Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-03-21
your body may determine the cit!
shall bear.
Respectfully submitted,
F. r. smyth,
! r.. John Harold,
Geo. w. Newton.
IT,. N. o. Ramstad,
r. D. Hoskins.
Committee.

~ " xk0uSC0Vt
R. D. Hoskins,
Committee.
IS A SEWER SYSTEM AN IMMEDI.
ATE NECESSITY IN BISMARCK?
Modern civilization demands dis
posal Of sewage in such way that
1t will not be q nuisance or a source
of danger to community. , .5ss...-
The present method in: Bismarck is
entirely inadequate and q constant
to the health of it's people. !
The waste of the city is disposed OF
a. follows: %>, s.#: ,.a:
: l. Surface drainage into the streets
and adjoining. property, causing often
sive collections Of decaying matter.
2. Cess-pools. :, ~. ss..:.&.. -
The waste matter from most resi-
dences empties into cess pools Of xari-
GUS depths and methods of construc
ton. On many lots, a scess-pool must
be constructed every year or two in
order to be eficient. Numerous wells
exist within a few feet Of abandoned
or existing cess-pools or closets. The
opportunities for infection are. too
evident to need comment.
g. Present sewer system.
A few short sewers exist which
drain small part Of the city. Some
of them discharge their contents al
most in the midst of the homes OF
many Of the people residing in the
southern part of the city. These
sewers are too small to take care of
the waste emptying into them, they
are not deep enough to drain base
ments, they are out of repair large
part of the time, often causing much
damage and Inconvenience. ..
Bismarck needs a modern sewer
system. t.
AN increasing population requires
effective sewage disposal and must
have it in order to keep the surround
ings sanitary. A good sewer system
is an inducement to the establishment
Of manufacturing plants in the city.
: The danger Of epidemics Of contag-
ious and infectious diseases would
be much diminished by the establish
ment Of q thorough drainage system.
The deadly typhoid fever epidemics
at Butler and hundreds of other places
in the country are costly lessons
illustrating the need of pure water
supply and thorough and eficient
metrod OF sewage disposal.
respectfully submitted: &s
: . N. O. RAMsTAD, M. D.
LEGAL QUESTIONS INVOLVED.
]. There is conferred, by the consti-
tuition and statutes of the state, upon
the city and its Inhabitants acting in
their own behalf and through the city
council ample power to establish
and maintain a system Of sewers
including proper outlet or means for
disposing Of the sewage of the city
and to provide the funds fol. so doing.
Thus, section 1873 OF the Constitu-
ton Of North Dakota confers upon any
incorporated city the power to incur
expenditure, without regard to its
indebte dness for other purposes) 81
4 per cent upon Its assessed valuation,
either for water works or for con.
constructing sewers, but Tor no other
purpose. The constitution N this re.
gard is well supplemented BY the
statutes. They provide that ~
majority vote Of the people. bonds
may be issued even to the extent 81
4 per cent on the assessed valuation
Iof said city as shown BY the last Is.
sessment We are informed bys Tic
city auditor that the assessed yalua
ton q the city 81 Bismarck for 1908
amounts 70 81, 215,s 90. and 4 pei
cent on such ssim - 1860. WI
have NOT discovered that there is "a,
outstanding oblisation against the CIT,
incurred Tor either o the matters men
ttioned u ths section IL the' constitsa
ton referred u. of course It IL 40,
isatl all considered that the sum men.
lionel will 20 eeded. 'or that Il wonlt