East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-11-09
Unless Pendleton Complies
With State Law Regarding
Sewage Injunction Coming.
DIR. M'NARY GIVES FRANK
ADVICE TO TAXPAYERS
State Officials Have Given
Due Warning and Are Now
Impatient Over Delays.

Failure ON the part of the taxpayers
of PeRdleton to authorize construction
of septic plant at the coming election
on November 81 to take care Of the
sewage of the city will Undoubtedly
result in action being taken by the
state board of health to secure an in
junction against the city to restrain II
from dumping waste into the Umatilla
river. This statement was made last
night by DIR, w. ID. McNary, superin-
tendent OF the Eastern oregon Hos
pital for the Insane and vice president
of tho city planning commission, In a
speech which he made before about 80
men who met In the courtroom on In
vitation of members OF the X Club.
That he personally had done every
thing in his power to stall off such ac-
ton by the state during the past 10
years was statement of DR.. McNary,
who Is a member OF the state board OF
health. He declared that the board
has demonstrated time after time
against the illegal method OF the mti-
nicipality of dlsposlng of Its sewage
and that he had used his Influence to
defer any action by the board on the
promise that the municipality would
take action to improve conditions
within the coming year"
That the patience of the board is
about exhausted and that failure Of
the taxpayers to show their good faith
IN wanting to observe the state law by
then Notes in this election will be a
signal for the board of health to seek
an injunction against the municipal.
ity was another statement made by tho
speaker.
Puts Up Issue.
Replying to criticisms OF previous
speakers who had declared that
bond issue of s125,00O was excessive
for purchase Of IA site and for the con.
struction thereon of septic plant. Dr..
McNary declared that the whole issue
could he put into one proposition:
THE question is whether you arc
willing to trust your mayor and coun-
Gil, your representatives in the man
agen,ent of municipal business. with
$25,OO more than they may need to
carry this project through to compile
ton, he declared, trace of sarcasm
being discernible In his tones. '1t Is
always safe 10 assume that an engi-
neers or an architects estimate will
run from 25 to SO per cent lower than
the actual cost. VIII you trust your
council with enough above the initial
estimate so they may be able to fin
ish the plant II, as Is to DO expected.
the estimate proves so low that tho
completion will be impossible II tho
BOND issue Is cut lower than It Is
now?'
Promises State Aid.
Replying to other criticisms that the
septic plant estimates arc too high.
Dr. McNary recited his experiences as
superlntnedent of the state institu.
tion.
one OF his first tasks there was the
building of a septic plant. the speaker
declared. He explained that condi-
tiohs made 1t unnecessary for the state
hospital to have as complete a Plant
ias VIII be needed by the city.
4 For our hospital We needed plant
which would serve the needs of 500
people, II was built 10 years aeo
when costs were very favorable. and
we furnished our own labor. Count
ing costs of materials and the labor
which we furnished the cost OF that
plant on the basis of the low prices OF
10 years ago was $4,000. In the light
OF my experience with that plant, II
seems to me that tho city is very for.
tunate in the price that IT will have /,
pay for Its plant"
That the city might have the aid p
the state in free labor was another
. promise OF DR.. McNary. He declare,
that many Of the patients at the hos
= pital are better off for some physlca
labor and indicated that the cit,
might have the use Of some OF this la
\ bor
Land n Good Buy.
= Several men present had interrupt
ed during the course Of the evening 4
ask If there is need OF the city pur
g chasing the tract Of about 30 acres a
+ site for the plant. In reply. tn
q speaker declared that better bu
~ probably never could be made. He re
} lated his experiences In having Ian
3 condemned during the purchase {
a some Of the holdings of the state hos
} pitai. and he said 1t usually costs 0
y lmuch to bring condemnation proceed
II ings as to buy outright.
re- The speaker declared that he va
opposed to the heating Of the wat'
Of the city natatorium and was not
~ favor of this bond issue of $4,000 b