Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-11-20
a Great Work Completed.

THE n STREET SEWER IN OPERATIoN-FARE-,
WE'LL TO THAT PKsTIPERoUs DITCH" THE
WASHINGTON CAgAL"-THE AREA DRAINED
BY TBBNBw SEW ER-THEwoRK PRONOUNCED
WILL DONE.
Yesterday afternoon, the street sewer, laid
near the site of the old Washington city canal
the standing nuisance of the capital for nearly
hall a centUTy-was completed, the connection
made, and the water for the first time came
rushing down, leaving the serpentine channel OF
the canal hard and dry.
THIS SEWER
commences at 9TH street and extends 10 lit1
street, distance of one mile. IL Is ID SNAPPED
the whole length. with a three-inch moor on
heavy mudsills. These mudsills and the MOOR
ing are of good, sound Carolina pine, free from
cracks. breaks or other imperfeetions, the sills
inches and the outside ones 6xl2 inches, in
Ienghs OF II feet and over, well laid and bedded,
forming an even surface, on which the flooring
rests. The spaces between the stills are well
filled with earth, rammed to form q good solid
ted iOr the pl anking, and, where required, these
spaces are filled with broken stone, gravel and
concrete.
THE FLOORING
is three inches thick, eight inches wide, all the
edges straight and full without wave or beyel
length. every plank extending four inches out
side of the masonry on both sides of the sewer
and spiked down to the sill.
THE sEwER VARIES IN SIZE.
that portion between 9Th and 9th streets being
~ feet wide; 9th and 10th, feet; 10th and nth
feet: 18th TO 18th, ~ feet, l4th 20 18th 10 feet
ana 18th TO eth, l. feet. The side walls are Is
inches thick, the arch, of three rings, II inches
and there ART manhOles at convenient distances,
with ccrTugated iron caps. MesSrs. Gantz and
ApPleInan we're the contractors for that portion
between 9Th and 18th Streets 400 feet, and
Strong < Co. the lower sectiOn-l 500 feet. This
work was extremely difficult, the ground being
maTshy, and requiring the shOreing of the banks;
and a. the large lateTals were constantly emnty-
ing their contents outlets had to be M ade tor
them, and powerful steam pumps were employed
by NessTs CAN'T and AppleD4n.
THE ARIA DRAINED BY THE SEWER
here were required in the construction of
this work over three millien brick, of which
brick was made by the contractors at their wards
over the Long bridge. There need be no appre.
hensiOn OF this sewer bursting, as the entire
area il drains now is but sS7 acres. Other large
sewers have been connected with the Tiber
which drain over 5000 acres and the L-street
sewer in the northwestern part of the city The
work was done under the personal supervision
of MIR. X. e. Phillips, chief engineer of the
board of public works, Mr.. John j. Burroughs
supervising the work for the contractor and
Mr.. John b. Stanley acting for the board.
THE WORK OFFICIALLY APPROVED.
This morning Messrs. CIuss and Phillips ex-
amlned the work and found that the very best
material had been used; and having ascertained
mat during the late storms not one brick had
been displaced, they express confidence in its
strength. With the exception of q drunken
man falling into the excavation, and one OF the
work men being ightly bruised by the upsetting
OF barrow Of bricks on him, no accident ac-
CURED during the work, which was commenced
on the LIST of June last.