The record-union., 1897-09-07
sACRAMENTo's PRESSING NEEDS.

This growing, thriving city has wants
that become more pressing with the
passage of each season. First and fore
most we place the necessity for a COM
plete sanitary sewer system, under
which we may abandon, clean out and
I'LL up the seven thousand cesspools
and filth pits that are poisoning day
by day. more and more the porous
earth, above which we have our homes.
Abreast with this essential, scarcely
second in Importance to it, is the ne
cessity for a clear, pure-water system
for domestic uses. Next in order is
the need for new High School build
ing, the inadequacy of the present
structure being a matter of common
confession. This school is the poor
mans college, as well as the oppor-
tunity of the children of the well-to-do.
1t has grown far beyond its present ac-
CONNIE dations, and the need for a prop
er building for its accommodation can
not longer be put aside without serious
detriment to the institution.
We need a building for the city offices
and courts, the City Prison and the Re
ceiving Hospital For the offices the
city now pays monthly rental, a bad
thins Cor municipality under the best
conditions; for the prison and Receiv-
ing Hospital we have that which is a
disgrace to any civilized community, a
building in which the foremost sani-
tary laws are defied and violated. a
shamblng, announcement, ill-located and
wholly unfit structure, that has year
after year been condemned by the
county Grand Juries, daily cursed by
officers who have to occupy it, and in
which confinement of any human be-
ing is an outrage upon humanity
In addition to these municipal wants
Sacramento needs attention to her resi-
dence streets. There is no provision
whatever for their cleaning. Twice a
year the more offensive debris is dug
OFF under a system at once outrageously
uneconomic and disgracefully ancient.
For the remainder of the twelve months
whatever falls in them lies in the
streets, which are largely used as dump
heaps by citizens who make them the
repositories for garden cuttings and
rubbish heaps, and with never a prose-
cution for this fragrant violation of the
laws Of common decency and the mu-
nicipal ordinances.
The greater part of our graveled
streets should be stripped Of stone we'll
down and dressed with best macadam
road metal, since we may not speedily
construct macadam streets throughout
But 1t is of course well understood
that not all these beneficences are pos
sible to Sacramento at once. The re-
forms indicated must come about by
degrees, and as the community is able
to bear the cost. But the sewer system
and clear water may be introduced with
reasonable celebrity. 1t is possible to
have 10th within a comparatively short
time. and to that end the people would
be justified in pledging the credit of the
city for a term of years. and thus dis
tributing the burdens along the line of
those who are to be benefciaries, since
whatever we build is not for the pres
ent alone, but for future generations as
well.
1t has been suggested that steps should
be taken to set up q, costly municipal
lighting plant. but this is unthinkable.
even IL, for sake of the argument. it is
conceded that it would be a practical
economy, while our greater needs re-
main unsatisfied. The Trustees have
already signified their intention to sub
nit to the people proposition for COM
pletion and betterment of the sewer
system. that they may decide by vote
whether they will attain the end desired
by taxation during limited term or
by bond issue.
AS to what the proposed system is TO
be, its full extent and what it is sug-
gested shall be accomplished, we are
not now advised Assuming, however.
that the plans to be drawn viii accord
with the Judgment of those competent
to lay out drainage and sewer sys-
tenn and devise its details, the PROPOSE