The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-22
CHOKED SEWERS ARE
BOTHERING COUNCILS
Unwarranted Imputation That They Are
Improperly Constructed.
CITY OFFICIALS NOT AT FAULT
Trouble Arises Through Lack OF
Means for Cleaning the Basins.-H
they Could BE Properly Cared for
and the streets Kept Reasonably
Clean the Basins Would Not BE.
come Chokod--Sewers Are Prop
eriy Built and Are Big Enough.

At this time of the year many COM
plex municipal questions are stirring
the councils and other city depart
ments. Some of these while being con-
sidered Independently are identified in
more ways than one. This is particu-
larly true of choked sewers and dirty
streets
in select council Thursday night Mr..
Fellows introduced resolution provii-
ing, whereas several main and lateral
sewers were not large enough for prop"
er drainage, that the city engineer pre-
pare an estimate of cost for relaying
and repairing such sewers and submit
the same to councils. From the resolu-
tion it might be inferred that the sew
ers had been improperly constructed
and had been designed too small Con-
trary to this view is statement con-
tained in the typewritten explanation
of the street commissioner accompany
ing his estimated expenditures for
1898 which says the sewers are bound
to become chicken and inadequate if no
suitable provision is made u for
cleaning the streets and go for clean
ing the basins.
Confirming the position of the street
commissioner is a pertinent comment
made by him and the city engineer in
their joint communication to councils
in reference to the Fourth district nam
sewer. The communication roads:
SEWER BASINS CHOKED.
1.-THE greatest trouble with our sys-
TEN of sewers is the blocking OF chOk-
ing of the street basins or inlets. Very
few of. our citizens understand the con-
struction of our sewer basins and in
their ignorance condemn the sewers,
when as a matter of fact, when the
basins are blocked with sediment no
water enters the sewer. 1t may be In
| Gteresting to know that while our basins
appear deep teight TO nine feet that
on account of the traps placed in them
to prevent Girt, etc, being washed into
the sewer they hold but from one to
one and one-half cubic yards of dirt
before the trap is blocked and the wat
| er ceases to flow into the sewer, hence
the necessity of constant care and
watchfulness and vigilance on the part
of the proper officials to prevent block
age of street basins.
THE councils should provide liberal
~ for the sewer department. a saving
of one or two thousand dollars from
this department may appear very well
in the appropriation ordinance hut it
is very EOor economy when you have
to pay i've or six times as much
through the courts for damages caused
by floods. When sewers are once con-
stIucteI, property owners should be
compelled to pave the cutters in front
of their respective properties, so as to
convey the surface water to the bas-
ms"
THE 1898 ESTIMATE.
In MIR. Dunning's 1898 estimate for
the street department he asks for
$500 for cleaning sewers and $1,000 for
repairing them. During 1897 these ap-
propriations were $4,000 and $4,000 re-
spectively. Along with his estimates
for these items he calls the attention
of councils to the fact that unless the
sewer basins are kept Ctean the city
will eventually be put to great expense
for repairs.
1t is argued that cleaner streets will
lessen the tendency of the basins to
choke. A similar argument is made
against dirty streets and unpaved gut
ters.
The resolution introduced by Mr..
Fellows providing for an estimated
cost Cf sewer repairs is alleged by
coUncilmen of outlying wards to be
intended to influence property owners
Of those localities against sewers by
implying that they are an extensive
luxury even after the first cost has
beer paid. Mr.. Marley made his
charge when the Fellows resolution
was presented but the imputation was
challenged by Mr.. Chttenden.
A NEW ORDINANCE.
Both the strect-cleaning and sewer
Questions may be partly solved in the
disposition of an ordinance now in
common council providing for the
cleaning of streets by contract. The
measure was introduced in common
council Thursday night by Mr.. Reese
and referred to committee to be print
cd if considered favoraby. 1t directs
the street commissioner to advertise
| for proposals and to let the contracts
annually before March l.
1t is true that several contractors are