Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-19
Special to Times-Repulolican.


Grinnell, April 19.-Grinnell is
facing q. problem which viii
occupy her councilmen for con-
siderable portion of the, coming season
and requires a large expenditure for its
solution. The Grinnell sewer system
was constructed little over ten year.
ago and has now 279 connections. The
system includes all of the city except
few blocks in the Third ward, which
has lower level than the rest of the
city. 1t has proved in every way salts
factory tc, the city, but has becoms
more and more offensive to those living
near the sewers outlet Grinnell has
no natural drainage system. The coun-
try hereabout has no Streams and very
few water courses of sny considerable
size. It isi this fact which has compli-
Gated matters The present sewer sys-
tenn consequently opens into small
water course at the city limits. The
sewer discharges at the rate of about
100000 gallons per day during the win
ter months, and during the summer
this discharge is more than doubled.
The estimate of 100000 gallons Is based
upon the pumping capacity of the city
water works, which supplies about 3d.
900 gallons of water per day to the city.
All of this or nearly so finds its way
into the sewer, and the additional mat
ter certainly reaches 10000 gallons per
day, as practically all houses have soft
water systems
For a long time the sewage and offal
has accumulated along. the course of
90, f,,t<~ TIL,
empties. This stream i known as Lit
tie Bear creek and flows east and
southeast from Grinnel and thru the
town of Malcolm ten miles away. Dur
ing the present season, owing largely to
the lack of spring rains, the collection
OF sewage along the banks of this
stream has become most offensive.
The town of Malcon has frequently
complained of the nuisance as danger
Gus and unsanitary and has threatened
to bring suit for damages against the
city II the nuisance should be allowed
to continue. AT the meeting of the
city council last Monday evening a pc
tition was presented by Attorney r. M.
Haines, Jl's, representing William Vogt,
who owns over 600 acres of land lying
on and near the Little Bear. and whose
residence lies just north of the stream.
Mr.. Vogt is backed by Jacob Wisecar-
yer, j. F. Porter, Henry Rohr, Herman
Speth, j. r. Wynes. Fred Osborne and
other farmers living along the course
of the stream. The matter was dis
cussed to some extent Monday evening
ind special meeting OF the council has
been called for this evening to confer
further in regard to the1 matter. Thu
plaintiff proposes to file petition for a
emporary Injunction restraining the
city from allowing it's sewage to dis
charge in the present manner, which
Injunction shall later be made perma-
nent unless immediate action is taken
In regard to the matter. Mr.. Vog1
means business and Will push the mat
ter unless the city will remedy the
abuse
The city is not culpable in regard to
the sewer nuisance. Indeed the nuis-
anca is al comparatively recent origin
It is simply condition resulting from
the natural situation o. Grinnell ans
,ne which would arise sooner or later
N any city similarly situated. 1t, was
when the sewer system was
constructed to establish q system for