The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-25
DRAINAGE OF WEST SIDE or
WHITE BEAR VILLAGE.

To the Editor Of the Globe:
AS your local reporter seems inclined
to disparage, If not to directly oppose.
the proposed drainage of the west side
OF White Bear village into White Bear
lake, and seems to misunderstood the
actual proposition now under advisement
with the county commissioners. will you
kindly permit re to state briefly Just
what that proposition is? We are anxious
that We should not be misunderstood in
this matter, as We believe the plan is a
most desirable one, and Will benefit the
county at large, as well as The village
and township of White Bear in Dartic-
ular. The plain, simple facts are those
The west side OF our village lies lower
than the adjacent territory, in a sort Of
basin from which at present there is
no outlet. Therefore. the theory That this
water is now running off 20 Lake Phalen
or some other point Is an entire miscon-
ception. 1t accumulates after every rain
or melting of the snow, and finding no
natural outlet, it seeks its own level in
the cellars and Easements Of the west
side The Catholic church building now
has z furnace in the basement This
furnace, although surrounded by cement
ed waps, lies In anywhere from q foot
to several feet Of water. according TO the
season Of the year. The Washington
school. one of the very finest village high
schools buildings in the state has met
with the same fate, endangeriug the
expensive machinery which makes uD rs
fine heating plant Almost every cellar
for many acres in every direction IS in
the same condition.
This is not only discomfort to the
residents and a serious damage 10 the
residences themselves out ii is a constant
menace to health, which cannot long con-
tinue without attracting the earnest con
sderation of the health depa rtnaent
which is now seeking TO prevent the
spread Of smallpox and other dislD5as il.
other parts of the state. The county sur
veyor has made a careful inspection Of
the district affected, ana fHds that all
this SuTDlnS water no cIJPpqgcf1llV
drained off into White Bear lake by tun.
neling through from the lOWes@ portion
Of the basin above mentioned 10 the lake,
which lies considerably lower than the
surface OF the Inundated district This
district includes not only the greater por-
ton Of the west side, but also a portion
of White Bear town outside tne village.
Thus both the county and the village are
directly concerned IN the proposed I'M
proyenent. Property values are now
seriously deprecated IN the affected dis
gathers there. The district however is
not a swamp. as some persons so per
sStently reiterate. but forms some OF
the most desirable property IN our VII
lage. The surplus water ts not swamp
water, but merely the ordinary surface
water found everywhere III Wet weather.
So deeply stirred no are the residents
of that section that they nave Orgau izai'
to push this matter through: and thsr
appear to have the hearty sympathy Of
all those who rightly understand the
facts. The district Is going tc be drain
ed by the Village and county ioeethsr,
each bearing its propeftonato 81 u of
the expense. That IS p foregone conci1i-
sion. The only question TO be settled IL
whether it shall be drained into White
Bear lake. thus securing At least thar
much more water in the lake without any
extra expense or Thether We shsi! take
some other route ard send the water n
another direction. This port Viii Drf-
sumabiy be decided by the parties inter
eSted at an early date.