The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-11-07
MODIFIED PLAN MERELY WEDGE TO GET THREE MILLION OF
 UNNECESSARY EXPENDITURE

conditions in Providence where, with over double the population of the city of Bridgeport, the total sewage of not only the city of Providence but the city of Worcester also was empt1ed into the Providence River at the head of navigation, which river is from two to three hundred feet wide, which does not compare in size with the main channel running through our city. have also called attention to the city of Boston. showing that from four to five hundred thousand of its popula- tion at the present time are using the combined sewer system, and the san- itary system which is gradually be- ing installed there, was principally for the low lying ground in the Back Bay District. The city of New York with 5000, GOO of inhabitants, uses the com bined system. In regard to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington and New Or leans, I have no personal knowledge of their sewer systems, but when you analyze the size of the population of all these cities, their locations and sur- roundings, there is not one Of these cities that has, in any manner, re- mote comparison to our population in size, location, surroundings, or water front, with large bodies of water to sewer into.
 The city of Bridgeport will stand 8 favorable comparison with any other city in the United States as to loca- tion for natural sewage by gravitation into large bodies of salt water, and ev- cry unbiased engineer will agree to the above statement.
 The Ordinances of the city or Bridgeport are so drawn in the inter ests of sanitary plumbing, that every fixtures installed in a building must have separately ventilated pipes ex- tended out through the roofs of build ings. This calls for from one to twen- 1o%i %iy,rr v,fr fn T< v,to in ca building according to its size.
 These thousands of ventilating stacks are like so many chimneys con- nected with the main trunk and lat eral sewers in the streets of our city, drawing all the gases from said sewers and exhausting the same high in the air. TlAI of itself, has a great deal to do with the avoidance or concentra- tion of sewer gas in large quantities in any part of our sewer system.
 The Herring system will not provide adequately for present and future needs of the city.
 Much More Expensive.
 It is not adapted to present require ments, nor can it easily be used with comparatively small additional ex- pense, when it becomes necessary to pump our sewage into the Sound or carry it to filtration beds.
 It is very much more expensive than 
 the past.
 It affords no better means of getting somewhere than our present plan does.
 The Scofield plan works towards a definite end instead of being Init or miss affair.
 Under the scofeld plan, it is reason ably certain that the annual cost Of building sewers will be at least one- tenth less than the Herring plan would cost.
 They respectfully ask that "imme- diatee action be taken by your Board to put into effect this plan that the city may be given adequate sewage facilities.
 This request to hasten action upon the acceptance of the Herring sewer system by your Board that adequate sewer facilities may be given the city at the earliest possible time, is very unusual request to make. Of a Leg1sla- tive Body. Especially so, when you consider that during the last five years, (since this sewer subject was first broached) our present sewer sys- 1 tenn has met all demands made upon it and will continue to meet the same demands, for the next ten and twenty years in the same. manner. It is still more unusual for business men to advocate haste in the expendi- ture of millions of dollars, not their own, but other peoples money, first by burying this money out of sight; second by wasting it for purposes not the citys credit, and finally after spending these vast sums of money, leaving the sewer conditions of our city in such a state 9s to be public disgrace, besides adding an annual outlay of $20O, ,00O to the burden of our tax payers, in order that this propos- ed new sewer plan may be kept in working order
 They state that "Mr. Herring needs They state that 'tMer Herring needs no defense from us. his ability is rec ogized by engineers, though Bridgeport special education, who deem them selves better judges"
 MT. Hering's ability as an engineer has not been questioned
 MT. Herring was employed by com- mittee to draw new sewer plans for would have been pleased to have taken the same order.) These new sewer plans have been criticized as unca1led for an entirely unnecessary and not fitted or needed for a city located as Bridgeport is, bordering on Long Isl- and Sound with ample sewer facilities already provided.
 Because of this opposition to and criticism of these new and unneces- sary sewer plans. they state Bridge port seems possessed of gentlemen without special education.''
 This statement was signed by thir- teen Bridgeport citizens, presumably if not professedly of special education, because we differed from and could not agree to support their opinions. We are, therefore, publicly advertised as being without special education, be- cause we oppose the Herring sewer system, which is almost positive proof of our inability to realize or analyze or understand what we write or ar- que upon the subject.
 We feel somewhat abashed to have our lack of special education and our shortcomings so thoroughly advertised to our home people. We hardly de- serve such public exposure, and can think of no way to correct the infer ences the people may draw as to our educational deficiencies, with such ov- empowering evidences Chat of the thir- teen Bridgeporters of special educa- tion) against us.
 If our home people will but give us credit for small amount of com mon sense, we must regretfully plead guilty to the lack of special educa- tion." If it be admissible for one lacking special education to antagon- ize the Herring sewer plan, is it admis- sable for others also lacking special education to commend it? The differ ence is in quantity only.
 We must, of necessity, keep on stat ing our objections to the Herring sys- tenn, believing in the end that honest convictions will overcome any preju- dice in the minds of the members of