The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-04-25

It means twenty times 500, 900 in the
next twenty years, before that time
the pumping system would be the nat
ural sequence. For instance, the two
pumping stations proposed by his
plan aud a small automatic station at
the West End do not begin to meet
the requirements. If any part of the
pumping machinery breaks down
Chere being no record against such
conditions), and 1T should take a week
or more to repair the same, during
that time what is to become Of the
enormous accumulation Of sewerage.
unless two sets of pumping machinery
are provided? This doubles the first
estimate of cost OF these pumping
stations. These stations will require
three shifts Of men each twenty-four
hours. This will call for six engin-
GERS, six firemen, and six helpers for
permanent duty. This being so. there
tainance. added to the proposed plan,
which with interest on the principal
and fixed charges would be an almost
unbearable expense upon all taxpayers
both rich and Door alike.
Mr.. Herring predicts that the city
will lose $1,000 900 in poorly constructed
sewers in ten years, If the city contin-
ues to build sewers in the next ten
years the same as in the past ten
years. This is very misleading
statement, to say the least. He bas-
ing the statement upon the city sewer
expenditures during the past nineteen
and half years.
We find that from April 1. 1906, to
April 1, 1910, eighty-four sewers have
been connected with Thompson and
Lindley streets, Maplewood and Will
mot avenues trunk sewers, which are
not finished. The other sixty-two
sewers have been Connected with other
completed trunk sewer lines, showing
a continuous use of the old and new
lines. These laterals are doing good
service and in no manner or form
can they be called hodgepodse or hap
hazard, and there is no valid reason
why they should not continue to serve
the purpose for which they were plan
ned and constructed for an indefinite
period.
The cost Of these eighty-four sewers
Is approximately $157 900. or less than
$4,000 for year. If the same condi-
tions continue, 1t would only average
about 100000 for ten years, a differ
ence of only 100000 in Mr.. Herings
statement, with no loss for bad con-
struction to the city.
This viii show that during the past
nineteen and a half years, most all
of our new trunk sewer systems have
been partially built, besides miles Of
laterals, and not one OF these sewers
can b ecalled failures. They have,
and are all meeting the demands made
upon them IN every section of the city,
except few spots which can easily
be remedied.
This expenditure during the last
four years was not spent to extend
the original sewer system as planned,
but was spent mostly for small later
ais on side streets where urgently
needed, or In the partial destruction Of
trunk sewers already under way until
rebuilt. This would not be called a
loss because they are being used
Surface water sewers have never
been used in Bridgeport and If special
conditions arise they can be easily
arranged for. Combination sewers
are more expensive to build. AS dou-
BILE ditching is required; besides the
streets in the city are and will be
taken up with water. gas, electric
light, and telephone conduits, and dou-
BILE trolley trackage, and probably
telegraph conduits in the future, with
other conditions which we cannot for
see.
We have grown to a city Of 100, 900
inhabitants without surface water
sewers, and if they should be finally
added they leave the main sewers
without means of flushing which in
my Judgment makes for sanitation
and cleansing of sewers at the pres
e tntime.
Otherwise sewers for domestic and
other purposes without means for
flushing, must concentrate denser
sewer gases These confined sewer
gases under stronger pressure wher-
ever there is faulty plumbing fixtures,
or connections with piazza roof con-
ductors without traps, or bad breaks
in the sewer pipes, with the risk to
human life in cleaning and opening up
of sewers, will create conditions where
diseases must become a greater source
of danger to the present good health
of the community.
As / analyze the Herring system,