gravity to the sands on the
| other side, where Chinese gardeners
would gladly utilize it on gardens