Waterbury Democrat., 1902-01-14
SEWAGE HEARING YESTERDAY.
Judge Roraback Heard Attorneys for
 City and Platt Brothers.

The hearing before Judge Roraback in the superior court yesterday after noon in New Haven regarding the payment of damages to the Platt Bros company for injuries to their property Cu the Naugatuck river arising out Of Yhe sewage disposal system opened up world of perplexity. Colonel Bur pee appeared for the city and Attorney O'Neill for the Platt Bros. The ques- tion argued was, what did the Platt Bros want to be paid for and was it for the past, present or future damages 1 that they claimed to have been done them or will in time occur to them. Then again, 1t was not so much mater | ial damages the Platt Bros asked as to have the nuisance complained of re moved, that is, to dispense with the Naugatuck river as sewage disposal channel.
 Colonel Burpee, on the part of the city, replied that 1t was willing to do | anything reasonable, and MT O'Neill I for the Platt Bros said that was all they asked. But what was reason able?
 I Here both lawyers launched into speculation that carried them to Eu- ropean countries, cast them adrift on l the Gulf stream current where they seemed to meet with the state sewage commission on its way to Europe to visit some exposition there and incl dentally think up some new means of sewage disposal. The lawyers and I the state sewage commission seemed to have falling out as to the best means of meeting this problem. 1t was allowed that the state sewage commission was still an infant, but having a great time seeing all the shows of the world, but doing nothing, which of course. was because it was young Invention did not seem to have hit upon any new idea of adjust 1 ing the problem and all the present de- vices have been found incapable. The climate of New England was one par ticular obstacle that should be consid- cred, whereas in countries that are af- fected by the Gulf stream this matter is an easy thing; as easy as rolling off a log, which is said to be the easiest I thing in the world. In New England the extremes of temperature are in tense. In one season the whole coun- try is tied up with frost and snow, ! forming one of the seemingly insur- mountable obstacles to building a trunk sewer down the Naugatuck riv- er Such means of sewage disposal would cost million dollars and the interest upon such sum would pay damages to the Platt Bros for long time Furthermore, 1t would cost about $40.000 annually to properly care
 for such system.
 Science was ruefully behindhand in this matter. 1t was shown, and there T O.,0e 1x1&4 41,n aifx
 to start in as an experimenter in this
 intricate question. The superior
 court awarded them $500 damages, but
 evidently 1t was their intention to keeI
 duplicate of that suit constantly 1T
 the courts. Was the city to keep pay , ing this $500 a year for ai eternity
 and perhaps to pay other property
 owners on the banks of the Nauga
 tuck river as we'll? What do tht
 Platt Bros want, anyway. Do they
 want the city to purchase their prop
 erty on the Naugatuck river, or pay
 for it's use annually2 If that wa. what they wanted other property own CTS adjoining the river would wan ], likewise. The city had no use fol such property except to build trunl sewer and probably after this system was completed it would be found in : ad&uate Such was the trend of tht arguments made before Judge Rora } back until late in the afternoon whe1 : the court thought 1t was time to ge : home and accordingly all concerned } packed up their duds and took tickets : for Waterbury via the Gulf stream : and the Naugatuck river, the cour reserving decision, which will occasion
 another sail for the lawyers.