The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-25

Editor Morning News: l read with
considerable interest DR.. LeHardy's let
ter relating to Bilbo canal, and have
also read your editorial in this morn
ing's News, upon the same subject.
Both DIR. LeHardy's letter and your
editorial would be on the proper line,
provided your basis of argument were
sound, but as a matter of fact neither
of you seem to have taken into con-
sideration that there is a large por-
ton of the city of Savannah without
house drainage which must of neces-
sity use Bilbo canal
Take all of the southeastern portion
of the city of Savannah lying east Of
the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad tracks
and there is no house drainage, except
what leads into Bilbo canal, and this
would be sufficient to maintain a nuis-
ance and a menace to health, which
| has been so often discussed. The great
| difficulty about a matter of this kind
is that the average citizen does not
inform himself before giving expression
upon so important a subject.
Many years ago a committee of citi-
zens was appointed by the Mayor and
Aldermen to act with a committee from
| Council looking to a means of getting
rid of Bilbo canal. The committee met
from time to time, made very
thorough investigation and submitted
its report. The report is no doubt to-
day in the files of the clerk of Council.
was a member of that committee, and
4 1 am quite well informed as to what
was done. When the city provided for
house drainage it left out the south
| eastern portion, upon the theory that
| it would be necessary to use a pump
| ing station If that section were in
cluded; hence we go on from year to
year and nothing is done, and every
| time the subject is mentioned or brought
to the attention of the citizens, some
enc attempts to deal VITA the matter
hut fails TO base his al suinents upon
conditions as they exist; hence people
are in almost every agitation of the
| question unintentionally misled.
There is a wide difference of opinion
/ as to whether Bilbo canal is more
| dangerous open than closed but let this
| be as il may, il is a disgrace TO any
i city of the importance of Savannah to
allow an open sewer such as Bilbo
canal flow through a section of the
| city over which nearly every man,
woman and child passes sometime dur
ing the year. Nearly all the suburban
resorts are reached via Savannah
/ Electric Company, which crosses the
most Objectionable point of this open
sewer, and unless Council takes some
| notice of the matter and makes a sub
| stantial move to remove the nuisance
! by closing or otherwise, IL VIII of ne
cessity do in the future what ii has in
| the past-deter the growth and up
| building of the southeastern portion OF
] Savannah, to say nothing of the effect
which it has upon the entire COM
| munity.
| The danger from Bilbo canal as far
| as health is concerned effects in a very
slight degree the health of Collinsville
| and the Meadows, or any portion OF
the city lying east OF the canal, for
the reason that IN warm weather, when
| the danger Is greatest the winds are
| from the southeast and drives the
odor which Is so Objectionable west OF
the canal; hence very large portion
OF tho city, ana especially the eastern
portion, west OF the tracks of the At
iantic Coast Line. suffers much more
than that portion lying east OF the
tracks. It r. "A crying shame ana dis
grace 10 permit this open sewer 20 re-
main open longer
| / fully appreciate the fact that a
takes considerable outlay 10 do the
work. hence the Mayor and Aldermen
/ hesitate 10 make the expenditure, ana
set there "a no work of more imp0I-
lance 20 the community II has been
| long time since j have raised my
voice 10 deal with this question. be-
cause have feit from year 40 year
that the authorities would see me im-
/ norinnce ~ giving Che matter their at
! irnfl0n. Dui unless some move ia made
aupfnhfnl that matters VIII go nn
in fho fufufo go they haze lu che past
fhnf a. A. Say. shout enc fluo one
Mayor ana Council become fnWillHT
/ 9th conditions they arc succeeded hF
anofhof and 40 of fhe arguments hHFf
~ - rguewel nne aN che conditions