The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-01-28
COMMON COUNCIL.
Common Council Room.
OwOssO, Mich., Jan. "a, 1898.

Following claims and accounts were presented
and referred to the committee on claims and ac-
counts.
From Contipgen, Fund-H E Riggs SOS 70.
Marshall Shoup 575. Mrs. M Goff, So j. s
Hunt %, Ira Curry 49, Times printing Co,
TO- Mccartney 49, % w Bialr and Beatty 20
j Cady 20 90, X Giles 10 90, John Ashford
l6 90, American Pub Co. 10, same 8 SO, OwOsso
Fire Dept; co. same, same 55C; Fred Edwards
stamps, 90, ID Wilson, csc. ii ID Edwards 4S 20
Grand Trunk Ry 85c. Minnie Smith 8 90, Argus
Pub CO. SO, Geo Wiks rs, S II Whalon 90.
From Highway Fund-Cook g. Melvin 90, G
A Cole 500, ID II Blair SIC, j Brown SIC, G A
Cole 10 Ga, Marshall Shoup 90, VIM Shay 90,
Enac Johnson rs SOC ~ Doyle o % Long &C.
kee $50, @ Duwes 10, Ed Dyer 40.
From Water Works Fund-W ) Hunt 10; II
d Eds ards Z 4s, Todd & Co AZ 30, same So %,
son, 46 3d. Chas Beebe Al so, @ IL Cossitt rs 90.
Ira u Curry, ~ "a, O Balcom 35c, Fred Edwards
90. A Todd Csc.
Committee on claims and accounts reported
favorable on accounts as above presented. unan-
imous consent being given same was allowed;
ayes 10, nays0.
Clerk presented following letter, and explain
ed TO the council that IL was for the purchase OF
pump which was used In the building the res
ervolr, and that the board of public works re-
quested that the council take itin charge.
upon motion the same was referred TO the
Saginaw, f. s.. Jan. %, 1898.
Charles H. Cossitt, Owosso, Mich.
Dear Sir-The price named you on pump,
$1,000, seventy dollars, Is the lowest Will take
tor It, III not satisfactory please return the same
and oblige, yours truly, A. Hobson.
Aid. Copas reported that he thought that it
would be we'll for.the city to be looking around
for the purchase OF cedar blocks, as they would
need great many next season; that he Thought
the posts could be bought and cut here much
cheaper than 10 purchase them the way the city
has. Upon motion the same was referred TO the
committee on supplies and expenditures.
Aid. COpas reported that the foot bridge at
Oak street over the river was not in a safe con-
dition for children to pass over, and asked that
something be done.
Upon motion same was referred to committee
on streets and sidewalks, with instructions 10 al
tend to the matter at once. >.
City clerk presented following. report, which
was upon motion received and referred 10 spe-
cal committee of two. to be appointed by the
mayor. to act with the board OF public works
and report at the next meeting,
To the Board Of Public Works,
Owosso, Mich.
Gentlemen-In accordance with your instruc-
tons have examined The sewers which nave
been built in your city In the district which 1t
Is proposed to have paved this year, and would
respectfully submit the following report on the
general status of the sewer question in your
city, and on the condition of the sewers in the
paving district.
Your plans for a system OF sewerage were
prepared by Mr. George S. Person Mem. Am.
Soc, S. E., in 1892-only small portion Of the
sewers indicated on the map have been built and
as you are aware number OF changes were
made in the plans during construction without
consulting Mr.. Pierson.
No care was taken of the original plans and
of all the matter submitted by the engineer, 1
have been able to find only the map. There Is
not enough data available TO anyone to say
what his detail plans indicated.
A proper system of sewerage should provide
Fort hx fnll I'M mi
l. The rapid removal OF house sewerage, con-
sisting OF Stops from the kitchen, bathroom,
water closets, laundries, etc.
g Storm water and water from the surface Of
streets.
g. Cellar drainage
4. Subsoil drainage.
The system as planned here is what is called
the separate system OF sewerage which pro-
vides for one system Of pipes for house drainage
apd one system, mot indicated on your plans)
for surface and storm water. This Is the cheap
est, best and most satisfactory system for you
1t is being ador ted almost universally in towns
not already having the old system In which all
classes of sewage are carried In one large brick
system Of conduits. 1t is endorsed by all SAM
taiy engineers and others who have given sewi
erage special attention, and is in my opinion
the only proper system for you to consider, as
the river affords you excellent opportunity TO
readily and cheaply dispose OF your surface
water therefore would advise more rigid ad-
herence TO the plans as you have more ION. pipe
than was contemplated, and to discharge
flush tank with a Gin. or Sin. discharge pipe into
a
stream than you should have.
No plans have been submitted to me which
indicate what your engineer proposed to do
with cellar water.
IL is evident that any further extension east
ward from sewers now built will be useless as
no provision is made to drain the wet cellars
which are causing your citizens to ask for sew
ers.
Some changes will have to be made in the
depth and location OF your main sewers to pro-
vide for this.
AS view it the most desirable line for the
main sewer is through part of the present paw
ing district. Therefore / consider the discus
sion to be appropriate at the present tire. 1
shall therefore take up the matter in the follow
I. Condition of sewers now built and repairs
required on same
q. Changes probably required in present
plans which will affect paving district,
1. Main street sewer was inspected between
(who is practical pipe layer and who had done
much inspection) through the sewer with
light.
and Ball street. Is in one continuous line and
five in another. These pipe are cracked, one or
two being badly shattered.
From Ball street to Washington street IL Is
impossible for man to pass as the grade Is so
uneven as to form practically running trap
which is nearly full Of water. The first few
joints west Of the washington street manhole
are very bad, the pipes not coming together and
Joints re made by laying over bricks. There is
q heavy fall in the first few feet.
channels in the bottom and Is very poorly built,
forming lodging place for considerable amount
OF solid sewage.
There is a brick section few feet east of this
manhOle, indicating that pipe was laid from
both directions and failed to properly connect.
The rest of this sewer to Saginaw street Is
unbroken-line and grades are fairly uniform !;
the Joints are not well connected and the sewer
Is very dirty by reason OF lack OF water TO prop.
erly flush 1t.
A catch-basin admitting storm water has
been built at Park street, this should be dis
connected as large amount OF dirt and gravel
has been washed into the sewer.
The Washington street sewer north OF Main
is in fair condition The grade is fairly uniform
as indicated by tests hereinafter given and by
sending through a float with liRhts-the line Is
poor, lights can not be seen from any manhole
to the next, and in only one case can light be
seen as far as lamphole In the middle of the
block.
That part of the Washington street sewer
between Main and Comstock streets is In very
bad conditional Is not possible to see into II
over five feet from the Main street end.
The bottom of the sewer at the first lamp
hole is about inches lower that the Main street
manhole; the second lamphole is as bad--at
both lampholes the sewer stands full OF water
and half full OF solid matter.
An orange placed In the end OF the sewer did
not come out, although enough water was put
In to raise the water In the lampholes IA inches,
ftalo