The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-10-24
ENGINEER FURNISHES FIGURES
RLATIVE TO LAKE MORTON,

Since the condition OF the boule
ward around Lake Morton is elicitins
so much discussion just at present
perhaps few actual figures will bt
OF interest to the public.
There are three solutions OF thu
drainage problem presented for con
sideratiOn up to date. all OF whict
have both advantages and disadvan
tages. The first one naturally oe
ours to every one, and that is thu
opening up OF the old outlet to TIT
eastward. The second is the sug
gested punching hole in the bot
tom Of the lake" as one writer terse'
~ put it. The third is the draining
OF it into Lake Mirror >.
Relative to the first solution, the
characteristic march of Lakeland
progress almost eliminates it's adop-
ton. At the time this drain to tn
eastward was open about all that
existed in this direction was ponds
, bay gals and lakes. Since then
there have sprung up orange groves
truck gardens. and beautiful resi-
dental subdivisions. The releasing
o. water in any quantity continually
IN this direction would inevitably
iliundate this area with the conse-
luent expensive litigation.
The deep well solution, while rcas-
onably practicable from an engineer
ing standpoint, has the grave objec.
ton OF possibly polluting the waite:
supply. AS the purity of our water
supply is one of our proudest assets
this solution Of the problem seems
! out Of the question
The third solution seems to sue
cessfully meet all OF the objections
, to the first two The water level Oi
Lakes Morton and Mirror is normal
~ the same. But during periods OF
high water Lake Morton with NJ
outlet inevitably rises, while Lake
Mirror. which has an outlet remains
! practically at the same level As cy-
4 cry one knows, Their, is 4 natural dc.
! preston between the two lakes. by
putting in a drain pipe along this
depression al the normal level OF
both lakes. The level Of Lake Morton
would automatically maintain tsc'!
., a constant elevation.
TO set down to actual figures, by
\ following the course Of the proposed
sewers from the lake to Lime street
eastward on Lime street to Il poiat
OppOSit, the lowest point of the de-
preston, and then directly acres
( lots to Orange street and on 10 LAX
Mirror would require 100 feet 81
pipe. The city has already installad
500 feet of pipe from Orange to Lake
Mirror that could be utilized by sim
ply lowering il to the ncccasa!>
grade The maximum depth of en-
reached would be sixteen feet, wit
an average depth of 1915 feet. As
suming the unit prices submitted 70.
similar cuts for the sewerage and de-
Quoting for the 800 feet of pipe Al
ready on hand. it would cost in
round figures $l,4OO complete
Should it be decided to pro rate
this cost among the abutting prop
erty owners on Lake Morton. "
have the following figures:
Total private frontage on the lake
1868 feet
Total street frontage, 76S feet
uTdHu lOldI ITOHldS', b,foI w
This frontage divided into the to-
tai cost would mean an assessment
o. 25.S cents per front foot, tOtallin :
$.,2O2 to be met by property owner
and $l9S by the city.
These figures give those interested
something definite on which TO wOr (
and IL they will be of any assistant
in reducing the lake back to the
beautiful assets it should be, We will
feel amply repaid for the time ami
effort spent in compiling them.
n. ID. MENDENHALl.,