The San Francisco call., 1897-01-27
The Improvement Is Very Ne.
cessary, but the Method
Is Questioned.
Several Citizens Believe That tn
Supervisors Are Beginning at
the Wrong End.

The resolution passed by the Board of
Supervisors on Monday looking to the
bonding of the City in order to raise funds
for The creation of a modern sewer system
was the subject of much comment yester-
day among people conversant with large
engineering undertakings. The resolution
was that the Supervisors ask the Legisla-
ture to pass an act to submit to the taxpay-
ers proposition to issue per cent bonds
to run forty years.
In addition to the plan to complete a
sewer system compatible with the City's
growth and needs the Supervisors put on
rider by adding, "and to clear itself
(San Francisco) of a just Indebtedness
which was contracted in the legitimate
pursuit of it's business" This last clause
may provoke some opposition, for num-
ber of the business men of this City be-
lieve that this just Indebtedness may be
provided for in other ways than by bond
ing
Whatever may be the result of the reso-
luton it is safe to say that it will be at
least half dozen years and maybe more
before San Francisco has a complete or
even a partly com pleted sewer system.
G. Ev aid Grunsky, the civil engineer. is
probabl one OF the most enlightened men
on the sewer system of this City, for he
has made an official examination of the
entire matter, and his report to the Board
Of Supervisors is in the municipal reports
of 1898 "a
In 1892 the Supervisors created a COM
mission of three to investigate the sewer
system of this City. The Commissioners
were Colonel George II. Mendel, Professor
George Davidson and Irving M. Scott.
They selected as active engineers G. E.
Grunsky and Marsden Manson.
The two labored hard and found the
task even greater than they had antici-
pated. To their surprise they found tha
the City had practically no records of it's
sewer system as 10 the size thereof, grades,
how constructed or of the existence of
sewers in some streets at all.
In consequence the engineers were
obliged to go over the entire City to obtain
the necessary data. To say that they found
the system, If such it can be called in a
wretched condition, would be putting it too
mildly.
Speaking OF the matter OF bonding the
City, Mr.. Grunsky said: s'The City can
not issue bonds without knowing the cost
or plans based upon definite project, and
this project shoud be evolved by compe-
tent engineers. Before even thinking OF
have at least two years to form plan for
system, and the engineers would require
at least $40, 900 to perform their work prop
erly.'
Julian Sonntag, president of the Manu-
facturers' and Producers Association. is
an enthusiastic advocate of the bonding
proposition. for he said: II believe that it
is just and l would hail such an act with
great satisfaction. With proper sewer
age system l am sure that the mortality
of this City would be decreased by Is per
cent. During the past few months the
death rate from diphtheria and kindred
diseases that arise from impurities such
such as this City is subject to has been 81
in 1000. Think of it. That this City is
sadly in need of a perfect modern sewer
system goes without saying. There would
be no trouble in bonding the City: that is
the public would not object to such a
course if it was known that the work
would be done without the usual jobbery
Nearly all the opposition that comes from
the people is caused by the fear that for
every dollars worth of work actually per-