Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-11-16
&c. w.
"City Engineer
MR.. POTTER REPLIES

Mr.. Potter said that he would X
to know whats specific charges there
We're against him. this being the first
he had heard of the above. Gle said he
had come on from New Cork in re
Spouse to q letter from ehe Mayor.
which he read. Referring to the auXil-
larry sewers on Thirty-fourth street.
Mr.. Potter said that he had ordered the
work done because he thought sanitary
precaution demanded it: but the city
had ordered it not done. II the city
maintained that stand and refused to
a for the work. the responsibility was
with he city, and he had nothing to do
with the consequences He still thouEht
the auxiliary sewers should be put in.
but would assist the Council i'll any
other plan it might p
In this connection. Mr.. Potter read
the following letter, which he produced
from his pocket: W. .... .r...
"Gentlemen:-Ry a perusal of the
daily papers l find that my action in
ordering the construction of an S-inch
sewer on either side of Thirty-fourth
street. between Washington and West
avenues. has not met with your en-
dorsement. ! regret to say that in my
opinion. as a sanitary engineer, the
health of the entire community is in
jeopardy on o % the conditions
at present existing on Thirty-fourth
street by reason Of the tearing up of
the existing sewer on Thirty-fourth
81 tSi. WHICH, w = vi Nllllpul IL vi =
der or knowledge. .M.. .".
believing this. it would have been
crimina had | not suggested and order
ed a remedy. if in my power to do SO.
This ! did, and, having done so, my re-
sponsibility ceases when you. by resolu-
ton. refuse to give your sanction to it:
and if sickness and death. or a posi-
BILE epidemic occur. the responsibility
anont be laid at my door. This fear
Of an epidemic is no idle conjecture of
mine. for several persons on this street
are sick and my own chief inspector,
Mr.. II. 3. Anderson. who resides on
this block, has been stricken with fe-
Yer and removed TO the hospital at Nor
folk. NJ.
IL do not. however, consider that it is
my duty to take any further action re-
garding the S-inch sewer in question.
SO long as it is not the wish of your
honorable body thai such action shall
be taken. ."
"Regretting that there should have
been any misunderstanding regarding
my attitude toward this matter, / an,
Your Obedient Servant. @
... "ALEEANDER POTTER
He added that so far as the
force of engineers not being large
enough vas concerned. the force was
large enough for the work under way.
AS to the force of men employed. Mr..
Potter read 4 numbe of letters he had
written to the contractor. insisting on
his employing a sufficient force. He
said that Mr.. Honan had stated to him
that ne had had trouble in getting la
Dor sufficient for the work. He showed
that after considerable urging on his
part. the contractor nae succeeded in
getting a proper force. He also de-
clared that the contractor a met with
many difficulties. not at first dreamed
Of, and this had initiated against the
progress of the work. He referred par
ticularly to the water in the bitches.
Mir. Potter said that in view of this
the city should bear with the contrac-
tor. He promised the city a first-class
sewerage system.
In connection with the statement
that the orders of the special Sewerage
Commission had been disregarded, he
said Ia he had ascertained from his
assistants that there were some cases
in which such orders had not beer
complied with as readily as they NIGH
have been. He inferred that some O.
the requests We're a little unreasonable
asked how long a street should re
main uncleaned where sewers were be
ing constructed. and how long the dir
would have to stay in the cutters ant
d the streets Mr.. Potter said that TIL
contractor ought to do better abOu
that. At the same time, considerabl
delay was necessary.
Il Touching the Twenty-seventh stree
matter, as to whether or not there wa;