The morning news., 1898-12-17
THINKS THEIR EYES OPENED.
UNGINEER THOMAS SAYS DRAIN
AGE INVESTIGATION DID GOOD.

AGE INV ESIlGATtON DID GOOD.
While Not at the Final Meeting. He
Makes Some Pointed observations
on the Reconsideration Was Prob
ably SO Drawn That Council Could
Not Have Reached Any Other Con-
cIusion Than to Dismiss It-Pro-
asress of the Work Now Under Way
and the Method of Doing II.
The settlement of the house drainage
charges, though in the way expected to
some. will not have much effect on the
work. All of the testimony, which en-
braces a discussion of various features of
the work, has been recorded, it will prob
ably be soon consigned to the city's arch
ives, and there remain unheard Of
Engineer Thomas was unable to attend
Thursday nights meeting, but when seen
Yesterday in regard to the action Council
had taken, stated he thought the investiga
ton had at least resulted in causing some
of the aldermen to open their eyes to the
fact there is something rotten in Den
mark"
ing" Mr. Thomas explained, u found a
note awaiting me from Clerk of Council
Bailey, dated Dec. Is, and requesting my
presence at the meeting. 1 had left my Of
hce previous to the time the notice was
sert there, however, and had no idea there
fore that my presence was desired. It re-
minded me of the man-in-the-moon who
came to this earth and made engagements
for yesterday. But what difference does it
make? Council has heard enough to know
there is something rotten in Denmark, and
everybody may be assured the efforts Of
the local engineers an behalf of the city,
have opened the eyes of those of CouncH,
who want the city to get good results for
the amount expended"
The fact that the original petition did
not ask for the action it is understood the
engineers desired taken, left the investi-
cation to end in a random way. About
the only prayer was that inspectors be ap-
pointed, and that the petitioners services
be engaged for that purpose. AS the city
is not desirous of breaking into the ar
rangements at this time, and as the pc
titoners could not be given positions un-
less somebody is removed, there was ap-
parently nothing to do but set the petl-
ton aside. All along the position has
been taken by some that the investigation
would result in enabling the city to carry
on the work so as not to again meet with
such construction as might be shown 10
he faulty. AS the matter was not heard
in way calculated to give Council very
accurate idea of just what faulty work
had been done, since the board was cur
tailed in its time, it would doubtless have
required as much time as the investigation
consumed to have reached a conclusion
about what part of the work to condemn.
All of the board considered the charges
were not we'll taken with the exception of
Aldermen Thomas and Johnson, who vot-
ed against the resolution to dismiss them
While this slight diversion from the
work has been in progress some time, Ftill
the construction has been pushed steadily
on. Work has been under way several
Gays on the West Broad street outlet,
while on the other side of town, three
gangs have been laying eight-inch lateral
mains in Bay, York and Broughton lanes,
from Randolph 10 DraytOn streets. As
has been stated in the Morning News.
the lateralS from Bull street, east, have
been laid just beyond Drayton street. This
was done before the asphalt paving was
laid the object being not to have the
street to dig up when it was desired to
continue the pipes.
Besides the bosses who have direct
charge of the laborers, there is an inspec-
tor with each gang. whose duty il is to
see that the pipe is properly laid, and the
joints cemented as required. A line corre-
spending to the bearing and direction Of
the sewer is first extended over the top
Of the ditch which is the guide the in
spector goes by. A plum is lowered from
this line to the bottom of the ditch, where
there is a laborer to see that the center of
the pipe is directly under il. This done
the inspector lowers a pole so many feet
from the line and by this means the la
bOrer lowers or raises the joint of pipe
10 its proper elevation. After the pipe Is
down the joints are then cemented. In
this the inspector follows the men again,
to see that the work has been done in the
proper manner. When il is approved, the
gang of filters follow, shoveling all earth
back into the place from which it was
taken, and pounding it with huge blocks
so the surface will be solid and substan-
tial.
At the outlets it was decided to use
cofferdams, and that at West Broad street
has already been constructed. on account
of a slight mishap to parts of the pump
ing machinery, the water has not been
removed from it, but this can be done by
the time the contractors are ready TO pro-
ceed with this part Of the work.