‘VO c^. I ■ 
 
 MPRIMTED REPORT OF 1895, SENT TO 
 GOVERNOR AND GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 
 
 A REPORT AND HISTORY OF THE 
 DISPOSAL OF THE SEWAGE 
 
 OF’ THE 
 
 Southern Indiana 
 
 # 
 
 Hospital for Insane, 
 
 EVANSVILLE, INDIANA. 
 
 TO THE GOVERNOR. 
 
 $ 
 
 INDIANAPOLIS : 
 
 WM. B. BURFOED, CONTRACTOR FOR STATE PRINTING AND BINDING 
 
 1895 . 
 
BOARD OF CONTROL. 
 
 To the Hon. Claude Mai thews, Governor of Indiana 
 
 We herewith hand you a special report on the subject of the 
 disposition of the sewage of this Hospital. Our report con¬ 
 sists of the report made to you in February, 1895, on this same 
 question, with a supplementary report, dealing with the present 
 condition of our sewer line and method of disposing of the out¬ 
 put of the sewage from this Hospital. 
 
 Since 1895 there has been no improvement, but the situation 
 has become worse, as it will, in a marked degree, from year to 
 year if some relief is not afforded us by the General Assembly 
 in the passage of some measure which will cover the present 
 status of affairs. 
 
 ^ Relief can only be obtained through the General Assembly 
 as we have tried every means offered by the present statute 
 ^ without accomplishing anything. 
 
 The sewage is conveyed through the land of our neighbors, 
 along the public highway in front of residences, and finally de- 
 posited on the property of an adjacent land holder and spread 
 ^ over his grounds, creating an intolerable nuisance. The open 
 ^ ditch passes along—for some distance—one of the most public 
 thoroughfares, leading from a neighboring county into the city 
 of Evansville, and persons traveling along that thoroughfare 
 make serious complaints and appeal to us for an abatement of 
 this nuisance. 
 
 The people have been indulgent with us so far, feeling that 
 we have done all that could be expected, yet they make serious 
 threats unless relief is had from the incoming General Assem¬ 
 bly. We have promised them that such relief will be afforded 
 this winter. Many have talked of injunctions, suits for dam¬ 
 ages, fines and penalties. 
 
 We, knowing the condition of affairs, can not blame the peo¬ 
 ple if they became impatient. We have avoided such action 
 only by assuring them that the General Assembly will do some¬ 
 thing for the permanent improvement of the situation. 
 
 
CREMATORY. 
 
 The question of building a crematory was not thorough 
 vestigated by us for this purpose, owing to a decision ol 
 Attorney-General, who said the money appropriated for bui^ 
 ing a sewer could not be expended for a crematory. A firm of-’ 
 fered to build a crematory on the same plan as that used at the 
 World’s Fair, at Chicago in 1893, and to guarantee its service¬ 
 ableness for a determined period. This, however, would be a 
 constant expense to the State, annually estimated at fifteen 
 hundred dollars or more, for fuel, labor, material and chemicals. 
 We, therefore, owing to the expense of operation, and the un¬ 
 certainty of its performing what might be expected of it, have 
 hesitated to recommend the building of a crematory for this 
 purpose. 
 
 SUGGESTION. 
 
 We, without specially urging any plan or route for a sewer 
 for this Hospital, would present the following suggestion for 
 your consideration, asking that you, in your message, present 
 it for action by the General Assembly : 
 
 Let a special committee, composed of five members from 
 both branches, be appointed to consider this matter by visiting 
 the Hospital, examining the diflPerent routes proposed for a 
 sewer, conferring with the Board of Control of the Hospital, 
 consulting the members of the Board of Public Works and 
 other oflicers of the city government, and interviewing the 
 land holders living along the dilferent routes. Empower this 
 committee to formulate a bill to be presented to the General 
 Assembly, accompanied by a report from the committee, em¬ 
 bodying all the facts and points in connection with the case. 
 
 A special committee could accomplish the end desired in two 
 days’ time, as all arrangements could be made before their ar¬ 
 rival for meetings and conferences with other oflicials and ex¬ 
 amining witnesses. 
 
 This committee should be appointed early in the session so 
 that ample time might be had for presenting the matter before 
 both houses. Immediate action is what is not only needed but 
 demanded by the people. 
 
3 
 
 This question must be settled. Agitation is one of the most 
 serviceable weapons. Strong presentation of the facts, by you 
 to the General Assembly, we think, will have the desired effect. 
 
 We believe that the appointment of a special committee to 
 take charge of this matter is the only possible solution of the 
 problem, for we fear, if left to the General Committee on Be¬ 
 nevolent Institutions, that nothing will be accomplished, owing 
 to the fact that they have only a limited time allowed them, 
 and have so much of importance to attend to. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 S. B. BOYD, 
 
 J. B. WILSON, 
 
 W. L. SWORMSTEDT, 
 
 Board of Control. 
 
 December 22, 1896. 
 

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REPRINTED REPORT OF 1895, SENT TO 
 GOVERNOR AND GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 
 
 A REPOET AND PIISTOEY OF ^ITiE 
 DISPOSAL OF THE SEWAGE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SOUTHERN 
 
 Indiana Hospital for Insane, 
 
 EVANSVILLE, INDIANA. 
 
 Zo tbe Governor. 
 
 INDIANAPOLIS: 
 
 WM. B. BURFORD, CONTRACTOR FOR STATE PRINTING AND BINDING. 
 
 1895 . 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2018 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates 
 
 https://archive.org/details/reporthistoryofd1895indi 
 
THE STATE OF INDIANA, ] 
 Executive Department, > 
 February 6, 1895. j 
 
 Received by the Governor, examined and referred to the Auditor of State for 
 verification of the financial statement. 
 
 Returned by the Auditor of State, with above certificate, and transmitted to 
 Secretary of State for publication, upon the order of the Board of Commissioners 
 of Public Printing and Binding. 
 
 MYRON D. KING, 
 
 Private Secretary. 
 
 Filed in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Indiana, February 
 6, 1895. 
 
 WILLIAM D. OWEN, 
 
 Secretary of State. 
 
 Received the within report and delivered to the printer, February 6, 1895. 
 
 J. B. MAYNARD, 
 Clerk Printing Bureau. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Report of Board of Trustees.... 5 
 
 Report of Medical Superintendent to Board of Trustees. 11 
 
 Suggestions and Plans—Board of State Charities. 35 
 
 Extract of the Second Biennial Report to the Governor. 38 
 
 Report of A. B. Fitch to Board of Trustees. . 41 
 
 Report of Board of Health to Board of Public Works.... 46 
 Proposition of Board of Trustees to Board oh Public 
 
 Works. 47 
 
 Opinion of City Attorne}" to Board of Public Works. 48 
 
BOARD OF TRUSTEES’ REPORT. 
 
 Hon. Claude Matthews, Governor of Indiana: 
 
 Sir— In our present biennial report we suggested the advis¬ 
 ability of submitting a separate report conceroing the sewage 
 disposal at the Hospital. This matter is somewhat compli¬ 
 cated, and in order to give a full and comprehensive account 
 of the same it is necessary to give a history of the actions of 
 the Board from the opening of the institution. 
 
 When the institution was turned over to the custody of the 
 Trustees by the Construction Board there had been practically 
 nothing done to properly dispose of the sewage. 
 
 The original plan as contemplated by the Construction Board 
 when the Hospital was located, was to dispose of it by a sys¬ 
 tem designated as “ intermittent filtration.” This plan was 
 attempted, but the Board was soon convinced of its impracti¬ 
 cability. 
 
 As stated in our first biennial report, “ after careful consider¬ 
 ation of the subject, the Board concluded that probably the 
 most effective, economical and least offensive place for sewage 
 disposal would be to discharge it into Pigeon Creek, by a sewer 
 nearly two miles in length,” and took immediate steps to carry 
 that plan into effect. The right of way was secured and a con¬ 
 tract let. The Auditor, however, declined to pay any war¬ 
 rants for this purpose out of any appropriation at the disposal 
 of the Trustees, so the matter had to be abandoned, and the 
 right of way which had been procured lapsed because we had 
 no money to pay for it. 
 
 After it had become generally known that it was contem¬ 
 plated to construct a sewer to Pigeon Creek, a strong opposi¬ 
 tion manifested itself against it, which induced land owners to 
 decline to give us the right of way over any desirable route. 
 We were, therefore, compelled to continue to use the same im¬ 
 perfect and objectionable plan that we had been using, against 
 
6 
 
 the continuance of which the adjoining residents were enter¬ 
 ing a vigorous protest, which finally culminated in an injunc¬ 
 tion suit. 
 
 In the summer of 1891 the Board of State Charities, at the 
 instance of Grovernor llovey, looked into the matter and re¬ 
 ported to him, deprecating the proposed plan of building a 
 closed sewer to Pigeon Creek, and saying they believed that 
 the general system adopted by the Construction Board was 
 the correct one and if properly carried out would prove suc¬ 
 cessful, and in this connection recommended some change and 
 enlargement of the old system. Out of deference to the opin¬ 
 ion of the Governor and the Board of State Charities we carried 
 out their suggestions with the hope that it might solve the 
 difficulty. This, however, proved ineffectual. 
 
 These facts were set out reasonably full in our second 
 biennial report, that part of which is reproduced as an ap¬ 
 pendix. It will be observed in that report that we asked for 
 special legislation enabling us to condemn a right of way for 
 sewage purposes. By this time the opposition to conducting 
 the sewage to Pigeon Creek had become more fixed and deter¬ 
 mined, and strong influence was being used against the passage 
 of any act authorizing condemnation. 
 
 When the Senate and House Committee on Benevolent In¬ 
 stitutions, of the last Legislature, visited the institution the 
 Trustees called their attention to the entire situation. These 
 committees were waited upon by citizens, who urged it would 
 be detrimental to the health and comfort of a large number of 
 persons to have this sewer conducted to Pigeon Creek, and 
 pointed out to them that it could go to the Ohio liiver or 
 be constructed so as to connect with the system of sewers of 
 the city of Evansville. Others opposed the route to the Ohio 
 River, saying it was impracticable on account of the distance 
 and topography of the ground, and also that it would be 
 detrimental, as it would empty into the river above the city 
 water works. 
 
 There did not seem at that time to be any serious objections 
 to connecting with the city system of sewers, but it was sug¬ 
 gested that there was not sufficient fall to render this route 
 practicable. 
 
 The committee readily comprehended that the situation was 
 perplexing, and suggested, not officially, perhaps, but in a 
 
7 
 
 personal way, that the Trustees procure the services of an 
 experienced and competent civil engineer, and have him make 
 such surveys as were necessary to determine the relative merits 
 of the proposed routes, and their approximate cost, and make 
 a report to be submitted to them. Acting on this suggestion, 
 the services of Capt. A, B. Fitch, of Terre Haute, were pro¬ 
 cured, who, after looking into the situation carefully and mak¬ 
 ing such surveys as he deemed necessary, made a report and 
 submitted it in person to the committee. 
 
 Previous to this time a bill had been introduced authorizing 
 the condemnation, which would have enabled us to condemn 
 land for a right of way over either of these routes. The pass¬ 
 age of this measure was being strenuously opposed by the 
 people who opposed the Pigeon Creek route, as well as those 
 who opposed the route to the Ohio River, with a prospect of 
 its ultimate defeat. 
 
 AYhile the route to the city had been reported as feasible by 
 Captain Fitch, no arrangement had been made with the city 
 to connect with its sewers. This matter was taken up with 
 the city authorities, and the Board of Health, Board of Public 
 Works, and the Mayor, who visited the institution, looked 
 into the situation carefully, examined the route proposed by 
 Captain Fitch, and proposed that we might connect with the 
 Chestnut Street sewer from its present termination to Ken¬ 
 tucky Avenue. This seemed to be a practicable and harmo¬ 
 nious disposal of the whole affair, and the most advisable thing 
 to do. 
 
 These facts were submitted to the Committee on Benevolent 
 Institutions, and the appropriation for constructing the sewer, 
 which had been reported by the committee at a somewhat less 
 sum, was increased to ^15,000, that it might be sufficient to 
 construct a sewer on this route as estimated by Captain Fitch, 
 and also construct the extension of the Chestnut Street sewer, 
 as indicated by the city authorities. 
 
 However, it was necessary to have the pending condemnation 
 measure passed in order that we might procure the right of 
 way over this route. The parties who had been opposing the 
 passage for this purpose now urged no objections to its passage, 
 but were unwilling to allow it to pass without its containing 
 such provisions as would render it inoperative on either of the 
 other routes. 
 
8 
 
 The following amendnaent was added: 
 
 '^Provided, That no such sewer shall have an outlet into any creek or river 
 within ten miles above the corporate limits of any city having a population of 
 more than fifty thousand inhabitants, according to the last preceding census^ 
 where such creek or river flows through or along the corporate limits of any 
 such city.” 
 
 (See Acts of the Greneral Assembly of 1893, p. 286.) 
 
 It will be observed that this act did not only fail to author¬ 
 ize us to condemn property on either of .the other routes, but 
 prohibited us from even leasing or purchasing property over 
 either of them, so the only solution left open was to carry into 
 effect the plan to connect with the city sewer. 
 
 Within a few days after this, and before the matter was 
 finally closed up, a new charter was granted the city and the 
 personnel of the authorities changed. The matter, therefore, 
 had to be taken up with the neAV authorities. By this time 
 the citizens residing along the line of the Chestnut Street 
 sewer became convinced that this arrangement would be detri¬ 
 mental to their health and comfort, and entered a vigorous 
 protest against the city authorities carrying out this arrange¬ 
 ment. The Board of Health was appealed to, who were at 
 first inclined to oppose the scheme,*but we finally, after some 
 months, induced them to further and more carefully consider 
 it, and after doing'soTthey^reported that under certain condi¬ 
 tions it would not be detrimental to the public health, but 
 would be beneficial to the sewer. 
 
 On the evening of December 1, 3 893, there was held a joint 
 meeting of the Board of Public Works, the Board of Health, 
 the Mayor and this^Board of Trustees. It was then indicated 
 to this Board that if we would extend the sewer as originally 
 contemplated, and would Jagree to comply with certain con¬ 
 ditions as suggested .by the^Board of Health, permission to 
 connect would be granted. We made them such a proposition 
 in writing (w'hich is set out in full in appendix), which was to 
 be considered by the’^Board of Public Works at their regular 
 meeting to be held the next day. 
 
 At the meeting of the Board of Public Works the question 
 of the legal rights of the city to grant the use of its sewer was 
 raised. It was then referred to the City Attorney for his 
 opinion, who, on December’9,'gendered an opinion in which he 
 stated : 
 
9 
 
 “ Without special legislation you are not authorized to permit 
 the use of any of the sewers of the city except for the purpose 
 for which they are constructed ; namely, the draiuage of the 
 city/’ 
 
 A full text of this opinion will be found in the appendix. 
 
 As formerly remarked, the limitation in the act of the Legis¬ 
 lature prevented our availing ourselves of either of the other 
 routes, and this opinion ended any hope of carrying into efiect 
 any arrangement with the city. From this it will be observed 
 that every avenue was closed against us, and we were com¬ 
 pelled to continue the unsatisfactory and ineffectual system 
 which we had been pursuing and-against which our neighbors 
 had entered such vigorous complaint and the court had granted 
 an injunction. We have been relying upon the forbearance of 
 our neighbors and the leniency of the court not to prohibit us 
 from doing this until the matter could be submitted to this 
 Legislature and some legislation procured that would relieve 
 us from the embarrassing situation. 
 
 For a more detailed statement of the entire situation we 
 submit a report made to us by the Medical Superintendent, in 
 connection with which is also submitted the report of Capt. 
 A. B. Fitch, as well as other reports and communications, 
 which may serve to give a more comprehensive and intelligent 
 understanding of the entire situation. 
 
 We would respectfully recommend that the act passed by the 
 last Legislature should be so amended as to authorize this 
 Board to condemn a right of way over such routes as in their 
 judgment may be deemed most practicable, and that an act 
 also be passed which would authorize the city of Evansville to 
 allow a connection with their system of sewers. 
 
 As we were unable to construct the sewer, the appropriation 
 of 115,000 made for that purpose was returned to the State 
 Treasurer. All of which is respectfully submitted. 
 
 P. II. BLUE, 
 
 W. L. SWORMSTEDT, 
 
 S. B. BOYD, 
 
 Trustees, 
 
DISPOSAL OF THE SEWAGE 
 
 AT 
 
 THE SOUTHERN 
 
 Indiana Hospital for Insane. 
 
 REPORT OF 
 
 The Medical Superintendent 
 
 TO THE 
 
 BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 
 
 EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, 
 
 P, H. BLUE, 
 
 S. B, BOYD, 
 
 W. L. SWORMSTEDT, 
 
 T rustees 
 / 
 
 DR. A. J. THOMAS, 
 
 Medical Superintendent. 
 
DISPOSAL OF THE SEWAGE AT THE SOUTH¬ 
 ERN INDIANA HOSPITAL FOR INSANE. 
 
 P. II. Blue, S. B. Boyd, W. L. Swormstedt, 
 
 Trustees: 
 
 Gentlemen — Iq giving a history of this question we must go 
 back to the time when this Hospital and its appurtenances 
 were transferred by the Board of Construction to the Board of 
 Trustees. This transfer took place in the summer of 1890, and 
 the Medical Superintendent entered upon and took charge of 
 the premises July 1, 1890. 
 
 The original idea of the Board of Construction for the dis¬ 
 posal of the sewage was by the “intermittent infiltration ” 
 method; that is, allowing the sewage to be transferred to a 
 certain locality of the premises and there allowed to distribute 
 itself over the ground by means of ditches, gates and locks 
 especially prepared for this purpose. But the Board of Con¬ 
 struction had made no effort to carry out this plan, and when 
 I first came to the Hospital the outlet of the sewerage system 
 was within one hundred yards of the windows of my office. 
 
 This plan was effectually tried here, but it would not serve 
 our purpose satisfactorily on account of the soil not possess¬ 
 ing sufficient absorptive powers. Pools of water remained on 
 the surface of the ground, and in hot weather the deposit was 
 disagreeable to the smell and dangerous to health. 
 
 Finding it impracticable to take care of the outffow of sew¬ 
 age by this plan, we extended the open ditch to connect with 
 a large county ditch, and allowed the sewage to be carried from 
 there along the highway and through neighboring lands to 
 the bottoms, which occasionally were ffooded with the back¬ 
 water from Pigeon Creek. 
 
 Before this an effort was made to carry the sewage to Pigeon 
 Creek, this being a very suitable and practicable route. Sur¬ 
 veys were made, rights of way were secured, and a contract 
 
13 
 
 was let and some material purchased and distributed along the 
 route. At this period the Auditor of State refused to allow 
 our warrants for such expenses, and all work was suspended. 
 The deeds to the rights of way were canceled and a cessation 
 of all work occurred. In addition there was great objection 
 upon the part of persons who lived along the creek, and cer¬ 
 tain newspapers in the city also opposed the project of empty¬ 
 ing the sewage into Pigeon Creek for sanitary reasons. These 
 objections were enirely without foundation, as there would 
 have been no danger to the health of the locality. 
 
 This route was a good one, and it is greatly to be deplored 
 that it is not now in operation. Much of this clamor origi¬ 
 nated through ignorance and prejudice. When I say igno¬ 
 rance I mean that the objectors were not fully informed as to 
 the condition of affairs; I do not mean to be invidious or im¬ 
 polite when i use the word ignorance. Others were formerly 
 opposed to this site for the .location of the Hospital, and, not¬ 
 withstanding that tne Hospital was completed and in operation, 
 this prejudice was allowed to manifest itself. We then fell 
 back upon our original method, which was a makeshift. 
 
 In the summer of 1891 a committee from the Board of State 
 Charities, with its Secretary, visited the Hospital and thor¬ 
 oughly examined the condition of the sewer. This committee 
 made a report to the Governor, making certain recommenda¬ 
 tions. This report and recommendations were transmitted to 
 us by the Governor, with the opinion that we should give the 
 system-in use, with certain extensions, a further trial, express¬ 
 ing the belief that it would be successful. Through respect 
 for the opinion of the Governor and the Bqard of State Chari¬ 
 ties we accepted this advice and made another attempt at a 
 successful solution of the problem, but it was a failure. 
 
 All this time our neighbors and the people who passed in 
 scores daily along the highway where our sewer outffow was 
 carried in a shallow open ditch were making loud and bitter 
 complaints over the nuisance which they were compelled to 
 endure. This state of affairs was not pleasant. We could see 
 the justice of the complaints made, but we were unable to 
 improve matters. Finally an injunction was asked for, and 
 the Superior Court of Vanderburgh County granted it, and 
 also imposed a fine upon us for maintaining a nuisance which 
 was a menace to the health of the community. 
 
 2 ^ 
 
14 
 
 The route to Pigeon Creek had many advantages. The dis¬ 
 tance was not great, the fall was amply sufficient, and the sewer 
 line did not pass through any land which would cause the 
 owner loss or inconvenience. From the place where the sew¬ 
 age would enter the creek to its mouth there were very few 
 people who lived immediately on its bank. In the city limits 
 the creek was used as a general cesspool for the discharge of 
 sewers and every kind of matter. A sufficient current, except 
 in one place, could have been maintained to carry oft' the 
 sewage to the Ohio River below the city, where the creek 
 enters this river. The exception was a locality where a mass 
 of rock for several hundred feet elevated the bed of the creek, 
 leaving in low water a stoppage of the ftow; but it was agreed 
 that this obstruction, and all others, would be removed. Our 
 arguments and requests met with no favor, and we retired 
 from the contest with much undeserved odium resting upon 
 ourselves. 
 
 Finally, appreciating the fact that nothing could be accom¬ 
 plished in a satisfactory manner, you wisely determined to 
 await the convening of the next General Assembly and ask 
 advice and aid from it. 
 
 This body met in January, 1893, and during the month of 
 February the Committee on Benevolent Institutions from both 
 Houses, accompanied by many other legislators, visited the 
 Hospital. These gentlemen investigated the sewer question 
 fully, and inspected the locality of the sewer and received all 
 the information in your possession. 
 
 Upon the suggestion of this committee and other members 
 of the General Assembly you proceeded to have a competent 
 engineer, Capt. A. B. Fitch, of Terre Haute, make a survey of 
 three different routes by which the sewage might be taken 
 from the Hospital, and, upon the presentation of this survey 
 to the General Assembly, an effort would be made to enact a law 
 which would give you relief from the serious dilemma in which 
 you were placed. Accordingly, a law was passed which gave 
 you the permission to connect with the system of sewerage 
 in the city of Evansville. 
 
 The three routes surveyed by Captain Fitch are known as— 
 
 First. Pigeon Creek route. 
 
 ^Second. Chestnut Street route. 
 
 Third,. Ohio River route. 
 
15 
 
 The General Assembly appropriated the sum of $15,000 to be 
 expended for the purpose of completing our sewer system. 
 
 At once the practicability of the route to the city connect¬ 
 ing at Chestnut Street with the city system of sewerage com¬ 
 mended itself to you, as it was well understood that you were, 
 by the law passed, excluded from Pigeon Creek. This route 
 was direct, the fall was sufficient and the cost of construction 
 would not be extravagant. As soon as it was publicly known 
 that it was the intention of the Board to connect with the 
 city sewers the same opposition was aroused among the people 
 as was the case when it was proposed to take the sewage to 
 Pigeon Creek. The claim was made that the emptying of our 
 sewage into the city sewers would breed disease, death, and de¬ 
 struction. Some said the germs from our sewage would pro¬ 
 duce insanity in the people who lived along the line of the 
 Chestnut Street sewer. Many prominent and intelligent citi¬ 
 zens were deeply aroused, and expressed their indignation and 
 opposition in very severe tones. 
 
 This was simply a repetition of what we had heard before. 
 In spite of all this determined opposition we felt that the effort 
 should be made to settle satisfactorily this sewage question. 
 
 As I have said before, the objections to our sewage entering 
 the Chestnut Street sewer were not well founded. I estimate 
 that the amount of water thrown into this sewer each day 
 would average forty thousand gallons and the amount of fecal 
 matter would be much less than five hundred pounds each day. 
 This fecal matter before it left the Hospital would be very 
 thoroughly dissolved and in an almost complete state of sus¬ 
 pension, and by the time it reached the sewer at Chestnut 
 Street it would be difficult to find a piece as large as a pea. 
 The amount of water emptied into the Chestnut Street sewer 
 from here would keep up a continuous stream of water six 
 inches deep. 
 
 Then we agreed to throw into the sewer from our salt well, 
 eighteen hundred feet deep, one hundred thousand gallons 
 three times a week, or as often as might be agreed upon, in 
 order that the sewer might be kept pure and clean at all times. 
 These advantages would place the Chestnut Street sewer in 
 good condition at all times. 
 
 The truth is the Chestnut Street sewer would be vastly im¬ 
 proved by the influx of our water from the Hospital in such 
 
16 
 
 quantities as stated. It is seldom there is a running stream of 
 water in that sewer except when there is rain or when the 
 sewers are flushed by the tire department. The sewer is there¬ 
 fore dry, and the sediment left is then likely to become pulver¬ 
 ized and taken up by the winds and air currents from the man 
 holes and scattered broadcast over the city. If there is any 
 truth in the theory of germs Irom such a source poisoning the 
 atmosphere and producing disease in people a dry sewer is the 
 most favorable nest from which disease germs may be carried 
 to the upper air and cause sickness; but if a running stream of 
 water six inches in depth is kept continually in a sewer the 
 pipes are kept clean and pure, and the chance of propagation 
 of disease very much diminished or entirely destroyed. 
 
 As soon as it Was known that some kind of arrangement 
 had been entered into by which we might use Chestnut Street 
 sewer, even after the public offlcials had agreed to such a propo¬ 
 sition, the opposition was crystallized, the newspapers opened 
 the batteries, public meetings were held, and personal appeals 
 were made to the public officials, and the result was that all 
 negotiations ceased and we were left without any improved 
 plan of sewage disposal. 
 
17 
 
 NEWSPAPER COMMENTS. 
 
 EVANSVILLE COURIER, DECEMBER 2, 1893. 
 
 WANT SEWER CONNECTION—INSANE HOSPITAL TRUSTEES PRE 
 
 SENT A NEW PLAN. 
 
 PHYSICIANS AND HEALTH BOARD OFFICERS SAY IF IT IS CARRIED 
 
 OUT THERE WILL BE NO DANGER TO THE HEALTH OF THE] CITY 
 
 BY CONNECTING AVITH THE CHESTNUT STREET SEWER. 
 
 “A joint meeting of the Board of Public Works, Board of 
 Health and the Trustees of the Southern Hospital for Insane 
 was held last evening at the office of the Board of Public 
 Works for the purpose of discussing the proposition of the 
 Trustees of the Hospital for constructing a sewer from that in¬ 
 stitution to connect with the Chestnut Street sewer. 
 
 “Besides the Board of Public Works there were in attend¬ 
 ance Dr. A. J. Thomas and P. B. Triplett, of the Hospital; P. 
 B. Blue, S. Gimbel and W. L. Swormstedt, Trustees; E. P. 
 Bicknell, Secretary of the State Board of Charities; Drs. A. M. 
 Owen, Edwin Walker, George P. Hodson, W. S. Pollard, Lud. 
 Worsham and John E. Glover. 
 
 “ Since the opening of the Hospital a great deal of complaint 
 has been made on account of proper sewerage. Various prop¬ 
 ositions have been made for drainage of offal from the institu¬ 
 tion, but they were defeated either by objections of property- 
 owners along the proposed routes of drainage or by the im¬ 
 practicability of the plans. 
 
 “ The most practical and least expensive plan offered was the 
 construction of a pipe sewer to connect with the Chestnut 
 Street sewer. This plan also met with objections on the 
 grounds that the sanitary condition of the city would be en¬ 
 dangered by this system. 
 
 “The Board of Trustees recently determined on a plan Avhich 
 will likely finally end the trouble. They offer a proposition to 
 construct an eight-inch pipe sewer from the Hospital premises 
 to a point on Kentucky Avenue and from that point to build a 
 brick sewer to connect with the Chestnut Street sewer, and 
 
IS 
 
 that the sewer shall be automatically flushed at the expense of 
 the Hospital. 
 
 “ Drs. A, M. Owen, who lives on Chestnut Street, Lud Wor¬ 
 sham, John F. Glover, W. S. Pollard and others were of the 
 opinion that if the Hospital authorities carry out the plan pro¬ 
 posed, all danger from a sanitary point of view would be re¬ 
 moved. 
 
 “ The Trustees of the Hospital and the Board of Health will 
 meet with the Board of Public Works this afternoon, when the 
 proposition will be formally presented.” 
 
 EVANSVILLE COURIER, DECEMBER 3, 1893. 
 
 HEALTH BOARD SA^S O. K.—MEMBERS INDORSE THE INSANE 
 
 HOSPITAL SEWAGE PLAN. 
 
 RESOLUTIONS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE QUES¬ 
 TION TO BE FINALLY PASSED UPON TUESDAY AFTERNOON—BOARD 
 
 MEETING YESTERDAY. 
 
 “The Board of Public Works met in regular session at 3 
 o’clock yesterday afternoon. In the absence of Elmer Clarke, 
 Clerk of the Board, City Clerk Fred. Geiger recorded the 
 minutes. 
 
 “ The following proposition of the plan for the disposal of 
 sewerage from the Southern Hospital for Insane was submitted 
 to the Board by the Trustees of the Asylum: 
 
 “ We propose to build an extension of Chestnut Street sewer 
 from its present termination to Kentucky Avenue, near the 
 city of Evansville. The dimensions of the sewer to be from 
 the present termination of the sewer to Bland Avenue three 
 feet by four feet in diameter, from Bland Avenue to Kentucky 
 Avenue two and one-half feet by three feet in diameter; the 
 sewer to be constructed of brick similar in character to that 
 now upon said Chestnut Street sewer. From Kentucky 
 Avenue to the Hospital a stone drain pipe of not less than 
 eight inches in diameter be laid on a proper grade to make 
 the best flow that can be obtained. At the Hospital pro¬ 
 vision will be made for erecting a tank of a capacity of not 
 less than 10,000 gallons for flushing the sewer in such a 
 manner as to prevent accumulations of any kind in the 
 pipes, and such flushing shall take place three times a week. 
 
19 
 
 and ot'tener if required by the Board of Public Works. We 
 propose to turu into the sewer the flow of the salt-well now 
 upon the Hospital grounds, discharging at what we believe a 
 conservative estimate not lees than a hundred thousand gal¬ 
 lons of salt water per day. The sewer pipe to be built in an 
 approved manner and provided with proper man-holes and 
 appliances to keep the same free from obstructions or accumu¬ 
 lations.” 
 
 Regarding the above proposition the Board of Health sub¬ 
 mitted the iollowing resolutions to the Board of Public Works : 
 
 “Whereas, The Board of Public Works has referred to the 
 Board of Health and Charities the proposition of the Trustees 
 of the Insane Hospital, and request of said Trustees for per¬ 
 mission to tap Chestnut IStreet sewer; for the opinion of said 
 Board of Health as to the influence of granting said permis¬ 
 sion upon the public health along the line of Chestnut Street 
 sewer. 
 
 “ Whereas, The proposition of the Trustees of the Insane 
 Hospital, first, that the sewer shall be extended to Kentucky 
 Avenue, at the expense of the Hospital; second, that an eight- 
 inch, or larger, pipe will be used to carry the sewage to the 
 sewer. Furthermore, that no vegetable matter, or other matter 
 that can not be suspended or dissolved in water, shall be al¬ 
 lowed to enter the Hospital sewer; third, in addition to the 
 water necessary to carry oft' waste matter from said Hospital, 
 there shall be a pipe connecting the artesian well of salt water 
 constantly pouring into the sewer leading from the Hospital. 
 Also, a tank will be erected, with a capacity of not less than 
 10,000 gallons, which will be discharged intermittently into 
 the sewer leading from the Hospital three times a week, or 
 oftener if required by the Board of Health, between the hours 
 of 9 and 12 o’clock p. m. ; be it 
 
 Resolved^ That it is the opinion of the Board of Health and 
 Charities that if the above conditions be complied with, the 
 use made of Chestnut Street sewer will not be detrimental to 
 health, but will be beneficial to the sewer, as the quantity of 
 water, especially the salt water, will keep it clean and free from 
 fermenting and decomposing matter.” 
 
 The proposition was referred to a committee composed of 
 the Mayor, City Attorney and Board of Public Works, to re¬ 
 port at a special meeting to be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 
 o’clock. 
 
20 
 
 EVANSVILLE COURIER, DECEMBER 4, 1898. 
 
 SHOULD HAVE COMPENSATION. 
 
 “ The proposition made by the Trustees of the Hospital for 
 the Insane to tap the Chestnut Street sewer with a telescope 
 switch is one that, in the opinion of the ‘Courier,’ ought to be 
 promptly rejected. Let us review the history of the location 
 ol the Hospital, for it has an important bearing on the counter¬ 
 proposition which we think the city authorities should make 
 and firmly adhere to. 
 
 “ When Governor Porter and his associates of the Commis¬ 
 sion appointed by the Legislature to select sites for the new 
 insane hospitals ordered to be constructed visited Evansville, 
 they were offered several desirable locations. All except Gar¬ 
 vin’s Park and the present site were susceptible to natural 
 drainage, and could easily be supplied with an abundance of 
 water. The price placed upon Garvin’s Park and its prox¬ 
 imity to the city were insuperable objections to it, and the 
 Commissioners proceeded to locate the Hospital on the How¬ 
 ard farm, despite the fact that it was the only available loca¬ 
 tion that did not admit of drainage. They made this selection 
 over the earnest protest of the press of the city and the city 
 authorities. They were told that it would be impossible to 
 drain the Hospital premises without establishing a nuisance in 
 the neighborhood; or, if drained by a sewer to the Ohio River 
 above the town, without polluting the city’s water supply. It 
 was pointed out to them that a sewer to the Ohio River below 
 town was impracticable except by utilizing Pigeon Creek, and 
 that property holders abutting this stream would undoubtedly 
 use every legal means to prevent its use for this purpose. All 
 of these protests were scouted. One of the Commissioners, 
 when the objection was raised that a sewer emptying into the 
 Ohio above the city would pollute our water supply, contempt¬ 
 uously remarked that running water purified itself in a flow of 
 two or three miles, and anyway the necessities of the State of 
 Indiana were superior to those of the city of Evansville, and 
 that if the latter found the water supply impure it would have 
 to move the intake out of reach, and suggested that the water 
 of Green River was better than the Ohio water and that the 
 eity might arrange to take its water from that source. Not 
 
21 
 
 the least consideration was paid to the health and comfort of 
 the people of this city, and there was general indignation at 
 the heartless indifference to their welfare manifested by the 
 Commissioners. The Hospital was located on the Howard farm, 
 and preparations were made for its drainage by ditching re¬ 
 gardless of the protests of the neighborhood. Twenty thou¬ 
 sand dollars were wasted in attempting to get water where the 
 experience of the inhabitants within a radius of six miles had 
 proven that water could not be had. The Commissioners were 
 told time and again that every dollar spent in boring for water 
 on the level selected by them was certain to be wasted, but still 
 the work went on until $20,000 had been squandered, and then 
 came a sharp protest from the State authorities. Then Mr. 
 Grote was engaged to bore for water on the condition that if 
 he did not succeed he was to receive nothing and if he did he 
 was to receive a few hundred dollars (less than a thousand). 
 Of course he succeeded. His large experience in boring wells,, 
 and the universal testimony of the neighborhood, guided him 
 to seek water on the lower level, and he found it in great 
 abundance. 
 
 “ But the drainage problem was still unsolved. Indeed, 
 there was but one solution, and that was to drain through the 
 city of Evansville, either by a newly constructed sewer or by 
 tapping one of the sewers already built. The tirst Board of 
 Trustees suggested the tapping of Walnut or Chestnut Street 
 sewers, and the present Board has made a written proposi¬ 
 tion to tap the Chestnut Street sewer under the following 
 conditions: 
 
 “They propose to extend the Chestnut Street sewer from its 
 p)resent source to Kentucky Avenue on the telescope plan. 
 The d imensions as far as Bland Avenue are to be 8 feet by 4 
 feet in diameter. From Bland Avenue to Kentucky Avenue 
 the dimensions are to be decreased to feet by 3 feet. These 
 telescopic sewer joints are to be constructed of ‘brick similar 
 in character to that now upon said Chestnut Street sewer,’ 
 whatever that may mean. From Kentucky Avenue to the 
 hospital there is to be a ‘stone drain pipe of not less than 8 
 inches in diameter, laid on a proper grade to make the best 
 flow that can be obtained,’ which might and probably would 
 be a very sluggish flow, leaving concentrated stinks all along 
 its route. To sugar their bait the Board of Trustees promise 
 
22 
 
 to erect ‘a tank of a capacity not less than 10,000 gallons for 
 flashing the sewer in such a manner as to prevent accumula¬ 
 tions of any kind in the pipes, three times a week, or oftener 
 if the Board of Public Works require it, and to turn into the 
 sewer the flow of the salt well now upon the hospital grounds,’ 
 which, they think, discharges not less than 100,000 gallons of 
 water per day. 
 
 “ The Board of Health expresses the opinion that this tri¬ 
 weekly flushing of the sewer and the salt water waste will re¬ 
 move all hygienic objections to draining the Hospital through 
 Chestnut Street sewer. 
 
 “ The ‘Courier’ has never opposed the drainage of the Hospi¬ 
 tal through one of our established sewers on sanitary grounds- 
 But it is to be said of this part of the proposition of the 
 Board of Trustees that no matter where they empty their sew¬ 
 age they will run their salt water waste through it and, owing 
 to the slight fall they will have to use artificial accessories,such 
 as the 10,000-gallon tank they piopose, to accelerate the flow. 
 The danger of ‘choking’ will occur only in that part of the 
 drain running from the Hospital to the city corporation line, 
 and the Hospital alone is interested in keeping that part of the 
 sewer clear of all obstructions. This part of their proposition, 
 therefore, is unworthy of consideration as an argument for 
 giving the State of Indiana free use of our present city sewer. 
 
 “The ‘Courier’ believes that the proposition as a whole 
 should be rejected, principally for the reason that it gives the 
 city of Evansville no advantages whatever from this pro¬ 
 posed additional and very heavy tax on Chestnut Street sewer. 
 There is no suggestion by the Board that the State shall for¬ 
 ever keep the Chestnut Street sewer in proper repair—a very 
 small compensation for the invaluable right of way through 
 the city—invaluable because the Hospital can not be drained 
 except by carrying its offal under some one or more of our 
 streets. The Board do not propose to pay the entire cost of 
 the Chestnut Street sewer to date, which would be little enough. 
 The naked proposition is that if the city of Evansville will 
 permit the State of Indiana to use a sewer paid for by the tax¬ 
 payers of Evansville, the State will take all necessary measures 
 to keep clear of obstructions the telescopic connection which 
 is absolutely essential to the drainage of the Hospital. That is 
 about the thing the people have become accustomed to in 
 
23 
 
 dealing with those who must have the use of city property to 
 put their enterprises on a satisfactory and profitable basis. It 
 is the old spirit of treating city property as valueless, and giv¬ 
 ing away everything that has cost the tax-payer sweat and toil 
 to construct. 
 
 ‘‘The ‘Courier’ solemnly protests against it now, as it has 
 always done. We protest against the tapping of any sewer 
 now in existence by the State of Indiana. We have a right to 
 expect of our city authorities that the city of Evansville shall 
 reap some advantage from the proposition in which the State 
 placed itself when it located the Hospital against the united 
 protests of the press, the people and the city authorities. We 
 have a right to expect that the Mayor and the Board of Public 
 Works will not assent to the impudent proposition now made 
 by the Board of Trustees, and that they will notify the Board 
 that the State must build its own sewer, and if it comes through 
 the city, as it must, upon the conditions prescribed by the city. 
 They have a precedent for such action in the vigorous and suc¬ 
 cessful course of Michigan City which compelled the State to 
 drain the Northern Prison at its own expense by turning the 
 sewage of that institution away from the city altogether. The 
 State built a sewer under great difficulties and at considerable 
 expense, and Michigan City was relieved from what had proven 
 a deadly nuisance for years. 
 
 “In to-morrow’s ‘Courier’ we shall suggest a plan that will 
 give the State good drainage at its own expense, and which at 
 the same time will afford compensation to the city of Evans¬ 
 ville for the right of way through the city, immensely valuable 
 to the Hospital, because it can not be drained except at an 
 enormous cost, without passing through the city. Let us put 
 an end forever to the ‘give away’ policy that has so long cursed 
 the administration of city affairs.” 
 
 EVANSVILLE COURIER, DECEMBER 5, 1893. 
 
 HOSPITAL DKAINAGE PROBLEM. 
 
 “ The proposition of the Trustees of the Hospital for Insane 
 is simply this: 
 
 “‘If the city will let us run our waste water and sewage 
 into the Chestnut Street sewer we will make connection at the 
 State’s expense and keep our end free from obstructions.’ 
 
24 
 
 “ That is the whole of it reduced to a sentence. ' That is all 
 the State, through its authorized representatives, has to ofter 
 to the city of Evansville for the invaluable right of way 
 through the city. That is all the State proposes to do. To 
 make use of the Chestnut Street sewer, to add to its wear and 
 tear about double the demand now made upon it, that the 
 State may retrieve its own blunder made in defiance of the pro¬ 
 tests of the press, the people and of the city authorities, at the 
 time the Hospital was located. There is no suggestion that 
 the State will keep the sewer in good repair as a slight com¬ 
 pensation for its use. It has not even proposed the extension 
 of tlie sewer to a point where the Hospital drain pipe can most 
 easily and at the least expense of tapping it, shall be of a size 
 that can be utilized by the large section of the city and the 
 drainage of which the Chestnut Street sewer was ultimately 
 designed. The same indifference to the interests of the people 
 of Evansville that was manifested in the location of the Hos¬ 
 pital is repeated in this impudent offer—tor the proposition is 
 to reduce the capacity of the extension as it progresses in the 
 direction of the Hospital. It the Hospital can provide for its 
 own necessities, what do the Trustees care whether the neces¬ 
 sities and convenience of the people who depend on Chestnut 
 Street sewer for the drainage of their property are provided for 
 or not? 
 
 ‘‘We submit that the very making of such a proposition is 
 a reflection upon the intelligence of this community. And to 
 grant it would be to proclaim ourselves worthy of the con¬ 
 temptuous estimate which the proposition in itself placed upon 
 the enlightenment of our authorities. The latter may be too 
 courteous to return the proposition unanswered, but it is not 
 conceivable that they will reply to it in any other way than by 
 a curt and unequivocal refusal to acquiesce in its terms. 
 
 “The city authorities have no power under the new charter 
 to grant the use of public property without ample compensa¬ 
 tion. If they had the right we do not believe they would 
 commit the grave blunder of giving the use of a sewer con¬ 
 structed by the tax-payers of Evansville, to an institution that 
 will doubly tax its strength and greatly increase the cost of 
 keeping it in repair. Chestnut Street sewer was built with the 
 money of the tax-payers of Evansville. It must be kept in 
 order by them. It belongs to all the people—it was con- 
 
25 
 
 stracted, and the plan contemplated its extension in its present 
 dimensions to the limits of the city. The sewage it now car¬ 
 ries is probably three or four times greater than when it was 
 first built, and the demands upon it are increasing yearly. 
 
 “ When the territory ultimately to be drained into it is thickly 
 settled, as it will be in a very few years, even at the rate of 
 progress that has prevailed during the past five years, it will 
 have all it can attend to even when extended full size to the 
 farthest possible limits. 
 
 “The same is true of every other sewer in the city. They 
 were built to accommodate city property only. The ‘ fall ’ is so 
 slight in most of them that the multiplication of inlets and 
 ‘taps’ will, ere long, be a serious matter. It would be mad¬ 
 ness to tax any one of them with the drainage of the Hos¬ 
 pital, which is likely to double in capacity within ten years 
 
 “ The ‘Courier’ is glad to know that its protest against per¬ 
 mitting any one of our existing sewers to be tapped by the 
 Hospital is generally approved by the people. There was 
 nothing else talked about yesterday, and the sentiment was 
 universal that the State should not be allowed to carry the 
 Hospital sewage through the city, except in a sewer especially 
 constructed for that purpose, and under such specifications as 
 will give the city some advantage in return for the right of 
 way. 
 
 “ It is true that the Hospital offal may be disposed of by cre¬ 
 mation, and there are many who believe that to be the best 
 solution of the problem. But if this plan should not commend 
 itself to the Board of Trustees, if they will be content with 
 nothing short of a sewer connection with the Ohio River, the 
 city authorities are expected to require the construction, by the 
 State, of a sewer graded from the Hospital to the river, and 
 passing through the city on such streets as will afford drainage 
 to the street property, and, above all, carry the entire sewage 
 of the southern portion of the city to the river several blocks 
 below the water-works pumping station, we submit that the 
 following will be a fair and just counter proposition from the 
 city authorities to the Board of Trustees of the Southern Hos¬ 
 pital for the Insane : 
 
 “ The City of Evansville will grant the right of way through 
 the city, for the construction of a sewer from the Hospital lor 
 the Insane to the Ohio River, on these conditions: 
 
26 
 
 “ 1. The sewer within the city limits shall be constructed as 
 a ‘ trunk sewer/ of dimensions not less than other sewers of 
 that class already built. 
 
 ‘•2. It shall run across the southern part of the city, say 
 Jackson A.venue, or near to the avenue, a block on either side 
 of Jackson to Water Street; down Water Street, intersecting 
 all sewers and taking their sewage to Walnut Street, there 
 empty into the Ohio River five blocks below the water-works 
 building, all outlets above Walnut Street to be abandoned, and 
 their fiow diverted into the Water Street sewer. 
 
 “ 3. The city to have complete control of the sewer within 
 the city limits, and to keep it in repair forever. 
 
 “The advantage of such a sewer to the State would be that 
 its grade could be pitched from the Hospital to the river, thus 
 securing as perfect a fiow as the difference in altitude will per¬ 
 mit. There would be no expense required for maintaining a 
 10,000 gallon tank for fiushing purposes, as the 100,000 gallons 
 of salt water daily wasted would suffice, on such a grade, to 
 keep the Hospital’s eight inch drainage pipe free from all ob¬ 
 structions 
 
 “The advantage to the city would be that the drainage of 
 the entire upper portion of the city would be deflected for 
 all time five blocks below the water-works pumping station. 
 The cost of such a sewer would be no more than a fair com¬ 
 pensation, by the State, for a perfect drainage not attainable 
 by any other plan. It would not be as great as futile experi¬ 
 ments in other directions. For money wasted in unsuccessful 
 eff’orts to get water the Hospital could have made connection 
 with the City Water Works. For the money that will be 
 spent in attempting to dispose of the sewage by unsatisfactory 
 plans, the proposed sewer could be built. But these are mat¬ 
 ters which the Hospital Board must decide. The question that 
 the city authorities have to pass upon is : 
 
 “ ‘ Why should the city of Evansville afford drainage for the 
 Hospital without just and fair compensatory advantages?’ 
 
 “ This question answers itself in only one way, namely, 
 ‘ If the Hospital Board wishes to empty the sewage of that 
 institution through the city, they must bi^ild a sewer at the 
 State’s expense, on a route and according to the conditions 
 prescribed by the city.’ 
 
 “That is fair. It is jusi-. It is a straightforward business 
 
27 
 
 proposition, and any solution of the Hospital drainage problem, 
 as far as the city of Evansville may have any part in determin¬ 
 ing it, that does not give the city the very reasonable benefits 
 provided in the proposed counter-proposition, would arouse 
 just indignation against those public servants of the munici¬ 
 pality charged with the responsibility of protecting the people 
 of Evansville against wrongs and impositions, even when their 
 would-be beneficiary is the rich and powerful State of Indiana. 
 
 DECEMBER 6, 1893. 
 
 AN IMPRESSIVE PROTEST. 
 
 “The meeting yesterday afternoon in the City Council 
 chamber, and entered protest to the Board of Public Works 
 against granting the proposition of the Board of Trustees of 
 the Southern Hospital for Insane, was an impressive one. 
 
 “ It must be a question of no common interest that takes 
 from their business avocation, in one of the busiest hours of 
 the day, two or three score of our most active citizens to raise 
 their voices on a question affecting the public welfare in behalf 
 of the city’s interests. Almost every prominent business insti¬ 
 tution was represented at this meeting, as may be seen by 
 glancing at the names of some of those present. They were 
 there to serve the public as literally as though they were pan¬ 
 oplied with the power and authority of public station. They 
 were there to protest against granting a proposition in whose 
 favor even the able attorney of the Hospital Board found it 
 impossible to present a single argument. The attorney said all 
 that man could say, but the proposition is so phenomenally 
 jug-handled that they felt themselves handicapped from the 
 start to finish. The arguments against the proposition, 
 whether based on sanitary grounds or on grounds of public 
 policy, were unanswered. It was a case in which the Hospital 
 Board has nothing to present a plea on but bare-faced selfish¬ 
 ness, for invaluable service without a shadow of reciprocal 
 benefits. They want an indispensable service from the city 
 without offering the slightest compensation. They ask the 
 city to furnish drainage for the State Hospital at its own ex¬ 
 pense, for all the State proposes to do is to bring to Chestnut 
 Street sewer their small telescope extension within tapping 
 
28 
 
 distance of the Hospital drainage pipe. They propose to 
 accommodate the State by converting a city sewer, for which 
 the tax-payer of Evansville paid, and which was planned on a 
 scale sufficient only for their own use, into a State sewer with¬ 
 out paying a cent in the way of compensation. 
 
 “ The meeting demonstrated that the people of Evansville 
 are not willing to be imposed upon in that way, and the unani¬ 
 mous sentiment was that the State might have the right of 
 way through the city to build a sewer, and the city to have 
 the joint use of it as compensation for the franchise. 
 
 That is the general sentiment wherever an opinion is ex¬ 
 pressed. It is not at all probable that the members of the 
 Board of Public Works will have a different view.” 
 
 DECEMBER 7, 1S93. 
 
 THEY HAVE NO CASE. 
 
 “ With all respect to the Board of the Insane Hospital and 
 their attorneys, Messrs. Walker & Frey, we must .decline to 
 accept the reasons given by them why the Hospital should 
 have the free use of Chestnut Street sewer. They are entirely 
 insufficient. It may be true that the drainage of the Hospital 
 would make no perceptible difference in the offensive gases 
 which already issue from the sewer to the discomfort of those 
 who live on Chestnut Street. A sewer is a sewer and can not 
 be transformed into a bed of roses any way you may lix it. It 
 may be true that one hundred and twenty-five pounds is all the 
 additional offal that the Insane Hospital would discharge, as 
 was said by Mr. Frey at the meeting of the Public Works on 
 Tuesday, although it must be admitted that if this is true some 
 other organs of the four or five hundred patients must be as 
 derelict in the performance of the functions as their brain. 
 Perhaps it is true that the eight-inch jet of water would flush 
 and cleanse a five-foot sewer, yet it would establish an entirely 
 new principle in hydraulics for which the discoverers would be 
 entitled to a patent. It may be also that the salt water overflow 
 at the Hospital would prove an antiseptic and complete deodor¬ 
 izer, and disinfect the sewer as claimed. 
 
 “ Let us admit for the sake of argument their statement that 
 was made in behalf of the State at the meeting on Tuesday, not 
 
29 
 
 even excepting Trustee Swormstedt’s startling threat that the 
 Hospital might be abandoned unless the privileges asked were 
 granted, and jet the ‘Courier’ protests that the Board of 
 Public Works has no proposition in connection with the sub¬ 
 ject that is worthy of a moment’s consideration. 
 
 “The Chestnut Street .sewer is an expensive public conven¬ 
 ience which was paid for by the citizens of Evansville out of 
 their municipal treasury. It is their property, and the Board of 
 Public Works would be quite as justifiable in giving the per¬ 
 petual use of one of our city parks, an engine house, a school 
 house, or anything else belonging to the city, as in granting 
 this strange request of the lusane Hospital Board of Trustees. 
 It is purely a business question, and should be treated upon 
 that basis. 
 
 “ Mr. Swormstedt’s suggestion as to the probability of the 
 State abandoning the Hospital was probably submitted in a 
 Pickwickian sense. If he believes that will ever be done under 
 any circumstances his credulity is exclusive in its degree, for 
 certainly nobody else believes it. What would be done with 
 the patients of the Hospital? Would they be sent back to the 
 jails and county poor houses from which the State rescued 
 them by building that refuge? How would the State author¬ 
 ities explain the closing up of a charitable institution which 
 has cost the people well onto half a million dollars? The 
 ‘ Courier ’ assures Mr. Swormstedt that his fears are groundless. 
 It also assures the Board of Public Works that the State will 
 provide drainage for the Hospital as in duty bound, if the priv¬ 
 ilege with the Chestnut Street sewer is refused, and it should 
 be refused without hesitation. 
 
 “ The silly statement of one of the Hospital Trustees that 
 the State may abandon the Insane Asylum if Evansville does 
 not provide it with drainage, illustrates the low estimate the 
 Board places upon the intelligence of the people of this city, 
 and the answer to this puerile threat is that, if the State can 
 not maintain the Hospital without saddling upon the city of 
 Evansville the cost of draining it, the sooner the State abandons 
 the Hospital the better the tax payers of Evansville will be 
 pleased. The commissioners who located the Hospital were 
 warned time and again by the Evansville press and by the city 
 authorities that draining could not be secured if located on the 
 Howard farm except at great expense. Having obstinately 
 
30 
 
 scouted these warnings, this is about the most impudent propo¬ 
 sition conceivable that the State should now ask the city of 
 Evansville to defray the expense of the State’s folly, deliber¬ 
 ately committed against the vigorous protests of the city made 
 in ample time to have prevented it.” 
 
 DECEMBER 9, 1893. 
 
 “The ‘Tribune’ of Wednesday gave emphasis to double 
 leads by the following well considered words: 
 
 “ ‘ The Board of Public Works has opportunity to show its 
 realization and a])preciation of duty in the Hospital sewage 
 question. 
 
 “ ‘ It is well that the Board understands and keeps foremost 
 in mind that it was chosen to represent the people of Evans¬ 
 ville. There is no law, written or unwritten, that will warrant 
 it serving the State to the injury of the municipality. Its ob¬ 
 ligations are wholly to the people. Ho selfish ends or personal 
 injury ought to conspire against the faithful execution of its 
 assumed pledges. 
 
 “ Such unanimity of sentiment as is amassed against the 
 tapping of Chestnut Street sewer by the Hospital authorities 
 should deter the Board of Public Works from entertaining 
 the petition even were it convinced that big benefits would 
 accrue to the city. The members of the Board are servants of 
 the people, and all well-behaved servants do the bidding of 
 those over them.’ 
 
 “This is a correct view from the standing point of good 
 citizenship. Hobody censures the members of the Board of 
 Trustees of the Southern Hospital for Insane for seeking to 
 get the best drainage for the least money. They are the 
 sworn officials of the State, and their zeal is to be commended, 
 but the Board of Public .Works are expected to show as 
 much zeal in serving the city of Evansville. The ‘Courier’ 
 has never doubted for a moment that they would not do so. 
 We have no doubt that they will confirm and strengthen the 
 policy inaugurated four years ago of requiring all means for 
 a tranchise from the city for any use. 
 
 “ The proposition presented by the Hospital Trustees should 
 be rejected because the present system was planned by the 
 late James D. Saunders, for the drainage of the city alone. 
 
31 
 
 aod the grades are all pitched with that object in view, and 
 the fall between the Hospital connection with any one of our 
 existing sewers would be so slight as to give endless trouble 
 and detail considerable expense to the State. There is but 
 one solution to the problem worth considering, and that is a 
 construction of a sewer through the city on a grade fixed with 
 the Hospital as a starting point, and the Ohio River as their 
 terminus. It would be nothing more than fair compensation 
 for the right of way through the city to locate this sewer 
 where the people can gain some advantage from it, the city 
 of course to stipulate to keep in good order and repair all the 
 sewer within the city limits, or what may be hereafter in¬ 
 cluded within the city limits. This is an important point to 
 be considered. Suppose, for instance, as will surely happen 
 within a few years—suppose the city limits should be ex¬ 
 tended half a mile beyond Kentucky Avenue, and we had 
 nothing but the proposed 8-inclj drainage pipe to depend upon 
 for the drainage of the new territory. Is it not plain that 
 the city would have to construct a new sewer as a result of 
 the gift to the State now sought by the Hospital Trustees? 
 This is a contingency certain to be realized in the near future, 
 and brings before us most forcibly the practical objections to 
 the grant. 
 
 Chestnut Street sewer was designed to drain all territory on 
 a line of its possible extension and its dimensions were fixed 
 with that view. Yet we are asked to reduce its dimension 
 down to an 8" drainage pipe within a territory that can soon 
 be taken inside the corporate Hmits. 
 
 If the people on the line of the proposed extension on a 
 scale of decreasing dimensions are really clamoring for it, as 
 one of the attorneys for the Hospital averted, although his in¬ 
 formation to date is exclusive, they would do well to think the 
 matter over.” 
 
 DECEMBER 10, 1893. 
 
 “ Referring again to the Insane Hospital sewage question, it 
 may be well to remark that a Ration is greater than any State, 
 and that the State of Indiana is greater than the city of Evans 
 ville or even Indianapolis. By objecting to the only practica¬ 
 ble plan to drain the institution our people may compel the 
 
32 
 
 Trustees to maintain a nuisance through another summer, but 
 yet we venture the prediction that when the General Assembly 
 convenes in January, 1895, some means will be found to force 
 through a system of drainage, even though the Trustees have 
 to take a ‘short cut’ with their pipe line to the Ohio River or 
 Pigeon Creek.” 
 
 EVANSVILLE COURIER. 
 
 “We suggest to the city authorities that steps be taken at 
 an early date to make plans for a sewer to extend from the 
 head of Second Street along the boulevard to the intersection 
 of Water, and down Water Street to Fulton Avenue, for the 
 purpose of removing the drainage of the entire city above that 
 street to the distance of a mile below the intake of the Water 
 Works. The State of Indiana ought to pay the entire cost of 
 the building of this sewer in consideration of its perpetual 
 use for the drainage of the Southern Hospital for the Insaife. 
 Such a sewer should be made large enough to carry ofl‘ all the 
 drainage of the entire city from Fulton Avenue to the extreme 
 southern limits.” 
 
 EVANSVILLE TRIBUNE, APRIL 20, 1894. 
 
 THAT SEWAGE. 
 
 IT IS GIVING THE STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES DEEP CONCERN. 
 
 “The sewage of the Southern Hospital for the Insane at 
 Evansville, says the ‘Indianapolis News,’ has become a serious 
 subject with the Hospital authorities and the Board of State 
 Charities. The institution has no suitable place to drain its 
 refuse, which amounts to 40,000 or 50,000 gallons a day, the 
 Board says. The last Legislature appropriated $15,000 to con¬ 
 struct a sewer, but as there is no point available as a terminus 
 the money is in the State Treasury to the credit of the Hospital. 
 A course to the Ohio River has been talked of, but it is thought 
 to be impracticable. At present the drain is through a trench 
 to a small creek. The property owners along the banks of the 
 stream are objecting to the use of the creek by the institution, 
 and threaten to seek relief in the courts. 
 
33 
 
 “As a solution of the difficulty the Hospital authorities en¬ 
 deavored to arrange with the city authorities of Evansville for 
 the construction of a sewer to the city, three miles away, to 
 connect with the system there. The Hospital has a salt well 
 on its land, and offered to flush the sewer once a day with 
 100,000 gallons of water, which would not only cleanse the 
 Hospital sewer but would be of benefit to the city system. 
 The plans were about to be agreed upon by the city, the Board 
 says, when the newspapers of Evansville opened a warfare on 
 the project. They asserted that if the plans were carried out 
 the State should pay the bill. The plan has been abandoned. 
 As a temporary solution of the problem, it is thought that 
 large reservoirs will have to be constructed on the Hospital 
 grounds, which can be used until the Legislature can find 
 means of relief.” 
 
 There is no question in my mind as to the benefit our dis¬ 
 charge of sewage would have been to the Chestnut Street sewer. 
 There would have been at all times a running stream of water 
 sufficient to have kept the sewer clean. The danger from dis¬ 
 ease germs would have been entirely eliminated, and the health 
 of the people living along that line would have been much im¬ 
 proved. The discharge of water from our salt well would have 
 greatly increased the conditions mentioned above. 
 
 The route to the Ohio River remains to be considered. The 
 length of this route—four and a half miles—was greatly against 
 its adoption; besides, the route was full of crooks and angles. 
 It would be difficult to repair, and as it would enter the city 
 above the city’s water works, opposition would at once arise if 
 we should make any effort to build the sewer along the route. 
 In fact it was hardly worth while to consider this route at all. 
 
 Some people have suggested crematories in which the sewage 
 might be destroyed by heat and evaporated. Several persons 
 who manufacture crematories visited the Hospital, and, after 
 understanding the situation, did not think that a crematory 
 would serve our purpose, owing to the immense amount of 
 water to be disposed of. 
 
 The proposition for you to build a sewer through the city to 
 the mouth of Pigeon Creek could not be seriously considered, 
 owing to its magnitude and the cost of it, which it is said 
 would be one hundred thousand dollars. 
 
 You have labored under the very serious disadvantage of 
 
34 
 
 having the newspapers against any reasonable plan which you 
 might propose, and this agency has in a great measure ^in¬ 
 fluenced and prejudiced public opinion against the methods 
 which you have advocated. The people have been alarmed to 
 a great degree, fearing that the health of their families would 
 be endangered. Much of the opposition came from persons 
 who did not fully understand the conditions, surroundings, 
 benefits and results. 
 
 It is useless to argue with these people. Some, after thought¬ 
 ful consideration of the matter, withdrew their opposition. 
 You have done all that could be done under the circumstances. 
 
 I have in this presented to you as best I could the situation 
 as it exists. I have been perfectly candid in expressing my 
 opinion, because I feel that I have acted conscientiously, and 
 believe the facts will bear out my opinions. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 A. J. THOMAS, 
 Medical Superintendent. 
 
 Southern Indiana Hospital for Insane, \ 
 
 January 30, 1895. | 
 
SUGGESTIONS AND PLANS OF THE BOARD 
 
 OF STATE CHARITIES. 
 
 Indianapolis, Indiana, August 5, 189J. 
 
 IIoN. Alvin P. IIovey, 
 
 Governor of Indiana: 
 
 Dear Sir —The Board of State Charities, by its Committee 
 on Hospitals for Insane, visited the Southern Hospital near 
 Evansville on Wednesday and Thursday, July 29 and 30. 
 
 Among other matter they particularly investigated the sew¬ 
 erage, and, agreeably to your request, present to you the fol¬ 
 lowing report on that subject, viz : 
 
 We find that the system of disposal of sewerage adopted by 
 the Board of Construction has not been completely carried into 
 effect, and the consequence is that a certain nuisance is threat¬ 
 ened to, rather than actually experienced by, the occupiers of 
 adjoining property. 
 
 We believe that the general system adopted by the said one 
 is a correct one, and if properly carried out would cause no 
 nuisance either to the inmates of the Hospital or the neighbors. 
 
 We deprecate the proposed plan of building a close sewer to 
 Pigeon Creek: 
 
 First. Because of the large and, we think, unnecessary ex¬ 
 pense, and. 
 
 Second. Because the nuisance would be simply removed, not 
 abated, but the holders of property abutting on the creek would 
 have equal cause of complaint with those nearer the Hospital 
 who are now complaining, and would probably bring suit to 
 enjoin the State from the use of the proposed sewer. 
 
 We recommend the following changes from the present 
 arrangement: 
 
 . First. A removal of the present close sewer so that the 
 outlet shall be at a higher point some distance north and west 
 of the present outlet, and about one hundred and fifty feet 
 west of the barn. 
 
36 
 
 Second. A connection to be made with the laundry sewer 
 so that it shall discharge by the same outlet. 
 
 Third. A. more perfect system of lateral ditches leading 
 downwards from the main distributing ditch. 
 
 Fourth. A main receiving ditch on lower side of slope, par¬ 
 allel with the county ditch, into which the lateral now dis¬ 
 charges. 
 
 Fifth. The construction of a catch basin at the western 
 end of the proposed lower level ditch, so as to retain all solid 
 matter which may pass through the lateral ditches, trom 
 which catch basins the surplus clear water shall flow into the 
 county ditch. 
 
 Sixth. A system of tile under-drains on the ground to be 
 fertilized by the sewage, which may connect directly with the 
 county ditch. 
 
 Seventh. A regular cleansing of the proposed catch basin, 
 as may be found necessary, either weekly, monthly, or at 
 longer intervals, the solid matter to be spread as a fertilizer on 
 the flelds turtherest from the house. 
 
 LETTER FROM THE BOARD OF STATE CHARITIES. 
 
 Indianapolis, Indiana, August 5, 1891. 
 
 To the Trustees of the Southern. Indiana Hospital for Insane: 
 
 Gentlemen— The Board of State Charities of Indiana hav¬ 
 ing, by its Committee on Hospitals for Insane, recently visited 
 the Hospital under your care, respectfully presents the follow¬ 
 ing recommendations: 
 
 We suggest that the system of sewerage adopted by the 
 Board of Construction be given a thorough trial. We enclose 
 with this a report made to the Governor upon this subject in 
 which a plan is suggested which we believe will, with such 
 modiflcations as may be found necessary, meet the need of the 
 
 case. 
 
The committee feel confident that these changes could be 
 made at a comparatively slight expense, certainly not one fifth 
 of the cost of the proposed sewer to Pigeon Creek, and that 
 the complete system would not only permanently abate any 
 nuisance arising from the sewage, but would give the Hospital 
 a piece of ground of unsurpassed fertility. 
 
 A rough sketch of the proposed system of ditches and drains 
 is herewith submitted. The levels have been taken from the 
 engineer’s plans of the grounds, and, it is believed, are accurate. 
 The remainder of the sketch is merely an outline, the propor¬ 
 tionate distance being disregarded. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 John K. Elder, 
 
 Chairman Committee on Hospitals for Insane. 
 
 Attest: 
 
 Alexander Johnson, Secretary. 
 
FROM THE SECOND BIENNIAL REPORT OF 
 THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON 
 SEWERAGE. 
 
 The Board of Construction contemplated for this Hospital 
 a system of sewage disposal which is largely experimental. 
 Ho doubt, under extremely favorable conditions, it would be 
 reasonably satisfactory. After making careful inquiry of 
 experts in this line we became convinced of its impractica¬ 
 bility. In our former report we apprised the Governor of 
 our intention to carry the sewage to Pigeon Creek. For 
 reasons set forth in that report the immediate carrying into 
 eft’ect of this plan was abandoned, and, through necessity, the 
 original plan, on a limited scale, was substituted, we adding 
 about seven hundred feet of pipe to the outlet to locate the 
 settling grounds farther from the Hospital buildings. This 
 method of disposal gave ofl'ense to our neighbors, who gave 
 expression to their disapprobation by filing an injunction 
 suit against us. About this time the Governor called the 
 attention of the Board of State Charities to the matter and re¬ 
 quested them to look into it and report to him their observa¬ 
 tions. The Board, through its Committee on Hospitals for 
 Insane, visited this Hospital, and, after going over the ground, 
 made a report to the Governor deprecating the proposed sewer 
 to Pigeon Creek, and declaring the belief that the system con¬ 
 templated by the Board of Construction was the correct one, 
 and, to the end that it might be more thoroughly tested, they 
 recommended a more extended system of lateral ditches, and 
 approved the contemplated change in the direction of the 
 laundry sewer. Out of deference to the wishes of the Governor 
 the recommendations of the Board of State Charities were car¬ 
 ried into effect with fairly satisfactory results at first, but as the 
 amount of sewage increases the plan shows evidences of its im¬ 
 practicability, and it is our opinion that it will have to be 
 abandoned and the plan of a closed sewer to Pigeon Creek 
 finally ado})ted. This creek is a living stream located a distance 
 of about two miles northwest of the Hospital. Prior to mak- 
 
39 
 
 ing our former report we caused a survey to be made by com- 
 petect engineers, and we found that in a direct line northwest 
 of the Hospital the creek could be reached through a sewer laid 
 at an average depth of five feet, and on this line a sewer could 
 be readily flushed and easily maintained, the route being free 
 from sharp turns and having an ample fall. 
 
 Over this line we were unable to secure the right of way, 
 owing to the opposition of a non-resident property holder, 
 whose land lies north of the Hospital. In the emergency that 
 confronted us we secured the right of way over a less desira¬ 
 ble line, but the plan of the creek disposal having of necessity 
 been abandoned, as set forth in our former report, we did not 
 use the right. No expenditure was made on this account, and 
 since the matter of sewage disposal is still open, we desire 
 special legislation enabling us to take the most direct and least 
 expensive route to Pigeon Creek. 
 
 Only by act of the General Assembly, authorizing a con¬ 
 demnation of the right of way, can this most direct line for a 
 sewer be secured by us. Since the topography of the farm is 
 not favorable to field disposal of sewage without the erection 
 and maintenance of pumping or cremating machines, we be¬ 
 lieve the most eflPectual and most economical disposal will be 
 had through the closed sewer to Pigeon Creek. It has been 
 suggested that this plan will not obviate, but merely shift the 
 diificulty, as the sewer might become a nuisance at its outlet. 
 We admit there is a difference of opinion on this point, but it 
 is most generally conceded that it will not prove offensive or 
 detrimental to health. The outlet of the proposed sewer, by 
 way of the stream, would be a distance of about sixteen miles 
 from Evansville, though the creek itself, before emptying into 
 the Ohio River, flows through the city for a distance of about 
 one mile. 
 
 This fact has caused some opposition to the construction 
 of the sewer, and should the right of way over the proposed 
 line be secured there is a probability that we will be enjoined. 
 We are assured, however, that this action if taken will be in¬ 
 stituted before the work of construction is commenced. 
 
 In order to settle the question of sewage disposal by means 
 of the contemplated sewer, we respectfully request that you 
 urge upon the General Assembly, if it is consistent with your 
 judgment in the matter, the necessity for an enactment en- 
 
40 
 
 abling us to secure the right of way over the liue herein indi¬ 
 cated. If we are enjoined from entering Pigeon Creek, some 
 other method of sewage disposal must then be considered, even 
 though its adoption involves greater expenditures in the way 
 of construction and maintenance. 
 
REPORT OF A. B. FITCH, C. E., ON DIFFER¬ 
 ENT ROUTES FOR SEWER. 
 
 Terre Haute, Ind., February 17, 1893. 
 
 To the Board of Trustees of the 
 
 Southern Indiana Hospital for Insane: 
 
 Gentlemen— At your request I have made an examination 
 with the view of determining the most practical plan of sew¬ 
 erage at the Southern Hospital, and herewith submit a discus¬ 
 sion of the several plans proposed, with estimate cost of instal¬ 
 lation. As a basis for these estimates it is assumed that for 
 five hundred people at this Hospital an average of 70 gallons 
 of sewage for each person may be reached, making a maximum 
 total of 35,000 gallons to be disposed of daily. This allows for 
 a large initial dilution. 
 
 An expensive and elaborate system of plumbing throughout 
 the Hospital buildings provides for sewage disposal by water 
 carriage. This part of the plan can not be changed now ex¬ 
 cept at great expense. 
 
 The method of disposal by “intermittent filtration,” on a 
 portion of the Hospital grounds, has been tried for the past 
 two years and has been a failure for want of suitable porous 
 ground. 
 
 The consideration of the subject is therefore limited to carry¬ 
 ing the sewage by pipe sewer to Pigeon Creek, to one of the 
 Evansville city sewers or to the Ohio River. 
 
 To each plan there are earnest objections, and though the 
 greater number of the objections raised are not sustained by 
 the facts, they may be urged in such a manner as to seriously 
 embarrass the carrying out of any of the plans. For this rea¬ 
 son all the routes are discussed and their merits shown as fairly 
 as possible, since it may be expedient, under the circumstances, 
 to adopt a solution of the problem other than that deemed the 
 best. 
 
42 
 
 PLAN No. I 
 
 Is an 8 inch pipe sewer to Pigeon Creek, for which a survey 
 was made and the contract let in 1890, but the work was stop¬ 
 ped by inability to use the appropriation for that purpose. 
 
 This sewer, as proposed, was 10,080 feet long, with a total 
 fall of thirty seven feet to the water surface of Pigeon Creek, 
 at that time near its low water mark. This water surface was 
 still twenty four feet above low water of the Ohio River, and 
 the same distance below the high water mark of 1884, the va¬ 
 riation on the Ohio River between the highest and lowest wa¬ 
 ter in this locality being about forty-eight feet. 
 
 The point of outfall of the sewer into Pigeon Creek is eight 
 miles above the mouth of the creek, and six and two-thirds 
 miles above the point where it first touches the city limits of 
 Evansville. Within this eight miles from its mouth there are 
 two or more rocky ledges in the bed of Pigeon Creek, over 
 which it falls in riffles at low water, and above which it is held 
 in pools as by dams. The outfall of the proposed sewer is in 
 one of these pools that is several miles in length, from thirty to 
 fifty feet in width, and from five to fifteen feet in depth at low 
 w^ater. The discharge of Pigeon Creek at low w^ater has not 
 been measured, but it is described as running three to six inches 
 deep and ten or twelve feet wide over riffles at the “ salt well,” 
 in Evansville, in the fall of 1892, when the Ohio River was 
 within less than one foot of its low water mark on the city 
 register. 
 
 In the lower part of its length the waters of Pigeon Creek 
 are nowhere used for drinking or culinary purposes. In the 
 city of Evansville the mills and factories discharge their refuse 
 into it, and some of the city sewers are discharged into it also. 
 
 Above the city limits slaughter houses are located on its 
 banks, and a short distance below the outfall of the proposed 
 Hospital sewer is located a fertilizer factory, all discharging 
 their refuse into Pigeon Creek. It is not a question, then, of 
 polluting this stream in the first place, but, rather, a question 
 whether this added pollution will be offensive to the senses or 
 detrimental to health. 
 
 With the liberal supply of water, and the arrangements of 
 flushing at the Hospital, the sewage will be a hundred times 
 diluted before it starts on its journey to the creek. In this 
 
48 
 
 journey the solids will be dissolved and ground line, and the 
 sewage, as discharged into Pigeon Creek, will be less discol¬ 
 ored and show less solids to the gallon than the Ohio River 
 water at an ordinary high stage. 
 
 This discharge into Pigeon Creek, will be below its low water 
 mark into a considerable body of water, and the sewage will 
 be diluted again a hundred times of its added bulk,even at low 
 water in the creek. At the low water stage there will be some 
 deposit of the solids in the pool mentioned, but it will be swept 
 out when the creed is in flood. 
 
 The journey of the sewage from the Hospital to the creek 
 will be made in a little more than an hour, and from the outfall 
 ot the sewer to the Ohio River in not exceeding seven hours, 
 and with the dilution and treatment it receives no putrefactive 
 decomposition can take place in that time. It can not, there¬ 
 fore, be oflensive to sight or smell, or in any way detrimental 
 to health. 
 
 With a velocity of two feet per second, the discharging 
 capacity of this 8 inch pipe would be 18,000 gallons per hour, 
 so there is no question but that this size pipe is ample to do 
 the work. The main line of the sewer was contracted for in 
 1890, at §6,200. This price did not include connections at the 
 Hospital or right of way over private grounds. It will prob¬ 
 ably cost §8,000 completed. 
 
 i 
 
 PLAN No. II 
 
 Is by a pipe sewer to connect with the Chestnut Street sewer 
 in the city of Evansville. 
 
 The course of this sewer will be down the main avenue in 
 the Hospital grounds to a point near the pump house, and in 
 this portion there is a fall of 6 feet in 500 feet distance. From 
 near the pump house it will go nearly direct west to a junction 
 with the Chestnut Street sewer on Walnut Street in the city. 
 This portion will be about 13 900 feet along with a total fall of 
 15 feet. In an 8-inch pipe running full or half full this would 
 give a velocity of IJ feet per second or 4,500 feet per hour, 
 with a discharge running full of nearly 12,000 -gallons per 
 hour. An 8-inch pipe would then be ample to do the work. 
 It would be an easier matter to clean it by flushing, the venti¬ 
 lation would be easier and it would cost less than a larger pipe. 
 
44 
 
 The quantity of sewage to be carried would not fill the pipe 
 half full, and it would be an advantage to make use of the 
 excessive fall at the upper end by putting in a flush-tank to 
 discharge the sewage intermittently, thus running the pipe 
 nearly full at intervals and accomplishing a very thorough 
 ventilation of the sewer through the lamp holes built, say, 40 
 rods apart. With so slight a fall there would probably be 
 some deposit in the sewer which might be removed by passing 
 a wooden ball, slightly less in diameter, through it, and for 
 this reason the lamp holes should be built of 8 inch pipe also. 
 
 For two miles this route crosses private grounds and the 
 right of way would have to be purchased, but it is for the most 
 part along a division line and in line with the extension of 
 Walnut Street, and this should not be a serious obstacle. 
 
 Permission must also be obtained to use the city sewer. This 
 proposed sewer would discharge into the Chestnut Street sewer 
 a mile and a quarter from the outfall into the Ohio River. The 
 size of the city sewer is ample to carry the added load, and its 
 fall (1 foot in 400 feet), with an ordinary flow, is sufiicient to 
 prevent deposit. An objection raised to such use of the Chest¬ 
 nut Street sewer is that it will increase the amount of sewer 
 gas to be discharged from filfy or more receiving basins, dis¬ 
 tributed along its route. This is said to be so great already as 
 to have become a serious nuisance. 
 
 It is probably true that the slight fiow in this sewer during 
 the extremely dry season just passed permitted the deposit 
 of solids along its sides and bottom, and their decomposition 
 generated to gases complained of. The remedy is to keep 
 the sewer clean by fiushing with water from the city mains, 
 or increasing the minimum fiow to the point where there 
 will be no deposit take place. Flowing one-fourth full there 
 will be no deposit, and flowing one-third lull or more, the 
 velocity will be sufiicient to scour out any deposit that has 
 been made, and the journey of the sewage from the extreme 
 upper end to the outfall in the Ohio River will not exceed 
 half an hour in duration. 
 
 The addition of a constant fiow of 36,000 gallons daily 
 delivered at the extreme upper end of Chestnut Street sewer 
 would tend to abate the nuisance of escaping sewer gas by 
 preventing its formation, and would be an advantage instead 
 of a detriment. 
 
4 * 
 
fScct>c^e ^ti5yBoy5aZ 
 
 <3O- ^'n\Sa.'ne 
 
 7i^/,<r.y ^ < 2 . /S.jr^ <t.t. 
 
 * ' * <?v^. /8y^3‘ 
 
45 
 
 ) 
 
 The cost of carrying out this plan of sewage disposal would 
 probably not exceed $13,000, of which amount $3,000 is esti¬ 
 mated to cover the cost of right of way and the use of the 
 city sewer. 
 
 PLAN No. Ill 
 
 Would be a sewer pipe running direct to the Ohio River in 
 a southeasterly direction from the Hospital. This route would 
 be from the north side of the Hospital to the ‘‘ dummy ’’ rail¬ 
 road at the eastern boundary of the Hospital grounds; thence 
 along the railroad to the east line of section 26 ; thence south 
 along the wagon road nearly three miles; thence east along 
 the road one half mile, and thence south along the road to the 
 Ohio River. Total distance four and one-half miles. The fall 
 per mile in the pipe will be substantially the same as on the 
 last described route, and an eight-inch pipe will be large 
 enough, but the cutting will be somewhat deeper, increasing 
 the cost per foot. The total cost complete will probably not 
 exceed $18,000 and will not fall much under that sum. 
 
 The objections to this route are the great cost, the long line 
 to keep in order, and the probability that the city of Evans¬ 
 ville would object to having sewage discharged into the river 
 above their water works, though it is nearly nine miles above 
 by the river. The execution of either of these plans would be 
 greatly facilitated if the Legislature would grant the right to 
 condemn a right of way. Without that right the difficulties 
 may become insurmountable and no proper estimate of the 
 cost could be made. 
 
 A tracing of the county map is attached, showing the loca¬ 
 tion of the hospital grounds, and the routes of the sewers 
 herein described. Respectfully submitted, 
 
 A. B. FITCH, C. E. 
 
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH TO THE 
 BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS. 
 
 December 2, 1893. 
 
 Whereas, The Board of Public Works has referred to the 
 Board of Health and Charities the proposition of the Trustees 
 of the Insane Asylum, and the request of said Trustees for 
 permission to tap the Chestnut Street sewer, for the opinion 
 of the said Board of Health and Charities, as to the influenee 
 of granting aforesaid permission upon the public health along 
 the line of said Chestnut Street sewer. 
 
 Whereas, The proposition of the Trustees of the Insane 
 Hospital is— 
 
 First. That Chestnut Street sewer will be extended to Ken¬ 
 tucky Avenue at the expense of the Insane Hospital. 
 
 Second. That an 8-inch pipe or a larger one, will be used to 
 convey sewerage from Hospital to aforesaid Chestnut Street 
 sewer. Furthermore, that no vegetable or other matter, which 
 can not be suspended or dissolved in water, shall be allowed to 
 enter said Hospital sewer. 
 
 Third. In addition to water necessary to carry off waste 
 matter from said Hospital, there will be a pipe connecting the 
 artesian flow of satt water constantly pouring into the sewer 
 leading from the said Hospital, and also a tank will be erected 
 with a capacity of not less than 10,000 gallons, which will be 
 discharged intermittently into the sewer leading from the Hos¬ 
 pital three times a week, or oftener if required by the Board of 
 Health and Charities, between the hours of 9 and 12 p. m. 
 
 Be it resolved, That it is the opinion of the Board of Health 
 and Charities that if the above conditions be complied with, the 
 use of Chestnut Street sewer will not be detrimental to health, 
 but will be beneflcial to the sewer, as the quantity of water, 
 especially the salt water, will keep it clean and free from fer¬ 
 menting and decomposing matter. 
 
 L. WORSHAM, M. D., 
 
 W. S. P0LL4RD, M. D., 
 
 JOHN F. GLOVER, M. D., 
 
 Board of Health. 
 
PROPOSITION OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO 
 THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS OF THE 
 CITY OF EVANSVILLE. 
 
 Gentlemen— We submit to you the proposed plan for the 
 disposal of sewerage from the Southern Indiana Hospital for 
 Insane, and trust the same will meet your approval: 
 
 We propose to build an extension of Chestnut Street sewer 
 from its present termination to Kentucky Avenue, near the 
 city of Evansville. The dimensions of the sewer to be from 
 the present termination of the sewer to Bland Avenue, three 
 (3) feet by four (4) feet in diameter; from Bland Avenue to 
 Kentucky Avenue, two and one-half (2J) feet by three (3) feet 
 in diameter; the sewer to be constructed of brick similar in 
 character to that now upon Chestnut Street; from Kentucky 
 Avenue to the Hospital a stone drain-pipe of not less than 
 eight (8) inches in diameter to be laid on proper grade to make 
 the best flow that can be obtained. At the Hospital provision 
 will be made for erecting a tank of capacity of not less than 
 10,000 gallons for flushing the sewer in such a manner as to 
 prevent accumulation of any kind in the pipes, and such flush¬ 
 ing shall take place three times per week, and oftener if re¬ 
 quired by the Board of Public Health. 
 
 We propose to turn into the sewer the flow of the salt well 
 now upon the Hospital grounds, discharging, at what we be¬ 
 lieve a conservative estimate, not less than a hundred thousand 
 gallons of salt water per day. The sewer pipe to be built in 
 an approved manner and provided with proper man-holes and 
 
 appliances to keep the same free from obstructions or accum¬ 
 ulations. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 P. H. BLUE, 
 
 SELEMAK GIMBEL, 
 
 W. L. SWORMSTEDT, 
 
 Trustees. 
 
OPINION OF CITY ATTORNEY. 
 
 Evansville, Ind., December 9, 1893. 
 
 Department of Public Works, Evansville, Indiana: 
 
 Gentlemen— Your department is authorized by the charter 
 to prepare a general uniform plan for the drainage and sewer¬ 
 age of the city and to design, construct and maintain all public 
 sewers and drains within the city, and all sewers aud drains 
 without the city and within four miles thereof, which may be 
 necessary to carry off the sewerage of the city. 
 
 You are also authorized to drain any ground within four 
 miles of the city whenever by reason of stagnant water it has 
 been injurious to the health of the city. 
 
 I am unable to find any law authorizing you to construct or 
 maintain any drains or sewers except such as are necessary as 
 a part of the drainage system of the city and for the purpose 
 of draining the same. 
 
 Without special legislation you are not authorized to permit 
 the use of any of the sewers of the city except for the purpose 
 for which they are constructed, namely: The drainage of the 
 city. 
 
 While I am not prepared to say that the Board would not 
 be authorized to cooperate with the Trustees of the Hospital 
 for Insane, in the construction of a sewer intended to form a 
 part of the sewerage system of the city as well as of the Hospital 
 grounds, I am of the opinion, however, that your permission 
 to the Trustees to connect with and use a sewer already con¬ 
 structed could not be construed as the legitimate exercise of 
 your power to provide for the drainage of the city. 
 
 Respectfully submitted, 
 
 GEO. A. CUNISriNGHAM, 
 
 City Attorney, 
 

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