The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1906-03-16
WHY CITY NEEDS A SEWER
NORFOLK is NOW AT THE PART
ING OF THE WAYS.
PROGRESS OR DEATH AHEAD

His Views Regarding the Sewerage
Project Small Cost to Each Man
Each Vear-health Vital.
Norfolk. March ~ Editor Nows:
It is not desired In this article to ap-
peal to any partisan or tactionnl feel.
ing but rather to call upon the pa.
triOtism of the good people of our city
who take pride in It's present and fu
! turC welfare,
The law under witch the PROPOSE
| tiOn to vote sewer bonds has been
submitted. provides there shall be n
| systCm Of sowcr mains for which city
bonds may ho voted, aud a lateral sya
tenn of sewers dIschnrgng into the
mains, the cost OF which is paid by
the property benefited, In accordance
with this most excellent law, the may.
or and council have adopted plans pre-
pared by Mr.. Andrew RosCwntor for
II complete system of sewers for the
| city, including n main and lateral sys.
| tenn. The location of these main sCw-
Crs and the streets travcrscd thereby
can best he known by consulting the
map prepared by Mr. Roscwator now
in possession of the city council The
location of the lateral districts, while
suggested by MIR ROscwator, may
stll be changed by the city officials
as may best be suited to the public
need, but the expense viii be the same
| An al In a iui ri lpt
each lot paying It's proportlonntc
share The cost of these lntcrnls,
which will he from Go cents to S5
cents per front foot, may be paid in
the first assessment Of the property,
or may be divided so as to be paid in
installmcnts extending over several
years as may be provided for by the
ordinance. When the main system Is
built, It will be entirely optional with
the residents of any given section OF
| the city whether or not they have
their property made into n lateral dis
trct and have latcrals constructed,
but a petition to the council signed
by the owners Of the majority OF the
lots in given section will bring lat
erals ready for connection.
II Is believed that with the prcscn.
tatiOn of the sewer question Norfolk
stands at the parting of the ways, and
it's up to our people to say whether
they propose to let their town stag
nate and 90 backward or whether they
are in favor Of progress and improve
mcnts There may be some parts of
the city. upon the higher ground, that
could get along without sewers for
some time, but the fifth from surface
closets and ccsspools Is gradually i'm
prcgnating the soil and cndangcrlng
the health of the whole city. Malaria
and typhoid fever, which in the past
have afflicted the city, are without
doubt due to unsantary conditions.
Sanitation Is an exact science; sick.
ness follows u0hcalthful surroundings
as surely MS night follows day.
The limit of taxation under the law
to pay interest and provide for sink,
ing fund for $4,000 sewerage bonds is
not to exceed mills. That means
the payer who owns 81 900 of taxable
property, including his home, assessed
at One-hfth valuation, taxable value
5000, has but to pay 80 cents a year
sewerage tax. This Is, in any event
a mere trinc compared with the OK.
pense of maintaining cess pools and
surface closets. The total amount OF
taxes that would be produced by a 4
mills levy in the city at its present
valuation, would be 5000
Vastly more than this amount Is ex
pended every year in labor which a
sewerage system would do away with
At least Is per cent Of the cost OF
putting in the sewerage system would
be paid out in wages and would cir
culate in our community, stimulating
business of all kinds, besides the mon
buildings and enterprises that would
be encouraged by a good sewerage
system.
AS has been seen by the published
statements, the bonded Indebtedness
of our city Is far below the average
city Of our class, and not nearly the
figure permitted by law.
| Let me repeat, NOTIOlk StdnuS JOudS
at the parting of the ways, and 1t Is
up to our people 10 say whether the
coming season shall be one of re
markable prosperity, plenty of work
for every one, and consequent gooC
business, or a continuance of tha
which has marked the past few years
devoid of public improvements.
To expect Norfolk TO become a rap
idly growing, hustling city withou
sewerage, is absolutely hopeless. No
to vote the necessary bonds to carr!
out this project would be a withhold
= ing that tendeth to poverty"
. Even geographical advantage cal
not overcome the lack of public enter
prise, and Norfolk must be up to dat
if she would continue to hold the pc
sition of the foremost city of north