The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-28
THE WEARING PLAN.
An Article In Answer to "Critic" in
Morning News of sept. 20.

An Article In Answer to "CFitic" In
Morning News of sept. ~.
Editor Morning News: Yes, council act
ed quickly in adopting Col. Warnings plans
for a sewerage system,and it is hoped they
will act quickly in everything else that
remains to be done to the end that prop
er system of sewerage shall be in opera
ton in Savannah by the end of next year.
Yes, the matter has been pretty well in
vestigated. Engineers Warning and Herring
were here years ago, and they pretty
thoroughly examined the city and Its sur
roundings, and then submitted their plans
for the consideration and approval Of
council; then your city engineer was In
structed to submit plans. All these plans,
prohles, estimates and reports have exist
ed for years; have been accessible to all
who might wish to examine them, so that
in making a selection the committee on
drainage has doubtless taken these plans
into consideration.
Whether there are any engineers mere
about who could plan and direct the con-
struction of an efficient system of sewers
was not so much to be considered at the
present time as whether some one could
be found at once who was able and ready
to do the work without any delay com
plete it with all possible dispatch and then
allow the city almost its own time where
in to pay for it. Council acted quickly
when such man was presented to them;
this was Mr.. Tate, who has done much
work under the direction of Col. Warning,
and whom Col. Waring strongly recon-
mended.
one reason why council adopted the
Warning system is that it is cheaper than
the others.
"Our city engineering force" is some
what of an unfortunate remark, Mr.. Critic;
Savannah has enough population, size and
enough public work going on all the time
to warrant her In maintaining city engin-
eerng force; but Critic must be informed
that a city engineer, one assistant ana one
draughtsman do not by any means consu-
tute an adequate city engineering force Tor
a city like Savannah, You ask what they
are pair for. Well they are paid-little
enough. perhaps-for what they do. They
do. considering their abilities and oppor-
tunities about as well as they can; they
are and have been, much oVerworked ana
could not undertake either the designing
of a sewerage system, nor superintend It's
construction without having to abandon
every other work they are called upon to
do.
need of a clean efficient system of sew
ers; that such a work should be begun at
once and pushed as rapidly as possible to
an early completion. Were it not that 1t
was deemed advisable by those having
these matters in charge, to submit the pro-
posed plans to the consideration of bid
ders work might have been commenced
before Nov. /. Critic" seems to imply
that council purposeiy limits the time in
order to cut out competition and throw
the work into the hands of Mr.. Tate, but
council is actuated by a unanimous desire
to see the work started at the earliest pos
sible date.
1t is a pity that Critic" is not a true
civil engineer, else he would least of all
criticize the engineering charges submit
ted by Col. Waring. If these charges APP
pear very "steep" is is only an evidence
that the colonel does not fail to place a
proper estimate upon the value of civil
engineers services. p. LeH.