The Detroit times., 1913-11-15
CONFERENCE ON
SEWER SQUABBLE
WITHOUT RESULT
Detroit, Highland Park and State
Officials Discuss Situation
No Action Taken
MATTER COMES UP
AGAIN NEXT TUESDAY
City Shows No Disposition to
Yield to Demands of Village
For Outlet

DIR. Z. l.. Dixon, secretary OF the
State Board Of Health. attended q
OF the members Of the coun-
Gil sew er committee and the officials
OF Highland Park village, In the may
or's once, Friday noon, and explain
ed the position Of the state board In
reference to the sewer controversy
between the village and Detroit
Dr. Dixon announced that the men,
bers of the board had agreed unani'
mously on the necessity of giving
Highland Park village sewer outlet
the Morrell-st sewer, and
stated that he had been instructed
by the board to draw up an order
outlining the plan. The order Will %
served on the city II friendly agree
ment cannot be reached wnen the
matter is again taken up in the regu'
lar meeting OF the sewer committee'
next Tuesday morning.
The proposed Highland Park sew
err connection Is one OF the most I'M
portant sanitation problems that the
state board has had TO deal with
said DR.. Dixon. 1t Is the policy Oh
the board to handle such matters &C.
cording to the best judgment Of the
members. backed up by the desire Oh
the municipalities. There Is no dif'
ference between engineers on the ne
cessity OF Highland Park having an
adequate sewer system As Tar "a
the legal relations between the VIII
lage and the city are concerned, the
board has taken the judgment Of the
attorneys In the matter and the ad'
vice of the encouragement.
The board Is not anxious to issue
an order to compel the city to give
the village sewer connecticut Is
not the policy Of the board TO settle
differences between municipalities
We have covered the ground
thoroughly and are convinced that the
village must have an outlet, and the
MeFFell-st- connection Is the most
practicable. II Is an absolute neceS
sity from an engineering standpoint
10 traverse the city. We have heard
no arguments against the scfenuhs
reasoning of this plan."
Corporation Counsel lawson asked
DR.. Dixon II 1t would not be possible
TO take care of the village sewage
without dumping 1t into the city'i
sewer system. which he said Is al
ready sadly overloaded.
Professor William G. Hoad, OF the
engineering. department at the Uni
versity OF Michigan, who was employ
ed by the village to assist In solving
the sewer problem, answered the cor
pOration counsel.
1T is possible to purify the sew
age" he said But the cost OF doing
so would be a tremendous burden
on the village. and there would be
possibility OF communicating the city's
water supply. as the refuse would
have to drain into Connor's creek
which is above the water works In
take. The best plan would be a sep
arate system to carry the storm water
into the creek, the sewage continuing
to flow into the Woodward-ave
sewer"
Attorney Alfred Lucking said that
while he was nominally representing
the village In the controversy, he was
employed by Henry Ford, president o.
the Ford Motor Co.
This giant plant has been at times
compelled to suspend operation be
cause of floods due to an inadequate
sewer system said Mr.. Lucking. 1--WE
are asking for immediate relief. An
nexation Is two years away. I dont
think you gentlemen ought to resist
the appeal OF the Ford company which
lis pouring thousands OF dollars into
the city every day"
James Couzens. secretary OF the
Ford Motor Co, and president of the
Detroit Board of Commerce. suggest
ed That the city give the village thu
right to connect with the Morrell-st
sewer and use II until such time as
the city may require the entire ca
pacity OF the new sewer, the village
paying for a proportionate share ol
the cost of constructing the sewer IN
return for the privilege Of using II.
I'VE are willing to gamble with Won
that Detroit will not require the en-
tire capacity OF the Morrell-st. sewer
for many years to come" said MIR
Couzens.
City Engineer Mccormick argued
that the sewer would be taxed to Its
full capacity in very short time.
Aid. Vernor's suggestion that the
village secure from the city right-of
way to construct sewer outlet Of
its own to the river, was turned down
by the villagers because of the tire
mendous cost of construction.
you have no right to connect with
our system and no court or board
can give you that right" said the al
derman. Our sewer system IL oul
own. and as long ae we maintain Il
properly. I challenge the authority o.
the state board of health to interfere
with us. The legislature ought Il
pass a law prohibiting villages from
locating within Ave miles Of the city
limits. Land promoters incorporate
villages adjoining the city. bond q
to the limit, and then the city hai
TO take over the territory. bonds and
ALL"
Il was evident throughout the dis
cussion that there Is little hope Of ar
amicable settlement between the city
and the village. II the council re
fuses TO obey the order OF the state
Yoard to allow the connection, the
matter will be taken into the courts
Mayor Marx took no part in the dis
cussion.