The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-04 00:00:00

PLANS.

These consist of two sheets, one showing an isolated tank in
section, a trap pipe entrance, pump earthenware, overflow, and
cast iron cover to manhole. The second sheet represents a
plan and section of what is termed a main drain pipe, with

flushing eye.
The plan of having a cesspool tank adjoining a dwelling
house, or in the grounds, has been adopted for years in situa•
tions where no better system could be carried out, and numbers
of these tanks are now in existence in the township of Garston.
In every instance they have been found an intolerable nuisance,
and in many cases injurious to health.
The tank suggested is In no way snperior to those in common
use, neither is they, any improvement in the trap, as it is the
ordinary bent. pipe, which is liable to become dry, in which
rase all t'ne offensive gases are carried directly into the build-
ings. The insertion of a pump into the tank would be attended
vith the most fatal results if used in hot weather.
Toe tank, which is seven feet deep to the overflow (and we
presume circular, but there is nothing in the drawing to indi-
cate this) is four feet diameter, so that it would contain about
650 gallons. This, in an ordinary sized house, might be filled
in le,s than a week, after which the whole amount of sewage
matter must be discharged into the street sewer. The cost of
one of these would not be less than £l5 to each proprietor.
As the levels of the Garston. &strict are so favourable to an
uniform system of drainage, and proper fall being obtainable
for all sections of the township, we do not see the advantage of
adopting a system which has long since been exploded as bad
in itself, expensive in construction, and injurious to the health
of the inhabitants. As regards the deodorising system, we
imagine it can be better carried oat on' a large scale, at works
prepared for the purpose near the shore, at the southern extre-
mity of the township, rather than experiment in every person's
private grounds. The number of these tanks throughout the
township would require a staff constantly employed in emptying
or deodorising. Any one who has witnessed the opening up of
one of these filth receptacles, and disease generators, can easily

. .
conceive the state of the atmosphere of such a neighbourhood.
As regards the cost of these tanks, we may merely tnention, that
t liking the number of houges at 1,200, and only 'one tank for

every two houses, the outlay would be £9,000, all expense
incurred without the slightest advantage, either to the pro-
prietors or the district. As the proposed tanks become filled
in a short date, the size of the street sewers will remain the
same, whether the tanks are, or are not constructed. The
flushing eye shown on drawing NO. 2, is evidently so unfit for
the purpose, as not to require any remark, except that if the
13-inch pipe shown, is intended for one of the main street
sewers, ~,re cannot compliment the author on his practical
acq-aalntatice with these matters. The proposition made to the
board, and the drawings submitted are so obviously unsuitable
and absurd, that we do not think it necessary to occupy the
time of the commissioners with any further explanations. We
only wish to intimate in conclusion, that the statements made
by the projector of this scheme relative to our having recom•
mended a certain system of drainage, are entirely without
foundation, as that gentleman ought to have been aware, that
we had simply to advise the board, which, in our opinion was
the best of thirteen plans submitted for the drainage of the
district.—We remain, Sir, your obedient servants,

TFIOXAS DUNCAN,
ARTHUR H. HOLM&

The Surveyor, in his report to the board on the same

subject, sa) s

To the Chairman of the Garston Local Board of Health,

Garaton, Nov, 26th, 1856

conformity with your instructions, I have to
report on the Plans submitted to the Local Board of Health
by Mr. Jobn Gibbs, for the construction of Tanks in con-
nection with the intended sewerage for, the district of Garston.
he plans comprise a tank, a pump, a moveable grating, a
syphon trap, a 12 inch pipe, and a sewer eye for flushing the
sewers. In the above plan of tanks, we have a repetition of
the old sump wells, or cesspools, (with the exception that these
are connected) which have always been found to be a neces-
sary evil, and only resorted to where no sewers existed ; or
none within a reasonable distance. They might be allowed if
constructed sufficiently far from any dwelling house, and
required for Agricultural purposes, under certain regulations.
The construction of tanks near any dwelling house, would be
objectional, in consequence of the dificulty of making them air
tight, for the slightest fraction in the cement, or cover, would
be an opening through which the foul gases .would be sure to
escape. These tanks as described by Mr. Gibbs, say eight
feet deep, aad four feet in diameter, would only contain about
31 cubic yards to the level of the outlet pipe, cad therefore
would require to be emptied about once in four days, for
which the Board of Health would have to kaep up a staff of
men for the purpose, at a great expence, besides the annoyance
from offensive smells every time they are opened ; also danger
to the health and life of the inhabitants. About 21 years
ago, several members of a respectable family were suddenly
taken ill, and all of them, more or less, afflicted in consequence
of the opening and emptying of a cesspool near the house.
But it has been asked, cannot those cesspool be deoderized—
they may partially, but I am not aware of any person succeed-
ing entirely in rendering them inoderous, and this attended
with a great expence, and the agricultural value of the manure
lost. The principal argument in favour of tanks is, as stated
by Mr. Gibbs, that the area of the sewers, consequently
tho cost of the sewers, may be greatly reduced. 'ln
reply, I would state that the cost of constructing one of those
tanks would be twelve pounds, or twelve guineas, for each
moderate sized house. And allowing one ,only for several
small houses, we-should require 400 tanks, at an expense of
£5,000 ; and in the.course of a few years, 400 more. .At any
rate, that:number would be required before the sewerage need
be completed, which tanks would cost £5,000 more. And to this
should be added the cost of cleaning out those tanks, say once
in lour years, at 10a a time, or 2s 6d a year, or £lOO per
annum, which would be worth £2,000, at 5 per cent.; making
the total cost £12,000, or more than half the cost of the
sewerage of the district. In reference to the increased size of
sewers, in consequence of taking the soil at once into the main
sewer, we have only to take into consideration the solid matter
retained in the tank, for the liquid is. to flow directly
into the sewer. Which we have assumed• to be 31 cubic yards,
therefore 800 tanks will contain 2,800 cubic yards ; and, if
emptied once in four years, it will give us
.700 yards a year,
or a little more than two cubic feet an hour; which
a drain pipe, three inch bore, laid at an inclination of
one in 120, would carry away in three minutes.
It will be perceived that the increased size and cost of sewers
requisite to do away with tanks, will be very small, so small
that it will not be necessary to take it into calculation. In
regard to the Board of Health allowing the soil, and refuse
matter to pass directly into the sewers, these drains will become
as in other Townships, nothing more nor less than elongated
cesspools. I think there is sufficient fall for constructing sew-
ers, and opportunities for flushing as will prevent at any
time the sewers becoming elongated cesspools. I
am aware that at what is technically called the dead
dead end of a sewer, the refuse matter does lodge. But it is
for want of flushing, or being connected with other sewers.
As to the dread of refuse matter being driven back on the
beach, this will not occur for many years to come ; but should
this occur, the least offensive, and least expensive mode of
remedying the evil would be the adoption of some general
scheme for deodorizing it in one place where it would be least
objectionable, and where the greatest facilities would be afford-
ed for taking it away by rail or water to the agricultural
districts. But should the Board feel disposed for entertaining
the idea of forming cesspools they have no power to do so,except
where there is:no drain within one hundred feet. The legislation
never presumed that they would be used where drainage
could be had, but an the contrary. The instructions from
the General Board of Health are, as soon as a proper survey
is made, and a system of 1 vels obtained the first duty of a
Local Board of Health will be the prosecution of measures
requisite for the entire abolition of all cesspools ; and, furtheron,
i
on, n the same anst.ructions it is stated, that there are few who
have visited that city (Piris) who have not experienced, even
in its finest streets and most sumptuous hotels a peculiar and
almost indescribable sensation from the offensive atmosphere
around. It is felt in the court-yard, but it is produced in
the greatest force on some staircase passage or landing leading
from a common water closet. It is caused by emeaations from
the foul cesspool into which all the refuse of the establishment
is passed, and from which the dangerous gases of decomposition
force their way through the whole atmospheric space around.
But it may be stated if these tanks are cemented they will
prevent all these offensive smells. In reply to this I answer,
in the language of the Builder newspaper, tho boasted
hermetical sealing is only a delusion and a snare.Fermenca-
tion takes place, and the gases of decomposition force a
passage through every chink and cranny, as also back along
the pipes and ducts which convey the refuse. There is
no
uch thing as a (perfect) stench trap in existence.—l am, sir,
your obedient servant, JAMES STANDING.
After the reading of the reports, it was ordered that Mr.