The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-20
WITHDRAWS HIS OBJECTIONS.
DIR. LIE HARDY GIVES IN To THE
RIVER OUTLET FOR SEWAGE.

On Certain Assurances and COndI-
lions. HOwever-If the River
should Become Offensive He Will
seek an Injunction 10 Compel the
City 10 Carry the Sewage EIse-
Wherein. r.. ID. Guerard Address
es a Letter TO Council Directing to
the WarIng Plan of House Drain
age-WHl Cost Him $4,000, He
Says-Mayor MeIdrim Discusses the
Three Plans by Which Council CAM
Defrny the Expense of the System.
Health Officer IAHardy has announced
that he will not seek an injunction against
the city 10 prevent the house drainage
being empticd into the river. should the
council decide upon such a plan, as will
very likely be the case.
DR.. LeHardy said yesterday that he is
Just as much opposed as ever 10 empty
ing the sewage into the river. but being
exceedingly anxious to see Savannah pro-
vided with a system Of house drainage,
he is willing to make some concessions,
and has, therefore, withdrawn his oppo.
sition to the plan stated, conditionally.
Although 1 am opposed to the use Of
the river for this purpose" said DR.. Lee
Hardy, Il have decided to withdraw my
opposition on the assurance that the sys-
ten viii be so constructed that should
the river ever become offensive as the
result of the sewage being emptied into
It, means can promptly be provided for
carrying it to some other point. The adj
vocates Of The use Of the river contend
that the sewage will not have this effect
trust that they are right. Should at
any time the river become offensive as
the result OF emptying the sewage into
It, l put every one concerned on notice
now that / will bring an injunction against
the city to compel il to carry the sewage
elsewhere. Should 1t ever become neces-
Gary to resort 10 the river for the city's
water supply, the necessity for carrying
the sewage elsewhere will at once become
apparent
Mr.. R. D. Guerard is the latest objector
TO the plan Of house drainage adopted by
the city In letter which Mr.. Guerard
has addressed to the mayor and aldermen
and which viii be presented 10 council to-
night, Mr.. Guerard says that he favors
house drainage, but objects TO the manner
in which the city proposes to go about il.
One Of his objections is that it will cost
him $1,000. Mr.. Guerard owns more houses
in Savannah than any other property own
or here, and estimating the cost of con-
nection with the new system at $50 per
house, he figures the expense to him at
the figure stated. Mr.. Guerard objects TO
the Waring system on a number of
grounds. In the first place he thinks the
system should be constructed in sections
from year to year, and that the work
should be done by the city engineering
force. He objects to the issuance of may
or's notes TO pay for Che work and thinks
the cost should be paid from the budget
as the work is done each year He in
weighs against the policy of the city gov
eminent the successive city councils he
declares destroying the value of his prop
erty by the burdens which are continually
being put upon II in the way of assess
ments and expenditures for all sorts of
improvements. Connection with the sys-
tenn will necessitate the placing Of water
closets in all small houses, he says, with
the result that the use of water for sani-
tary purposes will be so largely Increased
that 1t will be necessary to enlarge the
plant at the water works. Closets, he
declares, are unsuited to negroes and igno-
rant people. He predicts that the closets
will be constantly choked up, entailing
heavy plumbers bills upon the property
owners
Mayor Meldrlm when spoken to on the
subject said that the situation is simply
ti4lS' II mas Dcen generally agreed Unat
house drainage system is a necessity.
1t has been determined to supply that ne
cessity The next question is how shall
the expense be borne. We might pay for
II all In one year by increasing the tax
rate, say one-half OF one per cent, thus
securing about $175, 900. Perhaps the OBJ
jecting property owners would prefer this
plan. Or we might proceed under the act
of 1884 and assess the cost of the work
against the abutting property owners. The
result of this would be that cheap prop
erty would pay equally as much and per-
haps more than valuable property, the
assessment being according TO frontage.
This would undoubtedly be hardship on
many property owners. The only plan left
to us is that favored by council of having
the work done at once under competent
supervision and at the lowest possible cost.
paying for 1t on deferred payments at
low rate of interest. This does away
| with the necessity of an increased tax
rate or the assessing of the cost against
the abutting property owners. The bur
den is to be borne by all property and is
TO be distributed so as TO be as light as
! possible"
MY observation and experience" said
| Mayor Meldrim, ''is that property in
creases In value as public improvements
| are added. and I am satisfied that this
| will be the result of the construction of
| the house drainage system as has been
the case In all other public improve
| ments."