New Britain herald., 1914-07-08
THE SEWER QUESTION.

It has been known for some time that the sewer beds in Berlin were not working satisfactorily, that the board of public works was making an investigation as to what might be done totimprove them and have them perform the work for which they were originally designed. It is being said that the soil in Berlin is not suitable for filtration purposes. that 1t newer was and that the beds should ncverA have been located there, but Expert Gray, who built sewers in Paris aGermany and Cuba, and who was in ethe employ of the govern- ments of>those places as sewer ex- pert, saidfit was. said 1t under oath before a legislative committee in Hastford and the most persistent in- quiry on the part of astute lawyers in cross-examination could not shake his faith& or lessen the value Of his Testimony Test pits had been dug m various ,parts of the land, were dlled with water and 1t disappeared within the required time, satisfying him that the soil was suitable for the R~ sor> A. |use 1t. The land at the. time of tho |heartng. however, was covered with water and when Mir. Gray was asked if land in that condition was suitable for filtration purposes he replied in the negative. He did not know then the land referred ito was the land the city proposed to use for sewer pur- poses,; but Ahe returned to the wit ness stand the following morning ana. said that the9ground was frozen and that accounted for so much water on Inc surface. He said that would not occur if filter beds were established there because there was certain warmth in sewage which would pre- vent freezing ito such -an extent as to Interfere with filtration. The city was given the right to occupy the land, he beds were constructed, the double ystem of caring4for the sewage was built, and the cityfpaid out over half
 million dollars flor the improve- nent. It does notpseem possible that t will cost $400,OOO more to put hem in condition to do the work for Which they were designed, yet that eems to be, the opinion of the mayor backed up. hessays, by the advice of
 noted sewers expert.
 It has been claimed that for- Ign substance, from the factories, in which there is considerable iron. Is urned into the sewer and that 1t Is his substance that clogs up the beds. revents them from operating satis- actoriiy and that~so long as this sub- tance Is turned into the sewer just long will there be trouble at the eds in Berlin. Just how that con- ition can be obviated Is difficult to
 
 etermine because the sewer is for he accommodation Of all, factories we'll as dwellings, and 1t is going make it annoying if situation has r,een in which the factories are to . subtected. to any further expense nd the sewer system is defective in ny way. The mayor is empowered nder the, charter to make such rec lamentations to the council as he nav see fit in regard to city matters, nd it is evidently in accordance with his power that he proposes to send
 special message to the council this vening on this particular question ,he matter is primarily one to be landed by the board of public works nat department is in charge of the ewer work, has had the matter
 question under consideration for ome time, and has had plan in lew by which an expenditure of ap- roximately s7o, 900 will provide