Mystery Stink Traced

The strange odors which plagued the Radcliffe quad this winter were the fault of a sewage system which did not function because of lack of rainfall, Ralph B. Gates, Radcliffe Director of Buildings and Grounds, said yesterday.

Gates said that the sewage system depends on an accumulation of rainwater to seal off the odor in the pipes. Because this was an unusually cold and dry winter, underground lines froze, forcing the sewers to back up.

The sewage system has caused similar problems in the past, but Gates said that the smell has never been so strong or lasted so long as it did this winter. Since "it takes a peculiar set of atmospheric conditions" to create such a situation, Gates added that he would be very surprised if the quad smells as bad next year.