The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-06-23

a number Of people have been unnec-
essarily disturbed and nave succeeded
i'm unnecessarily disturbing others re-
Gently over d matter which can be cas-
lily explained. In the first place, It
draws near to the time when there may
or may not be new deal on In the
board of health. This is always a seas
on when special hustling takes place
i'm certain quarters To nose out new ini-
quites perpetrated by that organiza-
tion and to tabulate reasons why it's
members should resign in a body.
owing to certain misstatcme
which have recently appeared in one
or two papers whose representatives
have doubtless been misinformed. the
managers of the Home for the Friend
less feel that it is due themselves ana
the board of health that the facts of
the case regarding the sanitary com
dition surrounding the new building
are made public.
TO begin at the beginning; the chief
objection to the location and early &c.
cupancy Of the new Home for the
'ricndless was the difficulty in the way
Of making sewer connections. The
matter was thoroughly canvassed two
years and more ago, and the board Of
managers received the advice from
those supposed to know that long be-
fore the completion of the structure,
new streets would be graded and that
no trouble need be feared regarding
sewer accommodation.
CAUSED MUCH CONCERN.
The building was ready for occupancy
in March and the assurance of a
speedy arrangement for connection was
given. Much concern was felt regard
ing the matter by all interested in the
construction Of the Home and every
effort was made to effect a satisfactory
conclusion.
The property is i'm Dunmore anu no
connection could be made nearer than
with the sewer in RichmOnt parK.
Pending securing permission to use this
| system, a cess pool of large capacity
was constructed, together with a dram
| at considerable expense. There are
hundreds Of cess pools i'm this city
where the contents leak away and
| causes no complaint hut this pool haV-
| ing clay soil has not been a sue
| cess, and since the heavy and contin-
uOus rains of May and the excessive
| heat Immediately following, it has been
| the cause of much anxiety To both
| the board of health and the Home man
agcmcnt.
1t is understood that both have been
| severely criticised by people who have
| not realized that the most strenuous eff
| forts have been made to effect Il change
| but it should be remembered that a
| sewer cannot be constructed in a day
! even by permission of the councils.
! In this case the land lying between the
| Home and the Richmont park sewer
| is private property and it is not easy
| to run a sewer through such 4 i,iUt
| of ground.
| As the lots are for sale and the
| people who buy lots are not pleased to
| strike a big sewer pipe wher they have
started in to dig cellar for a new
house. Neither are they generally VIII
| ing to have their lawns or garden dug
up when somebody's sewer has some
thing the matter with it. Consequently
it il only after months Of worry and
effort that Mrs. {. p. Matthews, prcsl-
| dent of the Home board, ana the MEM
bors Of the advisory and inspection
boards have been able to secura the
! right Of way to construct the much
needed sanitary equipment.
WILL, BEGIN TO-DAY.
It is probable that the pipe viii be
| on the grounds today and that work
will Immediately begin on the sewer
bed.
The extension Of jefferson anl Adams
avenues by the Anthracite LAID COM
pany and the connection with Rich
mont avenue grade for which contract
is about to be given will simplif,' mat
ters. Now, as the sewer may be laid
along the street instead of through the
building lots where only a five year
lease can be secured.
Neither the Home board nor the
board of health can be censured for the
delay that has caused criticism, as
every possible effort has been made
To expedite the arrangements, and
within the next fortnight the cesspOOi
will be superseded by sewer.