The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-25
WILL HAVE HOUSE DRAINAGE.
COUNCIL WILL ACT ON THE MATTER
THIS MORNING.

/ u
tainty That Decisive steps viii BE
Taken-COI. Warning TO submit Two
Plans as to the OutIet-The Major
ity, Apparently, In Favor of the
River-Dr. LeIardy Strongly Op-
posed to This, However.
There's many slip 'twixt the cup and
| the lip" says the old saw, but Savannah
appears to have the best prospect she has
| ever had of securing modern system of
house drainage.
Mayor Meldrim and the members of the
council have gone about the matter In
very practical way. The best authority
! has been consulted as to the system. A
feasible plan by which the city may dis
| charge the cost without inconvenience has
been arrived at and it only awaits for
council to take the necessary steps. A
| meeting of that body has been called to-
| day at II O'Clock for this purpose and the
| probabilities are that plan will be adopt
ed and bids for the contract ordered ad-
vertised for.
After spending the day In company with
Messrs. Wylly and Davis of the alder
Col. George E. Warning met with the
mayor and drainage committee Of council
last night at the mayors office. The con-
ference was private and lasted in the
neighborhood of two hours. At its close
Mayor Meldrim Informed Morning News
| reporter that he believed a satisfactory
understanding had been arrived at, and
.laI
call a meeting of council to-day at II
o'clock for the purpose Of taking the nee
essary steps to give the city system of
house drainage.
There is no reason why We should de-
lay further in this matter" said Mayor
Meldrim. The importance of modern
system of house drainage is recognized
by everyone who has given the subject
any consideration, as The city's chief need
from a sanitary standpoint. The subject
has been discussed at great length in
times past, and the different views as to
the details are well understood We have
secured the best advice obtainable on the
subject, and having done so, | see no
reason why we should not abide by it,.
The time is a propitous one. The subject
of health is uppermost in the minds of
the people. A way mas been offered by
which the whole system can be construct
ed without delay, and payments made
during a series of years, so that the city
will not be straitened in its finances in
making the payments, The policy which
governs the actions of this council. is to
consider the matter in hand carefully and
then act promptly, and il is my desire that
we pursue this course in this important
matter"
The question of outlet, Mayor Meldrim
stated, has not been definitely determined
as yet, though the majority of the coun-
cilmen evidently coincide with Col. War
ing's view that the objections 10 the use
of the river are sentimental merely, and
should not weigh In a practical matter
like this This is the view held by the
mayor.
I'VE have a broad river flowing past our
DOORS" said Mayor Meldrim. which
| seems almost to have been placed there
by providence for this very purpose 1t
is a deep, swift stream with volume of
ever so many million gallons an hour,
capable of removing the sewage of a city
many times the size Of Savannah. II is
extremely problematical that we shall ever
resort to it again for our water supply,
and / see no reason why we should not
make use of it for the purpose in view"
On account of the difference in opinion
on this subject, however Mayor Meldrm
stated that Col. Warning would submit an
alternative plan to council one plan based
upon the use of the river and the other
substituting Timber Landing creek as the
outlet The two plans will be laid before
the board for consideration.
THAT council will adopt a plan and d.
rect that the meet ssary steps be taken to
carry out the work have no doubt" said
Mayor Meldrim. Col Waring will then
be directed to prepare details and specid-
cations and bids based upon these will be
advertised for. Col Waring will, of
course, give a general supervision of the
work"
I OK f-
posed to the use of the river as an out
let for the sewage, and to a Morning
News reported yesterday he expressed his
intention of opposing this plan in every
way in his power
Il shall oppose this step with all my
might" said he, land I will stir up the
people of Savannah to rise up in opposi-
ton against 1t. In the plan which Col.
Warng submitted several years ago, in
which he recommended Timber LANDING
creek as an outlet, he gave strong rea-
sons why the Savannah river should be
used for this purpose. l shall look these
up and bring them to bear in this mat
| ter"
Besides the members of the drainage
committee, Col. Waring was accompanied
in his tour yesterday by Col. w. j. VIM,
city engineer, Mr.. Paul LeHardy who
! has been at work upon similar plans, Supt
| w, H. Chaplin of the county work, and
others. Maps of the county were secured,
and 4 drive was taken over the timber
! Landing creek route Bilbo canal and its
exit were also visited, and in the afternoon
| the party went several miles down the
river on the city tug Theckla.
Some of those opposed TO the use of the
! river for the disposal of the sewage, are
| inclined to compromise on making the
outlet several miles down the river. Fort
! Jackson has been suggested as conve-
! nient point One of the plans for this
work prepared by City Engineer VIM,
| provided for an outlet three or four miles
| down the river. Those favoring the use
OF the river. however, say that any objec-
! tons to such use will apply equally wheth-
er the sewage is emptied in front of the
| city or three or four miles further down,
the distance being too short to make any
material difference.