Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-03-27
A CITIZENS
MEETING
A Committee of Five Appointed to In
Vesti5ate.

borough on better sanitary footing.
Charles p Hancock was called to
the chair. after which j. H. GOeser
at the presidents request explained
the object Of the meeting. He dwelt
upon the necessity of sewerage and
the disagreement in Council, which has
obstructcd action in the matt era
delay which, he said the citizens will
have to pay for i'll additional law suits.
He finds no one opposed to sewerage,
persons only want to be assured of
getting their moneys worth. He did
not take the initiative i'll the matter Of
sewerage through any selfish motive, as
he could dig a cesspool i'll his yard as
well as any other one.
a sewer would increase the value
of property, even of vacant lots, it
would lead to the installment of bath
rooms i'll nearly every dwelling, and
thus would increase the revenue of the
water works.
Water Commissioner Henry Gross
declared that sewerage must come
that the present is the time to begin.
He recommended that the sewer be
built i'll sections as the borough can
afford the outlay as is the plan adopted
in Bloomsbury The town was never
in a better financial position, while
the business outlook for the future is
bright. The borough borrowed S169. =
600 when the water works were built.
The water debt is now reduced to S83, :
600, while the plant if sold would
bring $500, 600 Money can be secured
at 3 per cent or 319 per cent at the
most. Quoting the estimate of J. Muir
ray Africa. which fixed the cost Of
sewerage independent of Welsh Hill
at $50, 600, he said that even if the full
amount We're expended the tax would
not be heavy and would scarcely be
felt by property holders in general.
John Barber expressed some doubts
as to the practicability of sewerage
and recommended that Mahoning Creek
and Blizzard 5 Run be cOncreted and
kept clean by frequent flushing, using
borough water for the purpose.
James f. Dougherty, member Of
Council, expressed the status Of affairs
in that body charging upon the en-
ployment of J. Murray Africa, the
survey, the two maps made, Mr.. At
rica 5 bill Of 81, 900, Councils refus-
al to pay it and the deadlock that has
since existed on all Il alters pertain
ing to sewerage.
One point on which the meeting
was unanimous was that if the sewer
be built there should be no contract
work the borough should do the work
itself.
George Reifsnyder said that he was
one of those who, while not OPP
posed to sewerage did not feel like 60
ing on record in favor of it until COUn-
Gil had been given an opportunity to
abate the nuisance by other means,
namely by injunction against those
who pollute the stream.
W. G.. Williams read an extract from
the Philadelphia Ledger quoting Judge
Stewart as authority that individuals
or a municipality have no right to
al. 80 n
that the borough of Hanover granted
the right to number of individuals
to construct sewers to empty into two
streams flowing through the town.
Owners of the land along the stream
brought suit. Judge Stewart directed
that an injunction be issued against
the owners of the sewers and states
that the borough has the authority TO
revoke their license. Mr.. Williams
held that Danville affords a parallel
case.
Mr.. Goeser said the object OF the
meeting was to stop litigation, not to
invite more of it. Don't play into the
hands of the attorneys. he said, but
90 to work and build the sewer.
S F. Ricketts, also expressed him
self III favor of sewerage and alluded
to Billiards. run as nuisance which
is simply intolerable.
Mr.. Goeser moved that committee
of five be appointed with the chair
man of the meeting to investigate care
fully the cost and practicability of sew
erage 1t was distinctly stated that
the object is not to take the matter out
of councils hands, but to cooperate
with it i'll an effort to give the town
better sanitation. The president APP
pointed the following gentlemen as
members of the committee: J. II. Goes
er. Henry l.. Gross. W. c.. Williams,
p. H. Concr and G. p Murray.
The committee appointed at the
Citizens meeting Tuesday night has
already decided upon a course of ac-
tion looking to better sanitation. While
4 ...,,,,. ;t i'll ,,,I,.ap. ,y.r.N- on