The Parkland College Sewage Standoff
Despite pressure from the Public Works Commissioner, the president of Parkland College refuses to move a cesspool, claiming it poses no threat to city water.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The authorities of Parkland college refuse to comply with the request of Commissioner of Public Works Clark relative to moving the college cesspool. President Hong of the institution, when seen this morning on the subject by a Times representative, said: 'The request of Mr. Clark will not be complied with, as there is not the slightest reason to believe that the drain injures the city water. The cesspool is on a hill and the ditch drain flows into a vault which is about 50 yards from the creek and is separated from it by a small rising of ground. Thus, as the drain terminal is on lower ground than the creek, it is absolutely impossible for the city water to come in contact with the sewer.' To see if the conditions had changed since Dr. Schug made his report, the reporter then made a tour along Clover creek, and found that there were several vaults, manure piles, chicken yards, etc., standing as near as five or ten feet to the bank of the creek, and places were found where refuse had been thrown into the stream.
“The request of Mr. Clark will not be complied with, as there is not the slightest reason to believe that the drain injures the city water.”
Water quality and land use disputes around Clover Creek have a long history. This clash highlights the early 20th-century struggle between institutional growth and the public health of the growing city.
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