The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1908-10-20
BIC MPROVEMENI
IS CONTEMP[AT
1t Is Now Proposed to Install a
Great Storm Sewer
System.
OF IMMENSE BENEFIT
TO RESIDENTS OF CITY
Half Million Dollars Required
to Get the Work Well
Under Way.

! City Engineer Louis C. Kelsey was In
structed by the city council Monday
night to prepare plans for and estimates
| OF the cost OF the largest single public
Improvement ever undertaken In the his
tory OF Salt Lake City-a storm sewer
! system.
Mr.. Kelsey estimates that at least n
haf million dollars Will be needed to
start the gigantic Improvement with.
LOW much more VIII be necessary TO
complete II is mere speculation at this
distance. II will take the city engineer
ing department all winter 20 build the
plans for the immense lmprovemcnt and
FORM anything like accurate estimates as
TO the cost. and IT will be u year or so
Deiore the system can be installed COM
plcte-
The plan is TO divide the city into dis
tricts aud assess the property In each
district for the cost of establishing and
maintaining the system. In this way the
the storm sewers viii be made To stand
the cost Of such advantage. II has been
suggested that part of the expense be
PAID by the assessment OF special tax
against the property benefited and the
remainder from the general fund. AS the
system would benefit the whole city 10
some extent this plan is finding many ad-
vocates,
Tax Can Be Levied
There was some fear at first that under
not be assessed against the property for
thls purpose and that the legislature
night in have 70 be appealed 10 TO change
CITY Attorney ii. ]. Dininny. in an opin-
ION submitted TO the council Monday
night, removed this fear. IN his opinion
the present law. section 279 OF the re-
vised statutes OF 1898. providing for the
,evying by council of u special or local
tax ior the purpose Of constructing. re-
pairing. extending sewers and drains,
~ n f...st tasl
situated in the district in which the I'm
provcments are TO he made and for the
beneht OF the property In that district.
is sufficient, and no new legislation will
be needed to proceed TO the establishing
Of the storm sewers.
The establishing of the system Will re-
.ieVe a CRYING need for relief to the ncrtE
bench and the cast side from the over
How from heavy rains. and 1t is planned
10 begin the work there and extend IL
rs far as Nlnth South street The pres
ent sewers, only eight inches I'm diameter.
are entirely inadequate 10 carry off the
waters from the heavy rains. and yards
and lawns are flooded by the overflow.
which leaves thick coat Of mud sand
up lawns annd yards. and covering them
with mud. the overllows always cover ,
The streets with slime and the city has |
been pat 20 thousands OF dollays OF ex-
lense IN removing the filth. The pro- !
posed storm sewer system viii relieve !
his entirely. * is claimed
Details Of System.
From only i few inches in diameter
!; the uppernost end, the system Will |
'anSe 10 seven or eight feet al the lower,
/ system OF gradatlCn being adopted To
'sccrta!n the size OF the pipe needed 10
AIRY Off the water at the different
POINTS In the system 1t Will be necessary
o ascertain the area TO be drained and
he maximum rainfall in this area At
he upper end of the system a pIpe onlv
welve or rlfteen inches in diameter viii
,e OF sufficient capacity 10 carry away
ne water. even in the heaviest rains I
mt at the lower end, near Ninth South .
treet, pipe large enough for q man 10
tand erect in VIII be needed, Mr.. KELSEY
ays.
Even the storm sewers will not car,.v
II the sand. gravel and mud that may
ccuInulate IN them. owing To the Insult
cheney OF pressure, but to alleviate this
lthcu!ty The system will be provided
nth catch basins FOR the debris from
'nlch The mud and other matter NAV be
aiken with ease and dispatch and little
Hpense, after the waters have subsidized,
According 10 Mr.. Kelsey r. is ONLY q
uestion OF time until storm sewer svs~
en- VIII be an absolute necessity In Salt
axe City. The engineering Department
10 get out the plans and form tho
on the system at It's leisure
'om other pressing work but there Is 10
. 10 delay, as the need for the proposed |
is too crying. This is em
hasiZed in the scores Of complaints TO th.,
ouncil from property owners In the
ortheastern and eastern part of the CITY
SKIING for relief from the overflow OF |
orlns from the north bench. ,