Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-10-05
STAR.
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

owing to q Corporation ordinance. It's purpose
was to prevent the water in the wells from be-
coming saturated with disagreeable and un-
healthy matter. The Corporation laws also
determine how those contents in question shall
be disposed Of.
Now, on examination, we think it will be
found that the precautions taken to preserve
the purity Of the soil, and consequently the
water from the influence Of human excrement,
are not adequate, and will, if persevered In,
ultimately become q serious matter. The
boxes above ground, as at present used, with
leaks or holes to permit the liquid portion 70
escape into the ground, In time Will sasurate
the entire surface to q depth of some FIVE or
six feet, or even more. The gas arising from
this cause is brought into contact with the
Iun0s This might have been avoided by sink
ing pits, and casing them with hard burnt
brick including the bottom, laid In hydraulic
cement and plastered within with the same
material-thus effectually cutting on all com
munication with the earth. With this difficult
Nv. II may be unnecessary to contend at pre-
SAINT rs when Congress shall have completed
Cant Meigss plan Of introducing water from
the Great Falls of the Potomac, one of the i'm
portant uses to which it will be applied is
system of sewerage, specially adapted to the
purpose of removing all foul water and hu-
man excrement.
The necessary branches and traps to each
house can be made, which will permit, on
hydraulic principles, the free egress Of all ma
terial without the possibility Of the escape Of
offensive gas, as they will contain all the water
used in the family, and these small stream
will keep a constant flow of water through the
principal sewers. preserving the air therein
from becoming offensive; all water thrown into
them will be inoffensive, such as washwater,
urine, etc which only becomes offensive when
retained from inability of disposing of it. If
it is retained, that it may be thrown in the
street or gutter after night by stealth, it be-
comes offensive; but in the sewer system, in
few minutes, il is mingled with the great body
of water in the Potomac. If due caution in
the beginning is taken in having these sewers
all laid down and constructed on purely scien-
tifc principles by competent engineer, the
ofal Of the city will be removed beyond the
possibility of injury to any one, leaving the
surface cutters perfectly clean, as each house
has Its sewer trap close to the door in which to
throw all Ofal, except coal ashes and the like.
The sewers now existing may continue to carry
of the surface water as intended, and will con-
tain no offensive matter, a5 the latter must
pas. through the other sewers; thus they may
remain open at each corner withSut offensive
gas escaping.
We would earnestlyrecomrnend to particu-
lar attention this system Of sewers for con-
Quoting the ofal beyond pernicious influence
If Immediately commenced, we should not
have time to spare ere Captain Meigs will
have the water at our door. Much talking
and consultation will be required TO agree on
plan and the mode of meeting the expense,
&c. That part only comprising the thickly
populated parts of the city will require imme-
diste outlay, excepting as far as surveying
and constructing plan of the entire system Is
concerned. 1t is possible that the outlets of
these principal sewers may not be in the least
offensive, as all matter is thrown into them in
aprimative state, and the addition of water
used in the families passing through will give
current which will not permit any matter
to remain sufficient time to undergo deeom-
position. Until this great and important OBJ
ject is undertaken and accomplished, some
measures are requisite to secure the health Of
the city, whilst complying with the present
above ground box system, as there are about
175, 900 bushels Including public buildiDgs)
Of human excrement to be removed annually.
and placed beyond possibility of affecting the
health Of the city. 1t is difficult to remove
this matter to a great distance in the present
style Of carts, and that, tCo, between II clock
at night and one hour before daylight. The
depot within the city, on Fifteenth street, has
fts injurious influence on the immediate neigh
borhOOd, sickness having followed its course;
and being within nine or ten squares of the
Presidents House, il must have q serious in
fuence on the immediate neighbOrhood as il
has been ascertained by competent persons
who have Investigated such matters that the
influence is felt within a radius Of one mile
The depot on Seventh street is exerting a sim
liar influence, and will, as a matter Of course
be removed as the'health Of the neighborhood
requires it. With these facts staring us in the
face, 1t becomes requisite to suggest or devise
some means To remedy the evil 80 loudly com
planned of. To Us it appears that remedy
viii be found in placing the e1cremeut il
hOgsheads, instead Of the cart with open ton
The tub used at present to carry the excre.
ment from the privies to the cart would re.
quire simply to be converted into funnel BY
fixing copper tube in its bottom, allowing
each side of the slaves to extend little be.
low the tube, so that in setting the tub down
the tube may not be injured The tube tc
have stopper, with handle attached to it.
TO open and close on the upper side Of the
bottom, so that the operators hands may not be
soiled. A dray that will haul from four to six
empty hOgshesds, Tor as many as are required, J
similar to those used in hauling -four from
Georgetown, is all that is required, differing
from the present plan. When the work of the
night commences, as many empty hogshead:
as viii be required are placed on the dray.
Stopping at the first housethe funnel or tub i:
filed, reflled, and emptied in the hocshead
nearest the end Of the dray, until all is re-
moved, when the bung is closed, and the scay.
enger moves on to the next house. When the
hOgshead Is thus hlled, NJ Il tightly bunged
and rolled of of the dray, and examined
to see that it is perfectly clean, and if not
should be washed clean and left at the
curb. Another hogshead is then rolled to
the end Of the dray, and the same process.
continued until all are full, each hogshead
being left near the gutter where it is filed.
Care must be taken that they are left per-
fectly clean and the next day can be hauled
away TO any place desired, as an article OF
commerce. BY this plan, they can be kept
perfectly clean and may be placed in any
store. Whatever plan may be found advisa-
bic, whether to ship down the river or haul in
to the country, all is safe and inoffensiye and
may be removed without danger. The only
expense to be incurred by the scayengers is the
purchase Of hOgsheads, a supply of Is posi-
bly, may be required for each scavsnger to al
low time for purchasers to return the empty
ones
On examining the subject it may be consid-
cred advisable for the corporation to furnish
tla oasks and kaan than in md ali N