Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-12-22
INTERVIEW With
DIVISION ENGINEER

/
g. J. Ray. Division Engineer of
the D. L. & W. Railroad, met with
some repres sntatives of the Boroue Oh
in this city yesterday for the purpose
OF. seeing III what way the municipal.
iry and the Railroad Comapny might
cooperate to bring abou. an abate.
ment of the nuisance of bad drainage.
which makes the bottom of the old
canal. owned BY the d. L. e. W. peo-
pie. very Objectionable aud menace
to the public health.
The conference lasted for nearly two
hours, with Engineer Ray on one
side and Engineer Keefer and Ooun-
cilmen Goeser. Boyer. Sweisfort and
Vastine on the other. The matter was
carefully gone over in all of its bear
ings, Mr.. Ray explaining what the
owners of the canal are willing to do
in the premises aud the members of
council making clear their attitude,
which showed an unalterable opposi-
tion to the proposition so much dis
cussed-that the Borough fill up the
canal, after the d. l.. q ". Company,
at it's own expense. sinks pipe along the
bottom.
Several of the Borough representa-
tives were interviewed, who stated
that nothing had baon accomplished
and that things stood practically
| III 40 tbnu hns
were borne out by au interview with
Engineer Ray at the Montour House,
although the fact was clearly revealed
that the D. L. & W. people do not
wish to maintain nuisance in our
town and now tliat the filling up prop.
osition has fallen through will pro.
ceed to remedy the evil on new bas.
is.
Mr.. Raw said that he was not in a
position to say just what the railroad
company would do in the premises,
but he felt sure that they would cut
out the drainage nuisance without de-
lay. For instance if the Hospital for
the Insane is discharging sewage or
waste water FROM the laundry into the
canal a notice will be served ON the
Institution forthwith to discontinue
the practice. The same Withhold good
In the Borough, where several indus.
tries make the canal receptacle for
their waste matter and individual ais
make it 3 common dumping ground.
The engineer related. now during a
brief visit to Danvlile last summer he
oberved map, .presu mably in bust.
ness near by, dumping several bucket
fuls OF the. most disgusting look ing
dlth right over the side of Mill
street oulvert into thu canal. Such
practices are only too common. The
canal company will adopt some prsc.
ticsble means OF dealing with offend
ers in the Borough as well as outside,
who pollute the canal; and as the re-.
suit of it all the engineer foresees a
much better stnte of affairs as pertains
to the old water way for next summer
Mr.. Ray understands that thu prop
osition to fill up the canal came pri-
marily from the Board of Trade aud
was never in favor with council nev
ertheless he thinks it perfectly feas.
ible plan and is sure that notwith-
standing the oost-that of some seven
thousand dollars-the Railroad Com.
pany stands ready to carry out its
part, that of sinking the pipe. He
thinks Council overestimates the bur
den entailed in undertaking to fill up
the canal. He feels sure that the Rail.
road Company will give the Borough
all the time it wants, if ten years or
longer. By cooperating in this way,
beginning, with square each side of
Mill street, one small section of the
old water way at a time could be OBJ
liberated aud constant source of
trouble aud annoyance removed for
all time.
Mr.. Ray said he could confidently
say that if the old canal is ever filed
up it will have to be done by the Bor-
ough. There is no reason why the
railroad people should be anxious to
have it filled up. As owners they
will clean it ont; they will stop the
drainage of sewage and other impur-
tiles into it, but they will not fill it
up.