The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-10
VIEWING DRAINAGE PLANS.
coVTRACTORs PREPARING TO SUB
NIT THEIR BIDS.

Council Yet to Make Its Selection BE-
tween the Two PIans-Bids to Be
In Monday at Noon and VIII BE
submitted to Council Wednesday,
WICHITA Choice Between the Two
mans VIII Then BE Made - The
wilmington River Plan More COST
Il, Both to Construct and to Main
.otn-The Chairman of the Drain
are committee Requests the Views
of PHYSICIANS as to the Disposal of
the Sewage.
The engineers in charge of the house
drainage plans are now resting upon their
oars so to speak. Mr.. Farquhar has re-
turned to New York, and the office is now
an charge of Messrs. Chapman and Clarke.
They devote most of their time to ex-
planning details of the plans to contract
ors who are considering bidding on the
work.
In all, about twenty-five contractors
have so far applied for plans and infor-
NATION The probability is, however, that
this number will be greatly increased dur
ing the next few days. The plans are
comparatively simple, considering the
amount of work there is to be done, and
with the specifications which have been
prepared, contractors familiar with this
class of work can make up their bids in
few hours, or within a day or two at
most The engineers think it likely that
a number of contractors, who have de-
layed the matter up to this time, will make
their appearance this week.
The bids are to be submitted to the
drainage committee by noon of Nov Is,
and the committee will submit the bids
to council at its regular meeting Wednes-
day night, Nov. IT, The question will then
come before council as to which plan it
will adopt that for disposing of the sew
age in the river Immediately in front of
the city, or that for carrying it to the
Wilmington river. Bids are to be submit
ted on both plans.
At present the majority of the council
appears to favor the Savannah river plan
as the simplest and cheapest. There are
objections to both plans and there may
be considerable discussion before the mat
ter is decided. The sanitarians do not
view with favor the proposition to empty
the sewage Immediately in front of the
city On the other hand, the property
owners at Thunderbolt and elsewhere
along Wilmington river have decided OBJ
Jections to the emptying of the sewage
into that stream, and have given notice
that they will take legal steps to prevent
it,
OF the two plans, that for emptying the
sewage into the Savannah river is much
the simpler and cheaper. 1t provides for
two outlets, one at the foot of Farm street,
providing for the greater portion of the
western section and the other at the foot
of Randolph street, providing for all the
remaining territory. This plan has al
ready been outlined in the Morning News
The Wilmington river plan is much the
same as that for the Savannah river ex-
cept that 1t provides for the collection of
all sewage at a point near the terminus of
the present Bolton street sewer, and the
establishment of pumping station there,
from which the sewage would be pumped
. the greater part of the dis
lance to Wilmington river, the
incline being too slight to per-
init of its being carried the whole dis
lance by gravity. This is one of the OBJ
5ectionable features of the Wilmington
river plan. The pumping station will be
a constant source of expense, amounting
TO $1,000 to 5000 annually, besides the first
cost of about $4,000 more than the other
plan for the construction of the outlet
sewer to Wilmington river, a distance of
about three miles, or to be exact, IL, $50 feet
The greater cost of the Wilmington riv-
er plan will naturally predispose the al
dermen to the cheaper plan to say nothing
OF the objections of the Wilmington river
property holders which might require
long fight in the courts to overcome. The
sanitarians may possibly bring such argu-
ments to bear upon council, however as
10 force compromise by carrying the
sewage further down the river Alderman
Wylly, chairman of the drainage commit
tee, has addressed a circular letter to all
the physicians of the city, requesting their
opinions upon the question of outlet and
the disposal of the sewage. Judging from
the statements of those physicians who
were seen yesterday the letter will be gen.
orally replied to. Copies of the letter were
also addressed to leading physicians in
other cities. A summary of the replies will
give a consensus of medical opinion upon
the subject which will doubtless have its
weight with council
DR.. r. B. Harris, who was for several
years, chairman of the health and Gene
terry committee of council, in speaking of
this question yesterday, said: 1.-THE Savan-
nah river is our most practicable outlet for
the disposal of the sewage. l am decidedly
opposed, however, to dumping the sewage
Immediately in front of the city. 1t Will
take years to tell the effects. Probably the
hrst results would be an Improvement in
the health of the city. AS years pass on,
however, and the sewage accumulates in
the river, there may be a different tale to
would be carried away by the current,
there would be a constant and increasing
deposit at the bottom of the river which
VIII be continually rising to the surface
IN small particles. The river
will become polluted to a certain extent
and the rising and falling of the tides will
gradually form a deposit on the banks,
both in front of the city and for miles
below, which in time would become
great source of danger to public health.
My experience and observation have sat
lsfed me that yellow fever is a port dis
ease. 1t follows the lines of ocean travel
and the water courses. 1t rarely attacks
an inland city, except those situated up
on navigable streams Naturally it favors
those cities where unsanitary conditions
invite it. On this account the conditions
OF the harbors of the ports is especially
important in order not to afford a foot
ing TO the disease. On this account it be-
hooves us to guard the condition of the
port with especial care. If the sewage
can be carried as far down the river as
Fort Jackson l believe the greatest OBJ
1ections to the river outlet would be re-
moved. 1t would be emptled into deep
water there, and but little if any would