New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1898-05-18
The City Council Places Itself in Peculiar Posi-
ton Relative to Sewers. .... +.
First Refers the Matter to the Board OF Publi
Works and then Ignores the Recon,=
mendatiOns.
The r1ust Liberal Proposition Ever Made to thu
City is Hastily Rejected.
Grusendorf, Gieseke and Buenger are the One
Who Stand in the Way of the
Improvement.


last week concerning the question Of
sewers, and that too at time when sew
ers are almost absolutely necessary, is
one of the things that approach the char
acter of conundrum.
To the credit of the city be it said that
tho council is not all of one mind. Three
members Weyhe, Nagel and Klossnel
ARE ready and willing to vote for this
additional step in the city's career of ad.
vancement.
Gieseke, Grusendorf and Buenger are
the men who stand in the way of its sue.
cess.
Just what their reasons are matters
little. They certainly cannot be defend.
ed before men who want to see the town
take high rank among the cities of the
state.
That New Ulm needs sewers there can
be no question.
The sanitary condition of town is of
as much Importance to the community
at large as protection against fire, as
good streets, or satisfactory light by
night.
Cess pools located in every lot in the
very heart of the city by no means tend
to make the sanitary conditions such as
they should be.
On the contrary they are absolutely
dangerous, and the larger the town be-
comes the greater the probability of cpl
denies of disease.
The secretary of the state board of
health has said as much after personal
inspection of our town and bis caution
should not be passed over without some
measure of attention.
AS matter of fact New Ulm cannot
afford to be backward in the matter.
We appoint health boards and health
officers andsexpect them to perform their
duties, while at the very same time we
make it harder from year to year for
them to do so. Is that right?
Is the health CT a community so light
matter that no one but "the owners of
abutting property" arc interested?
Then again this town has grown so
rapidly during the past few years that it
is unreasonable to expect people living
in the heart of the city to get along with
such conveniences as they had in the
early days. If they ask for an improve
ment and are willing to pay for it, it is
unfair and unjust to deny it them. Meth
err is it the province of the few, who think
themselves able to get along with things
as they are, to stand in the way of pro-
gress for the the town as whole.
This is world in which we have got
to meet the stern law of survival of the
fttest.
Now what are the circumstances in
New Ulm today?
The Commercial Union, a representa-
tive business body, goes on record as IA
voring sewers and asks the council to
take Immediate action.
A large majority of the leading bust
ness men, property owners along the
three principal blocks of the city, also
petition the council to proceed with the
improvement, and especially now that so
many new buildings are in process of
construction.
They even offer to pay in advance for
rs per cent OF the cost of the improve
ment.
But the city is hard up at present; the
council doesn't feel like burdening it
with debt of $1,000. F..
That being the case, few of the bust
ness men are willing to advance the
city's share for one year without inter
est, or even until the city is in condition
to reimburse. -. .. 49,. ~s.S
On the strength of this proposition the
matter is referred to the Board of Public
Works. :. That body deliberates, comes
to the conclusion that the improvement
is advisable and necessary, and recon.
mends to the council the construction oil
system along the lines of the PROPOSE
ton, at an estimated cost of S., $40.
The council then holds special meet
ing and listens to further arguments fol
and against.
The advocates Of the system were OF
hand to make good their promises, but
10! and behold when the vote was takel
the most liberal proposition ever mad,
to city was rejected Nagel, Weyh,
and Klossner voted in favor of the i'm
provement, but Grusendorf, Gieseke AMI
Buenger voted against.
The matter therefore lays on the tabl,