The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-02-18
Rare Collections to be Seen III Prosecutor Days
and Engineer Weber's Offices.
FUNNY SEWER FINDS
City Engineer Tells OF The
Many Things Which Are Re-
moved from tho City
Drains.

City Engineer Weber has a. strange
list Of miscellaneous rubbish which
has been taken from time to time
from the sewers of this city. The
presence Of such lot OF stun in the
city's drainage systems shows the
queer ideas some people who enjoy
sewer connections have In the manner
Of using them.
Constant complaints reach the city
engineers Office from residents that
sewers are stopped up and the blame
Is invariably placed by the complain
ants upon the city. Upon examina-
tion faulty sewer construction is sell
dom shown. but in almost every case
the sewer has been obstructed by the
abuse Of tho people who throw lot
Of rubbish into the drain pipes.
CITY WON'T TAKE BLAME.
Upon receiving a complaint Engineer
Weber Immediately sends sewer in
spector to the scene and the resident
is informed that If the obstruction
Is the fault Of the city. the city will
pay for having 1t cleaned out, but IL 1t
proves to be the result of the property
owners negligence the bill must be
paid by him. The city has never suf-
fered through this arrangement.
Many people think that the sewer
q tho nafuroJ rono,ffAru f<v- ,x,or,,
bit of useless stuff about the house,
and as result rags. old clothes and
other articles are thrown or forced
into the sewer. Naturally in four
inch pipe small bundles of rubbish
will cause an obstruction. In some
localities tho people never realize the
true use of the sewer, even after their
drainage has been interrupted several
times by their own abuse.
GOT OUT OF PATIENCE.
Engineer Weber cites one instance
where the offense was committed re-
peatedly until the Office simply re-
fused to consider the complaints
brought in by these people. Their
sewer connection is tied up at the
present time by. serious obstruction,
but as they have repeatedly offended,
they will be compelled to seek relief
from other sources than the city en-
gineer's office.
been found in the sewers by the in
spectors. On Mulberry street a lot of
old shirts, heavy wrapping paper, a
corset and other rubbish was removed
only last week. In the pipe leading
from a stable a large piece of burlap
or coffee sacking was found wedged.
About this had collected lot of other
rubbish.
People have been known to force
old pieces of cloth and parts of wear
Ing apparel through traps into the
sewer. Naturally such stuff gathered
In the first elbow in the pipe and built
UP an obstruction that caused great
inconvenience.
FOUND A PUTTY BALL.
A large hardware firm in the city
complained at one time that the sewer
Loading into the warerooms was stop
ped up. When the sewer Inspector
examined the sewer he found an i'm
mense ball of putty. which had gath
cred from the bits that had been care
One of the queerest bundles of rub
bish and filth that was ever encounter
ed by the local force was found in the
lateral sewer connection at South
Court and West Seventh streets. Ono
of the men lifted out ball of filth,
which, when 1t was brought TO the
surface disclosed thousands upon thou
sands Of little pins.
A representative OF the most ragged
class of vagrants became Interested in
the find and kicked 1t apart as 1t lay
upon the street. As the thing fell
apart a half dollar. quarter and a
ten cent piece rolled out and the
"vag" managed to pick couple Of
good meals and a few drinks out of
the sewer in this way.
PHII1S EXPLANATION.
/ Explained by Engineer Weber, the
money found its way into the sewer
from the various gambling joints along
Court street-this was before the
Hartranft raid--and the pins came
from q milliner's shop which was To-
Gated at one time In that locality.
Many other strange things have
been found in the sewer and Engineer
Weber has most curious list Of the
stun his men lave picked up.
Mr.. Weber says Notwithstanding the
examples he has quoted, that the sewer
system Is working in excellent shape.
One experience has served to teach
many people lesson and they are
ceasing to use the sewers for purposes
other than those for which they were
intended. He thinks though, that
there is still some room for improve
ment.