The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-04-25
OUR PRESENT SEWER
SYSTEM IS DEFENDED
BY zALMON COODSELL
Citicizes Herring System, With its Double
Sets Of Sewers in Illuminating Com
r1uniCati0n to Common Council

Hon. ZaImon GoodselI has transmit
ted to the Common Council the fol-
lowing communication In which he
Of city money to adopt the Herring
plan for q system Of sewers. The
statement was received by the coun-
Gil. last night. and will receive the
most careful attention Of Its men,
bers. Mr.. Goodsen says:
To the Honorable Common Council Of
the City OF Bridgeport:
Gentlemen
I notice that the sewer requirements
suggested In the plan formulated by a
committee OF the Bridgeport Board OF
Trade (of which the late Mr.. Nathan
Tel Wheeler was chairman), some
twenty years ago, have been changed
into . modified form in connection
with the Herring System
IT is also stated that under this
changed form, an issue of 100000 OF
bonds, will be all that Is needed to
begin operations with for the first
two years.
I questioned Mr.. Herring when here,
and he could not locate one city Of
using this system. He mentioned
Manhattan. Where does the COMPARE
son between New York and Bridgeport
start and end?
Also the Back Bay District Of Bos-
ton. which was low lying ground, and
reclaimed by filling, where pumping
Of sewerage was a necessity.
Also Providence which is located at
the head Of Providence River. The
conditions are entirely different from
ours.
Also Baltimore, where they are
planning to purchase oyster beds, that
win be damaged by sewerage, at a
cost Of millions of dollars.
Not one OF these cases or others
mentioned in his sewer book is similar
to present conditions in Bridgeport.
If Hering's system should be finally
completed in Bridgeport of which
believe this plan is a forerunner, 1t
VIII necessitate the FORGETTING of the
sewer outlets on our water front al
ready ours by right Of possession. II
this should prove true, this will annual
The rights which now belong to the
city. Then, Bridgeport would be
obliged to pay millions of dollars for
damage to owners of oyster grounds.
Whereas. damages against the city
would be q hard matter to prove at
the present time.
The conditions in our city are vastly
different from those mentioned by Mr..
Herring. He mentions cities from
three hundred thousand to five hun
bred thousand population, all of which
are very much contracted in regard to
water front. Whereas measuring our
various inlets, Bridgeport has from
twelve to fifteen miles of water front.
The dilution of sewerage from the
present sewer outlets in 50 large a
body Of water must be almost infini-
tesimal In polluting effects, which
should result In almost perfect sani-
tary conditions
The Herring system was a plan and
report made by him as requested by a
committee. The committee signed the
report and presented the same to a
FORMER Board Of Aldermen. This for
mer Board Of Aldermen laid the whole
matter on the table as being too large
a proposition to entertain.
No part Of Herring system is needed
in Bridgeport for the next twenty-five
years. BY that time, many other
methods will be in use. and all mat
ters pertaining to sanitation will prob
ably be perfected to a degree. that will
discount present methods.
i believe the 800. 900 of bonds pro-
posed, are simply an entering wedge.