The record-union., 1899-03-25
THE DUMPS SUBMERGED.
EXTRACT OF GARBAGE WASH
ED INTO THE RIVER.
And Still the Pollution Goes On
Loads Of Filth Deposited
Yesterday.

Notwithstanding the publication in
these columns yesterday of the TACT
that the high water from the American
River was washing out the garbage
dumps north of the. city and carrying
the juice" down to the citys pumping
plant, it appears that 70 efforts have
been made to stop the depositing OF
filth from backyard and cellars in the
locality of the dumps.
A Record Union reporter yesterday
visited the dumps to determine Wheth-
er or not there had been even the least
bit of exaggerauon in the statements
published as coming from other per
sons. He found that half the truth
had not been told. The trip was made
by way Of the railroad company's
track beyond the city's north levee,
and which joins the bank of the Sac
ramento River north OF the Pioneer
FIGURING Mill.
All the way from the river to Twelfth
street, where 1.-The two entertainments
come together, the old bed of the Amer
lean was several feet under water, the
current sweeping over it at the rate OF
several miles an hour, the water being
well up on the side of the levee.
On reaching the Twelfth-street road
the reporter crossed the long bridge,
under which the water was rushing
several feet in depth, and reached the
dumps just as colored man drove up
from them to the high grade. HIS
wagon was empty, and in response to-
question he said he had just been over
TO the dumps with a load of stuff.
The dumps were found to be nearly
all submerged, the water pouring
through and over the heaps of filth that
had been fostering and rottIng under
the blazing sun of two long summers,
washing it out into the river about oVO
yards above the city's suction-pipes.
A narrow grade, just wide enough
for a wagon, has been raised from the
road out to the main body of the
dumps, and that is just out of water,
so that wagons loaded with swill and
miscellaneous filth can still reach
point perhaps a hundred yards from
the Twelfth-street road.
1t was supposed that yesterday morn
ing, after the city authorities had
learned from the ''Record-Union'' the
sickening and disgusting results of the
Trustees act in establishing dumping
grounds in that locality, orders would
be given to have stop put to the
further depositing of garbage there, but
the reporter found that such was not
the case.
Not only was there no one present
to prevent the further pollution OF the
city's drinking water, but there were
two garbage men there, standing on the
little strip of old cans, dirty rags ana
other truck, armed with pitchforks,
with which they were spreading gar
bage that had just been delivered
While the reporter stood there holding
his nose a big iron-lined dump wagon
came from town with about two tons
of slush that was trickling from it in
small streams.
The driver piloted his team down CT
the road onto the narrow strip referred
to, and after driving about fifty yaras'
where the water was within FEW
inches of the top Of the garbage, ne
dumped his load. The men with the
pitchforks tackled it at once, and II
was soon scattered from one edge to
the other The water had risen eight
inches through the dumps since morn
ing and was still rising, with the pros
pect that by to-day there will hardly be
even an old can in sight.
How any body of officials could have
selected such place for public dump
ing ground is beyond comprehension
Any boy who had spent five winters IN
Sacramento could have told them that
in a season of normal rainfall the
American River would spread It's
waters all over those fats and wash
the filth into the Sacramento, only
few hundred yards distant. The people
of this city have complained of the
Folsom Prison sewage being put into
the river twenty-five miles away, and
the Legislature a few days ago appro-
priated $4,000 to provide another
method Of disposing of it. And yet
the very officials who are supposed 10
be guarding the people against all sucn
dangers select, as a place for throwing
all the cast -off filth of the city, spot
right at its very doors, where even the
water we drink must run through the
foul mess!
The public seems to have hardly re-
allied what the Trustees were DONG,
and those who are responsible for the
outrage perpetrated in spite of the
protests of this paper and of the Boaro
of Health. If official stupidity, or utter
disregard of all that is decent = not 10
put it in stronger terms could go fur-
Their than this, it would be interesting
to know in what direction that Wouid
be.
It was understood yesterday that the
Grand Jury had taken ZIP the supJect
for inquiry, and it is to be hoped that
the result will be such that ere lonS
the city garbage will be disposed OF by