The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-10-08 00:00:00

[42#111V0814.

imsB==.o7 Bawd we bans ads an examiaation of,
ibl en, and beg tesomert as follows:
•W• found the timiew pad at the end of Bred-
area in Idirty conditioa, • gamatity of black mad sad
garbage taigas. The timber peed in Gloucestaretrest is Is
• Ter, libealisfactory sines ; there is • ceasiderable
exactuat of silt in this pm& Da doubt polluted with
omega during the operation of movie( the balks of
Umber elimatim caused thereby le are greet, and is
the ad muolt monoplane to the aeighbourhood. I
The timber .s 4 &t listed Argylieterrame la a very
Il lthy and as* It is the reaps* for the
dia= Arferbellance& the 110119• S and stables, dm,
the of 15cticseplaos, end the Imam and premises on
the west side of the Darehester-road. Pip are kept at
the edge of the pond. The sewage fro= the •bwiwiwes-
timed plains is carried by open ditches into this pond
the ditch at the north end is especially in • foal state.
The occupiers of ate plots of bad in the immediate
Panay dip up the sewage from the ditches for the um of
their gardens The exhalation front the pond during hot
weather is most intolerable. There is a drain from the
water-closete in connection with the Greet Western Coot-
pony's engine sheds, which discharges into the Beck-
water; about 15 persons per day nee these closet& There
Is • quantity of decomposing seaweed near the upper
signal poet of tbe railway, st a point about 60) yards
north of Harsever-terrane, also a considerable 11130Unt.
ameba away we.. north of the Svenska,. which is
liable to he expand at the time of low water, should the
gate of the Dent be left opened; at Chablis Lake there
were also tarp quantities. Owing to the irregularar in
the line of the foreshore north of the signal box paned
and garbage We deposited, and are deisompaing. Besides
the nuisances arising from the .6°a-mentioned cances,
we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that the Backwater
must of necessity become the settling area for • consider-
able portion of the sewage discharged into the Harbour.
The groat quantity of corks and other floating substances
carried over the Dam with the rising tide is • proof of
this. We are of opinion that this fact, in conjunction
with the decomposing seaweed and the extremely hot
weather, caused the water in the Backwater to become
foal, and that at the time Ow gate of the Dam was opened
to dames the Harbour of sewage it became disturbed,
sad from it emanated the noxious which c
enuoyanoe to the inhabitants
"Missed)
"HOIST ?maw, Medical Officer of Heath.
" W. ileatew MOROI". Borough Surveyor.
"SLISIL A. VICIZIT."

"On ridging Radipole we found several priviee
conmected direct with the streams. also • drain for the
purpose of slop water; we could not discern any particular
aldose* at On outlet, or that the stream from Redipole
was 10 .0 amain, state.
" W. SASLOW lioacwl, SAMUEL A. VICIZIT."

Mr. Morgen's separate report was to the following
effect :
"In accordance with your instructions I have made
evoniciations and eerimeuts in order to arrive at the
cause of mammas arising from the Backwater. I
Scats Is the Harbour, west of the Beide.. at the placedo a
sleek water, neap tides. The Seats were carried by the
ride' tide up the Harbour, and over the Dam, to a pchst
near Beteg timber-pond. The coudition of the Harbour
at the time I made the experinaset was that it wee very
much chanted with sewage matters in suspension,
especially near the outlets opposite the King's AMU Inn
and Chapel:y-04p" I feel convinced on Friday. Saturday,
and Sunday (the Nth. Kit, and Mud instants), very little
of the sewage of the borough was earried to sea.
the time of low ester spring tides (about four hours) the
sewers have an opportunity of discharging their TOUTTUTT,
which of necessity mint be carried up the Harbour by the
ilicominx tide; some portion is therefore carried over the
Dam into the Backwater, I cannot sea how it can be other.
wise. In reference to what steps should be taken to rectify
the cause of nuisance, I em of or4enwas regards the see-
weed in the Backwater, the area north of the
Swannery is partially exposed at water, should the
se.or the Dam be opened, and Is the spot from which a
quantity is broken sway he the ection of wind
tide, and depoeited on the banks of the Backwater.
This area should be dredged 90 so to be at all time. covered
with water, or be raised into an island. As regards the
views carried over the Pam. I am of opinion nothing
sheet of cleating with the newest of the sewage from the
Harbour can remedy this •Til. I have for some time peat
prepared a seheine for the deposal of the whole sewage of
the borough, and, should it be the wish of your Board, I
shall be pleased to explain he nuns
" W. Mune dolma , Borough Surveyor.
"September M, WS."
Tim MATO. considered Ui, • very important meeting—
one the malt of which may effect the future prosperity of
the town more than soy ether ha had ever been present
at On a former occasion they thought it beet the Press
should not be present, that the BOMA might act apart
from any external Infinenes. The result was that very
fall and exhaustive report of the date of the Backwater,
pointing to the effect o' the garbage and seawes
and especially of that abominahle place at the back of
Argyle-terrace, which he had seen, end which would
crests • disgust for living if the nedgebourhood, in fact a
lady had already removed from it Two ways exist of
treating the quortion—rezeoring the seaweed and cleans-
ing the Umber-pounds, Cr the only satisfactory one—
cleansing the harbour by mooring the deposit allowed
there forth. last four yeas, and which for that time had
accumulated in the Beckeater. Ile did not wish unduly
to hasten forward any 'hems for completing Sir John
Coode's plan, he had gone with Hr. Robins in postponing
if possible what now appeared an absolute necessity, but
his :time of office being nearly concluded, he reminded
them he was one who signed a pledge to the Government
Board not to allow the seem to remain at it was, end he
wished to redeem the picks given when they went to the
Board for a loan of .C 25,100. For • long time such had
been the healthiness of the town that they did not feel it
necessary to redeem the pledge forced upon them. Since
then Kr. Snook brought forward • resolution respecting
the Park, and the Board pledged itself, if he woulddefer
it till October, to adopt cop scheme, not only to relieve
the Park, but the people on the other side of the water.
He wished the appointment of an experienced and compe-
tent engineer, Bo that the town might perceive they are
not insensible to the oosplainta. As depositaries and
trustees for the town, now increseing rapidly in buildings
and population, he hoped they would be heartily united,
and do what is best for sts lasting intermit Look at
Torquay, Bournemouth, and Hastings, and what they are
doing, and we ought not to be left behind in what is for
the health and prosperity of the town. Their own officer's
report lay before them, and they weld not get out of
having to adopt an efficient scheme ; it might be deferred,
but only a few month., therefore let them meet the
Government Board fairly. Sir John Goode and Mr.
Harrison both admitted only as • temporary measure, the
suspension in the Harbour of the ...aged the town.
Roams would not yield in the slightest degree to
any one in the desire to have the town satisfactorily
drained, and every nuisance taken away, everything that
could annoy those who cone here. If they inspected the
places referred to in the retort of their officers, they would
Sod that only to carry out Sir John Coode's scheme would
leave untouched the very evils lately complained of. If
every family were respond from 'Weymouth, tor ten
years, and every drain sealed up, there would be the same
stench with the seaweed allowed to grow. He would ask
gentlemen to accompany him, and at those places near
their hawse, he would ask—Was there not enough to
account for all the annoyance? Directly in • line with
General Bough's premiseshe found the earnest, and near
was • tongue of land covered with decomposing seaweed.
There was some of it, dried (producing a piece) Tim
men at the clay *ohs he had asked if they smelt • bad
smell, and they retuned they did sometimes when the
seaweed came ashore; but it went mostly on the other
side, and there was U. smell. There are officers
whoa, duty it Is to reqpdr these evils ; and if it is outside
their power, then teatil the Board towhee. If they
could merit the sewage away altogether, so that no trace
remained of it, there misfit be reason for adopting, OUT of
them system.; but only three ways are open for them to
deed with it—by irrigation, which had been thrown over
because they had no land euitable—b filtration. clied
of for a similar reran, and ou—what did it
amount tot To pumping all this refuse, paring it over
deueiesie, and carting ix.] the sludge to the western
shore, and if it were spread over the Backwater gardens,
would not another nnisence he created! Sappoeinc —what
he knew is now the favourite scheme—it was taken to the
east of the Rothe, it most be put into the tideway, or
Into slack water. If into the tide, some portion of it
would return, if into slack water, it would not be got rid
of. geg,, mohees then quoted from Mr. Hawks's,' • past
reports, stating the objections to putting the sewage into
Newton's Cove, and aoldicifiliat every pert of the es.
frontage had been seerchei Ellerrison titres times
and no Fort was available. . Robins next argued that
water is iteelf a purifier, sod if in sufficient quentity for
dilution of the sewage, it makes it inflations, and the
large quantity comingikkinti the
oseu Backwater he contended
eoii had stated the cause
of the smell wee the Harbear-master opening the gates at
neap tido, and that it wottd pay for land carriage for the
timber which went through the gates, rather than have
them opened under suck conditions. The
General led published his etatements es to the Registrar
o
watering place*, and be found Weymouth's death rate was
only 11l per 1.000. Ilfracombe 17.2. and Rain toe Mt
Mr. Robins quoted the whole (which appeared la OUT
lad Telegram and also theffeemty ffsporses), and remarked
that 17.5 is spoken of as • low rate, yet In Weymouth we
are down to MI ; and that report would show the general
health of the town. He recollected living on the
lispleuede, when &quantity of seaweed came in and caused
• stench almost insuirmubls while the lies were like one
of the plague of =iiviTlee Council arranged for the
removal of that sea mid they must now arrange for
Its removal frees the water. As to the ee.ejve
schemes for carrying away the sewage. they emu
• dimese wore. than the evil the Board is asked to
TOTIOTTIL
A coarvereation followed, in which
Kr. Cathithes said there wee no question about sewage
Rothe over the Dam: but it would return with the next
bee: The bed at fee Backwater in clearer now than it
wee ten years ago, and the gavel is clean and bright as •
new sixpence.
Kr. WZLILFORD added there is • regular bank of send :
you sea bright send where befeee was mud.
Mr. LeorM.i said there is fit kept always in the Bea.
water more than before the Dam was built, the exposure
of the mod was the principal offence, and the Dam was
put to weer it, and he could not understand why it wee
not gale to open the Dem-gates, unless, indeed, theme was
extra deposit He was very much afraid they would have
toga into • heavier enema,
Mr. ZUOT agreed with Mr. Robene's powerful speech,
but Kr. Ramos had not smuttier enough to offers remedy.
He was glad to be able to quote the opinion of Sir John
Coeds, becees. it had been the fashion to say harsh
things about Sir John. When he was asked permission
to make the experiment of putting the sewage into the
Harbour, be said it was as experiment Hut would end in
a failure, and that in warm of time it would get above
the Dent Mr. not had been struck by Mr. LovelFs ex-
planation es to the state of the tides, and that the sewage
must go above the Dam it was only a question of time.
As to what Kr. Robe= had said about the seaweed, he
believed it wee in the main the seaweed which they had
been endowing from this summer. Three things they had
to do—contend with those detached sewers like that at
Areek-tereeen take care the seaweed is kept down on the
foreshores of the Beekwater, and remove the drainage
from the Harbour. Mr. Hawkesley's report had been re-
ferred to; but that was sande 15 ewe ego, and since then
had been made the report of • Commission especially
appointed by the Houses of Parliament, and It recom-
mended that sewage metier be allowed to run to week in
the epee oak where it can he done. The Town Surveyor
had a plan for effecting this, and he (Mr. Eliot) wished it
to be produced. and submitted to some eminent engineer.
It was not sufficient to prove the town was healthy,
for if it is so, and yet stinking, it will not draw
Yet them gentleman who bed memorialised the Load
Government Board were called 'iffy_ obstructive,, If
=sweat to the town whew. mistake., and
to make the attempt again—nr some eminent
=eured. and they OTT willing to do every.
pima •yabouth above suspieion, then there Is •
genereas otOstihassey who will support them in carrying
oat the Imbues of the town in such a way as to give
satisfedion and confidence.
Mr. W =WORD regretted the question of the mistakes
had been brought forward. They were told to go into the
Ch.!). pad sees • resolution, or they had the bee of the
season merge epee. We. such • resolutions. that, forced
upon by. as it were "Stand sad deliver r to be serried oat
Windless, without going to the Local Government Board,
and caking them to show good reason why it should he
carried out I
Kr. Dismiss: What about the previous erminenou • to I;
Mr. WILISPOILD said .C 25,000 was borrowed for carrying
out • owasin entliese, and for that Wows within a very
mem sisoost, he believed, it was spent. Towards
scheme believed to be sufficiently feasible, the Local' ;
Government Board allowed them to borrow £25,000, and
If that were carried out in its integriWOuldty. Kr. Seaman would,
blow HUI* that bad been done seed to he undone.
Kr. Deem queetod a statement of Mr. Hardens's, which
Messed to show that • smaller amount only had been
accounted for, as used for the sponel Pa/Poise-
Kr. WILLIFORD returned the whole of the £lO.OOO has
bele iscesintled on works appreved by the local Govern-
ment Bawd. extent • very smell inies. The mosey was
raised sad moat fitarelhe end It was not
right Is sky It wee fee any .PFPOPL 'Work'
lag to Ile aria was gusaglg annum gigg wale