The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-22
MOBILES CHIEF EXECUTIVE.
MAYOR j. c. BUSH PAYS SAVANNAH
a VISIT.

Cordially Received by the City OIL
cials and a Grand Inspection of the
City's Public Works Made-IObile
Has Prepared to Spend $75O,OOO for
Water and Sewage Systems, and
Mayor Bush Is Seeking Informal
ton on These Subjects-He Was
Pleased With Savannah's Water
system, But Naturally Found Little
to Commend in the Sewage.
Mayor J. c. Bush of Mobile spent yes
terday in the city, an interested investiga-
tor of Savannah's water system, sewer
age, and other public works. Mr.. Bush is
commissioned by the council of Mobile to
visit several of the southern cities to
make a personal inspection of the water
and sewerage systems, and incidentally.
the pavements of the cities. He reached
here from Atlanta, where he was afforded
every facility for inspecting the works.
Atlanta was the second city visited, Birm-
ingham having been the first. With the
systems, as he inspected them, in both of
these cities he was very favorably Impress
ed. The greatest difficulty he found was
the enormous pressure necessary to force
the waters of the Chattahoochee to At
lanta and those of the Cahaba to Birm-
ingham, as each Of these places is far
above the level of the source from which
the water supply is secured, and at Birm-
ingham the aqueducts traverse two in
tervening mountains. The systems of
sewers he found to be of rather extended
mileage, and he regarded their construc-
ton and the results they give as admira-
bic.
Mayor Bush was introduced yesterday
to Mayor Meldrim, Aldermen Charlton,
Davis, Col VIM, the city engineer Pub
lie Works Commissioner Willink, Health
officer LeHardy, and his chief inspector,
Mr.. Melvin, and other city officers. Com
missioner Willink placed the records re-
lating to the water works and the sewers
before Mr.. Bush and rendered him valua-
BILE assistance in ascertaining the points
upon which he was DESTROYS of informa-
ton. After an examination of these rec
ords and reports, Mr. Willink drove Mr..
Bush in his buggy to the water works, the
crematory, the city stables, Bilbo canal
and other pubic works. Mr.. Bush was an
interested and critical observer of every
thing shown him. With some of the works
he was very much pleased while others
did not meet his ready commentator.
lie thinks Savannah has an admirable
water system, but believes that the sink
ing of the additional artesian wells, that
Will prove necessary as the city grows
will be an item of considerable expense.
The supply of water at Mobile comes from
springs seven or eight miles from the city
These n a batr
ply and the water is there pumped into
a reservoir The head of water i'm this ex-
erts such a pressure that the fire depart
ment of the city, Mr.. Bush says, does
not have to employ engines to secure
strong streams. Merely the connection
with the plugs is enough. A private cor
poration owns the water works, and the
city and property owners pay rent for the
water. This rent is very high, Mr.. Bush
says, and the company is inclined to be
dictatorial.
THE city" said Mr.. Bush, has $50 fire
plugs within its limits upon which we pay
an annual rental of $4,000. There should
be 500 of these. but that would cost us
$4,000 per annum This we could not
stand. Our citizens decided by a vote of
nearly five to one at an election
held on Aug. 2, to build their own water
works and sewerage systems. They voted
for the issue of $4,000 worth of bonds
sewers. This, l think, is perfectly ad-
equate and | believe that we can estab-
fish splendid works"
The sewers Of Savannah did not meet
with the same favor from Mr. Bush that
the water works won. Il find that you
have here only sixteen miles of sewerage, -
he said, while for il to be ample the
mileage should be nearly 100. Mobile has
no sanitary system of sewers. 1t has
been my purpose and desire to secure these
sewers for our city, and | am more than
pleased to see that success is in sight 1
want TO visit Charleston and Norfolk as
these cities, as well as Savannah, are
on the tide water, being in that respect.
though having much higher tides similar
to Mobile. our council particularly de-
sired to ascertain whether to run the sew
ers into the Mobile river would prove in.
furious. Savannah / find. does not
run her sewers into the river in Just the
way / think viii have TO be done at Mo
bile our people, some Of them seem TO
think that the tides would prevent the filth
from being carried away by the river cur
rent, but l do not see that this is the case
here, where tides much higher and strong
er than our Gulf tides, prevail"
Mr.. Bush finds that the natural position
of Savannah is superior to that of Mobile
for the building of a sewerage system, as
the fall is much better. Mobile is fiat and
it will be more troublesome to gain the
necessary fall. He expects 10 find the con-
ditions at Charleston and Norfolk more
nearly Identical with those at Mobile. Mr.
Bush has been at the head of municipal If
fairs at Mobile for five or six months. He
is impressed with the duties Of his position
and is very DESTROYS of having his admin
istration prove benefit TO the city. He is
a gentleman Of pleasing manner and ap-
pearance and wins friends wherever ne
goes lie leaves to-day for Charleston.
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Positions In Business.
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