The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-01

DEHlnA&es
Editor Morning News: Your article on
this subject in a recent issue is exactly
to the point. 1t is unfortunate that most
municipal work is banded similar to the
way this drainage contract has turned
cut; but il Is very natural that it is So
and will continue TO be so. What do the
men. who are generally called 10 fill the
political position of councimen know CT
the cost or manner of laying a system
of sewers for the city of Savannah? When
work of this kind is contemplated. by the
United States government, the method and
cost of accomplishing it is placed in the
hands of men well learned in that particu-
lar branch, and on them the responsibility
rests. lis true in this particular case.
Messrs. Waring & Co, celebrated cngin-
GERS, We're employed TO submit plans and
Specifications for the work. Bids were in
Vited, and to the lowest bidder the jOD
was voted by Council. Messrs. Warning IL
Co. agreeing TO supervise the work for a
certain per cent. If the lawyers, mechan-
les, doctors grocers, bankers, etc, maxi
ing up the present Council had known any
thing about this work il never would have
been let 70 such an irresponsible and ig
norant bidder. No responsible and intel4i-
gent contractor would have made such a
low bid; but the answer is he gave bond to
the amount of $4,000. What does $4,000
amount to when a system of sewers cost
ing $500 GOO is 10 be constructed The ciu-
zens, / fear, do not realize what this work
means to them. In the first place il
means $4,000 a year for four years. It
means a healthy town or a very unhealthy
one. II means that one cold mother must
have a good circulating system and keep
healthy or a defective system, constantly
giving trouble and become sickly. And
when once done it can't be changed, sure
ly not In one generation. Again, while no
one doubts the ability of Wariug az Co.
is it not rather risky to turn over 20
them the whole city to do with as they
please. in laying these sewers and pipes
for house drainage.
The city has now quite net work OF
sewers, very well adapted to the care Of
storm water. These sewers are very inn
portant-they cost a big pile of money, and
without them our city would be water
soaked. Gas pipes, water pipes and house
drains, connecting TO the present storm
water sewers-aH these are important
and should not be injured in the laying
Of the proposed house drains, and yet, the
civ has no one to look TO her interest
in this matter.
If the contractor, In laying his house
drains, comes In contact with one of the
present large sewers care should be taken
not 10 injure il; but to intellisently and
carefully devise a method of going through
st. above II or below II, and not as ] saw
them with a heavy crowbar pounding a
hole in the East Broad street sewer at
Perry lane and when it did not fit pound
it larger and having the debris-bats,
lime, etc-to drop below in the sewer. In
their zeal and haste 10 lay the drain
pipe all consideration for the-to them
obstacle was lost sight of-anything to get
rio Of it, and push their work along. And
thus the large brick sewer was perma-
nently injured and the efficiency of what
was left greatly reduced. In fact, the i'm
Dortance to the city of these large sewers
and other pipes may not be understood by
the house drainage people. They are ali
simply obstacles in my way of laying
pipes etc, under my contract Is 1t wise
policv 90 nay the engineer in charge Of
this work a per cent. on what is done?
Their compensation depends on the guam
uty of work done. II Is as much the in
terest of the engineer to hasten the work
az it is the contractors. Not how good
but how much, his pay depends. No one
supposes Warning would pass piece OF
bad work, but there are many more con-
nected with this construction, and they
are all mortal
Much better pay the engineer to see how
well ID Is done even If IL costs a little |
more What is a thousand or two paid |
10 have work properly done2 Let the con-
tractor do the hustling and the engineer
see 10 the terms of the specifications being /
strictly complied with
Heaven knows / am not writing this in |
a spirit OF fault-nnding, but being we'll |
acquainted with the present imperfect sys- /,
fem OF sewers. / 90 so feel the necessity /
70 our city that this new system be con
structed IN every particular 10 give entire |
satisfaction Edw. J. Thomas. !