Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-07
Sewage Disposal.

The Board OF Trade last evening vigorous
1y renewed its Endorsement of bond issue
to equip the city with an adequate system
OF sewage disposal a project in which the
Board has been for several years deeply
interested. 1t is to the ultimate interest of
every citizen, and especially every prop
erty owner. in the District that all efforts
should be directed to secure the passage
of the proposed legislation. The PROPOSE
ton to bond the District, with the United
States sharing the burden equally in order
to carry out the wise and comprehensive
plans of the sanitary engineers, appeals
to the business sense of every person who
thoroughly understands it,
The District is now being permitted by
Congress to go ahead slowly with certain
trunk sewer constructions. The work is be-
Ing done in accordance with the plans of the
commission that surveyed the subject sew
eral years ago, and to that extent it is
available for use In the general scheme of
sewage collection and disposal when the
entire project shall have been completed.
But the disposal system can not be Of value
10 the community until it is entirely finish
eu. Inc project is to collect all the sew
age OF the city into series of gradually
conversing trunk sewers. and finally to
'ASPO-' VI II ny TlNtT-eH1pty1nR at a point
about three miles down stream.
Thus it is to be seen that until all these
trunk lines are completed and the down.
river conduit is connected and in operation
there will be no material benefit to the city
from the piece-meal work that is now be-
ing done. 1t is estimated that this work
VIII occupy many years at the present rate
OF progress. some authorities believing that
~ VIII not be done
90 not anticipate conclusion before 1910
1t is further stated that the general sew
age disposal plan. if carried into effect at
once, would provide adequately for the
citys needs for about half century. so
that In the light Of these estimates ii an
pears reasonably certain that the piece-meaI
plan OF construction will bring final re-
suits Just before the city will need an en-
iireiy new oatfit-that is to say. unless the
work Is attacked as a whole at once the
city will receive but minimum of benefit
from the Improvement costing many mil
lions.
This is the main reason why a bond is
sue is desirable. BY only such a means Is
Ii possible for the District to secure the
large sum necessary for the work. The
records are filled with cases that demon
strate that pieee-meal work is costly and
that it is undesirable to engage in any
comprehensive scheme without seeing th.
way clear to finish. Mechanical and en-
cheering reasons urgently present them
selves to argue against any more sinai,
appropriations in the stead of a single
financial operation that shall enable the
community to go ahead practically and Geo.
nomically to build its sewers and to OBJ
tain immediate benefit from them
OF course this project for the sewage
disposal system does not contemplate the
minor house connections that will be neces-
Gary to place the plant in full working or
Der. All necessary secondary pipes and
3ouse connections should be provided as
1ist as they are required, so that when the
9'st of the trunk sewers is completed the
entire system can be utilized and there will
no longer be the slightest excuse for the
existence of a single sewerless house in the
capital city. Only by such means can the
Districts health be preserved. Only thus
can the reproach of a high death rate from
typhoid fever be removed The sewer bond
bill Is a measure directed a the preserva.
ton of the public health and no substitute
that does not aim at its full requirements
and purposes will serve the same good end