Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-12-21
INTERVIEW With
DIVISION ENGINEER


the d. L. & W. Railroad, met with
some representatives. of the Borough
in this city yesterday for the purpose
Of seeing in what wav the municipal.
ity and the Railroad Comapny might
| cooperate to bring about an abate-
ment OF the nuisance Of bad drainage.
which makes the bottom of the old
canal, owned by the ID. l.. S5 w. peo-
pie. very Objectionable and IL menace
TO the public health.
The conference lasted for nearly two
hours, with Engineer Ray on one
side and Engineer Keefer and Coun-
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
j n the premises and the members of
council making clear their attitude,
which showed an unsltersble opposi-
tiOn to the proposition so much dis
oussed-that the Borough fill up the
canal, after the D. L. q W. Company,
at its own expense, sinks Pipe along the
bottom
Several of the Borough representa-
tives were interviewed, who stated
that nothing had been accomplished
and that things stood practically
where they were before. These facts
were borne out by al interview with
Engineer Ray at the Montour House,
although the fa3c was clearly revealed
that the ID. L. e ". people do not
wish tC maintain a nuisance in our
town and now that the filliug up prop
ositiou has fallen through will pro-
oeed to remedy the evil on new bas-
is.
Mr.. Rav said that he was not in
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 notice will be served on the
Institution forthwith to discontinue
the practice. The same will hold good
in the Borough, where several indus
tries make the canal receptacle for
their waste matter and individuals
make it a common dumping ground
! The engineer related how during a
brief visit TO Danvlile last summer he
oberved a mau, presumably in bust
ness near by, dumping several bucket
fuls of the most disgusting looking
filth right over the SINE of Mill
street culvert into the canal. Such
practices are only too common. The
canal company will adopt some pTac.
ticahle means ot dealing with offend
ers in the Borough as we'll as outside,
who pOlIute the canal; and rs the re-
| suit of it all the engineer foresees a
much better state of affairs as pertains
to the old water way for next summer
Mr.. Ray understands that the prop
| osition to fill up the canal came pri-
marily from the Board of Trade and
was never in favor with council new
ertheless he thinks it perfectly feas-
| ible plan and is sure that notwith-
standing the Gost-that of some seven
thousand dollars-ths Rai!rOad Com
! pany stands ready to carly 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 time could be OBJ
| liberated and a constant source of
trouble aud annoyance removed for
all time
Mr.. Ray said he could confidently
! say that If the old canal is ever filled
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 filed up. As owners they
will clean it out; they will stop the
drainage of sewage and other impur-
tiles into it, but they will not fill it
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