Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-07-04

ing to the lack of sufficient data upon which to base even an approXi-
 mate idea of the costs of the two plans touched upon, This lack of data, We have been personally advised, has deterred the rest of the firms from
 submitting figures.
 At it's meeting tonight only small attendance of the committee was had, and it was decided to request our newspapers to publish Mir Miller's re- port. and the committee has adjourned until Monday, July 10, at D. m. at the chamber of commerce, at which time it is hoped that every member of the committee will be present in order that line of recommendations may be drafted for submission to 8 mass meeting of the people of Pine Bluff, which will be called very soon after the last named date"
 Tie Miller Report.
 The report of the Mii,er Engineer ing company is as follows:
 Little Rock, Ark, June l, 1916. Nh. J. E. Boyce, chairman Flood Committee of Fifteen, Pine Bluff Arkansas.
 "Dear Nh. Boyce:
 "fhis report refers to the flood sit uation at Pine Bluff, and necessarily will deal with the matter in a general and approximate way only, because the data in my hands is not sufficient to permit q thorough analysis of the situation. l expect to depart some what from the general form of en- gineerlng reports, because preliminary to solving the engineering features of your sltuat1on you must make care ful study of the economical necessity for the work and figure out ways to
 bring about it's accomplishment, as well as call attention to matters that might operate to prevent clear con-
 slderation of the matter, because, as
 a rule, the engineering features are the simplest ones to solve.
 "With respect to the collection of necessary data: l find that you have failed to make provision for securing the same--ln few words, it seems that you are asking your local en-
 gineers to furnish this material with out providing for the necessary ex- pense attached thereto. Your local engineers are entirely competent to do this work, and, I find, willing to give their personal time, in fact, they have been doing so to a large extent, but it is unfair to ask them to bear the burden of the expenses Ordinarily very small) that are attached to such work.
 Opposition Problematical. 1 While 1 have been over the ground, there has not been time to ascertain | fully the local situation with respect to opposition to the movement on the | part of members of the committee itself. 1 refer to the difficulty of making progress when you are obliged to work out details with such a large body, and would suggest the ad- visibility of appointing a subcommit- tee of not more than three of your
 members to work up this matter, be-
 cause committee of 15 is too large 1 to act further than in an advisory
 capacity.
 "There are a number of problems to
 be worked out, and particularly the question as to whether or not it is worth while to place flood protection
 works, or to what extent they should be placed. This means careful ap-
 praisement of the flood damages at different stages of the river, coupled with the record of river stages, show
 ing how often and how much the terri tory will be flooded; then given the approximate costs of the necessary
 work, you have the data upon which to base reliable opinion.
 The Sewer Outlets.
 "ln connection with the flood pro- tection, there is problem which, al- though not directly part of this committees work, must necessarily be considered, but it would seem by the city itself; in fact, this work should have been started some time ago, be- cause under present conditions it means an absolute menace to the health of the city. I refer to the outlet of the sanitary sewers. The one at Louisiana street discharges at present during low water season into stagnant pool, or upon sandbar, forming an open cess pool within a very few blocks of the business cen ter. Fortunately, frequent floods during the past year, also a certain amount of septic action, have operated to lessen the seriousness of this sit uation. Failure thus far to get after this trouble vigorously must be due to a misunderstanding of the serious ness of the situation. It is now a matter of simply doing something, and absolutely providing the necessary funds therefor, to make the situation safe at the earliest possible date.
 "Boyd's Point has since about the year 1908 caved back over 200 feet, and there seems to be much likelihood that this progressive movement will continue so that before long the sani- tary sewer now discharging at Florida street will have it's outlet obstructed also. As was clearly set out in the report which was published in the Pine Bluff Commercial of April 8, 1916. there are several plans that can he followed in taking care of this sewage, and the matter should be thoroughly worked up. In general, you could combine these two sewers and continue them in single one fur ther down stream where they would continue 10 discharge by gravity; then, during high-water periods, pumping system could be constructed to take care of the situation.
 "Another plan would be to combine these two sewers at the location of 41D =,