San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-09-17
Gin Topics
THE SEWER DELAY.

Hundreds of property owners are
DESTROYS TO make house connections
with the sewers, but are prevented be-
cause the city has an unable to set
tie the matter of final acceptance of
the work from the outfall sewer con-
tractors. Mayor Callaghan, backed
by the council has made an effort
10 compel the contractors to deliver
to the city perfect piece of work
according to the specifications. 1t
was found on a careful iuspoo.ien
several thousand feet of the outfall
sewer, was seriously cracked, that
the work had been imperfectly done;
when this was ascertained the mayor
took the ground that the imperfect
work should be condemned and the
contractors held to their contract. The
contractors at first, took the ground
that their work had been finally re-
ceived by the Elmendorf administra-
ton, and that they were repairing the
defects as they had agreed to do.
Mayor Callaghan still held to his posi-
ton and that the bond of the contrac-
tors was good and that the sewer
should be rebuilt. A further discus
sion between the sewer committee and
contractors developed a proposition
from the contractors to put iron bands
about the defective sewer to hold it
together. This would seem to be a
complete acknowledgement on the
part of the contractors that their job
was a bad one; in fact they admit 1t
but throw themselves behind the Ell
mendorf administration, claiming that
the trouble arises from the brick they
were forced to use. The sewer COM
mittee try to reach a solution of this
controversy as soon as possible, as the
use of the sewers is imperatively de-
manded. The sewer farm scheme has
been regarded by well Informed per-
sons as an entirely unnecessary ex-
pertinent as the river furnished nat
ural channel for the escape OF the sew
age. The advocates of the sewer farm
cOntended that the emptying OF the
sewers in the river would endanger
the health of the town and make the
water unfit for use below the city.
As to endangering the city, the sew
erage would pass beyond the reach OF
the city in an innoxious condition. A
channel that has been cut down to
solid foundation and that has fall
of 600 feet in a run of less than 40
miles could not be stopped up. 1t was
contended that the water in the river
was not sufficient to carry on the
sewage: if there was not a drop of
water in the river channel the sewage
would be carried away by its own
flow. otherwise how does the city
expect to maintain an irrigable farm
from the sewer water. The water be-
low the city is not used for domestic
purposes, and only for irrigation the
flow of the sewers would help the irri-
eating bitches. AS to the waters being
befouled, the present use OF the river
and bitches in the city is the foulest
character of sewer use 1t is possible
to suggest. The river will be made
comparatively pure by the use OF the
sewers, and it is a well known fact
that swift flowing stream OF water
cleanses itself. The sewer farm will
prove an elephant on the hands OF
the city. II the mayor and committee
cannot come to conclusion to accept
the defective work, they should open
the sewers on the river and let the
people use them. II would be dem
onstration of the contention at least
and would prove whether the river
would become a greater nuisance than
it is at present.