The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-09-15

rible fact that truly death Ia in the air This
volcano oil fever.damp, more peBtilent than
makes portions Of the most elevated parts OF
towns so very unhealthy. The mere abode Of
Infection, caused BY the constant presence Of
sewers and forced upwards"
A more pernicious device for innIcting all
these evils on large scale, and In an agra
Of the city Of wssSington, could hardly be
devised, than that recently recommended BY
one Of the Regents Of the Smithsonian Insti-
tats and BY few that Of hayiIg ,he
tending southwark, necessarily on a nearly
dead e The ,o and
ward, would become moro or less filled with
the nood and Underwater Of the river, which,
rising and falling with the tides, the depressed
TEN OF retorts for the rapid generation OF the
noxious gaaesi and a great hydraulic and
power, kept In constant operation BY the
fishing and falling Of the tides, In collecting
and forcing upwards into tho streets and
dwellings great quantities of the pestilential
through every opening, through every cfeyios,
and through every part OF the sewers or house
drains that could DO made to yield to the pres
sure. But the vicious defects or faults OF this
plan are believed to be too obvious to require
further attention, and, aside from its great de-
feets, Its enormous cost must forbid It's adop.
ton.
The latest conclusions, by the most distin.
guished European engineers, ns to the best
alluded to, appear TO be that an abundant SUP.
ply of water should be used by means of which
the foul matter maybe removed from the sewers
before fermentation and the generation of the
deleterious gases can take place. This Seems
in London, and In many other cities, an sde.
quate supply OF water for such purposes Ia not
easily attainable. Here in Washington, how
IN former mo o nj:
more than half Of the water Of the Potomac
might be- used for such purposesi BY which
mean, al the seWsLs ,esaanG 70 me canal might
And when the canal shall have been
Strengthened and dredged to its full depth, and
otherwise improved, as contemplated, the now
Of water through that duct will lie In such
volume as will prevent any odor or delete.
rlous gases arising from that source. By
these means all the sewage will be rapidly
where the open air and the great quantity Of
water with which II will become diluted will
prevent any dangerous carnations from 1t.
for the rapid removal of the sewage from 1t
than that Of most other cities. 1t is near the
head OF tide.water. The volume Of the water
rapid above and near the city, as to prepon-
derate over the tides, by which the sewage
once carried out Is prevented from being re-
turned to the city BY ne ,h incoming tides
this subject, and Of all the light shed upon II
by science and experience, II 10 believed that
no better plan for improving the canal can be
devised than that already adopted some two
years ago, after long and earnest deliberation
, by both Boards Of the Councils, aided by sew
efal OF the most practical scientific engineers.
, And, the mems for completing the work seems
now to be eAs,ly attainable. 1t appears to re.
Quire only \ brief request from the city su-
thoritles, asking Congress TO pass the bill now
before the Committee Of the House for the
District OF Columbia, and an assurance that
the means provided for In the bill shall be
faithfully applied to the purposes intended,
whether this shall not be done--and by way
of earnest, that the dredging should commence
, ct once. Il. SEvRnsos, Engineer,
Mr. SsasS 81 hs
be printed In the journal. So ordered.
Mr.. Hine presented the petition Of George
Lawson, asking the remission Of fine. Re-
Mi. Ball presented the petition OF citizens
asking the construction Of a sewer on l. street
north, between Fourth and Fifth streets. Re-
Mr.. Taylor offered resolution asking infor.
nation from the inspector OF sewers, sc,
The special order being the joint resolution
to create a commission with authority to
cause tho city to be surveyed and mapped out
with reference to its drainage and sewerage,
was taken up; lIhe resolution was published
Mr.. Kelsey advocated the adoption of the
/ resolution, Believing that the city was suscep-
t6is to great the SsRsss f q which
and greatly enhance the value Of real estate.
Mr.. L. j.. =. Miller Acknowledged the i'm
portance OF the measure, but he believed ss,.
900 to be too high u sum to pay a commission,
He therefore moved that 5000 be substituted
In lieu Of 5000.
tion read : third time and passed.
MIR. L. Il. $. Miller ways and Mcansl pre-.
scented an act making appropriations to defray