Evening star., 1903-11-09
SEWER PROJECT
TAxPAYERs PETITION FOR IT'S
CONSIDERATION.
Suggest That Matter Be Referred to
Health oface-Commissioner
Biddle Approves.

In regard to the proposed construction OF
a trunk sewer Oglethorpe street from
9Th street to Brightwood avenue a number
of taxpayers and residents of the District
in the vicinity of Brightwood recently wrote
to the Commissioners asking that. since the
improvement was not included in their es-
Inmates to Congress, the subject be referred
to the health officer for report as to the ne
cessty Of the sewer from sanitary point
of view. Engineer Commissioner Biddle.
today, in replying to the communication,
recommended that this request be complied
with. Among other things the Commits
sioner said: +
AS the writers are very anxious this
matter should be referred to the health
officer. I move that this be done, although
there Is no question in my mind that the
sewer at this point, or any other point in
the District where there are houses, Is de-
sirable. The general situation in this case
Is as follows: The appropriation for sewers
Tor SUBURBAN districts is under two heads
that for suburban sewers and that for per-
init and assessment work. Besides these,
occasional appropriations are made specifi-
cally for certain large sewers, such as the
ARIZONA avenue sewer, Ivy City sewer and
others.
The Office Practice.
The practice of this office has been, as
stated to Congress in different hearings be-
fore the committees, that this appropria-
tlon for suburban sewers is used for sew
ers or size large enough to be considered
In the light OF trunk sewers and fifteen
inches has been considered the smallest
size to which this fund would be applied as
sewers of this size or greater to be paid for
Dy the abutting property owners would
make an undue tax against the owners
All sewers smaller than this have been
paiu LOT out OF the appropriation for permit
ana assessment work, the owners of the
,g aDuttlng property bearing half the cost. In
th1s special instance, in order to have a
complete sewer system caring for both
mousse sewage and storm water, would
necessltate the building of large sewer
PROBABLY down Piney branch, which would
.equilfe speclhc appropriation from Con-
gTess In order, however, that houses In
the general vicinity might have water in.
troduced a small sewer the greatest give
~ 81 Wii,ch is tWenty-one inches, was built in
tnat- locality, and the connecting sewers
We're put in by the property owners.
Difficulties Encountered,
The difficulty in this special instance
arises from the fact that a large part of
this sewer, which will cost in all about ST
10 lies through unsubdivided property.
The owners Of this property offer to give
the right OF way instead of the assessment.
which would about counterbalance bnt on
the other hand. when this property is s,Ib-
divided and streets laid out the right of
way Will be obtained without expense. and
the abutting property would have to pay
nalf the: cost of the sewer. If this sewer
was therefore constructed at the whole cost
OF the District the District would be paving
ABOUT S3,S0O which, under the practice of
the office and the spirit of the law should he
borne by owners of the abutting property.
Inc commissioners intend to introduce
a Dill at the present session of Congress by
winch sewer can be constructed through
uhsupolvlded property, and the assessment
made when the property is subdivided In
thls way this question could be readily han
died, and if this bill passes the sewer can
be constructed during the fiscal year. That
sewers serving less number of houses
than IN this case have been constructed out
OF the appropriations for suburban sewers
is certainly a fact; but in each case they
were sewers of larger size, and will
eventually take care of the sewage of a
larger extent of territory"