New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-22
SUBTERRANEAN PERILS.
DANGERS OF DEFECTIVE SEWERAGE AND
DRAINAGE.

DANGERS or DEFECTIVE SEWERAGE AND
DRAINAGE.
RADICAL DEFECTS OF THE OLD sYsTEM-ouT-
LINE OF RECENT MPRovEsIENTs-sEWERs
GFNERALLY CONSTRUCTED TOO LARGE-THE
LOWER WARDS INVITING PLAGUE-THE LOW
LEVEL OR EMBANKMENT SYSTEM IMPRACTI-
CABLE-FEvER NESTS IN UPPER NETWORK
HONE sEWERAGE-HiPERFECr DRAINAGE
A PREMIUM SET UPON DISEASE.
A large proportion of the epidemic diseases
nv which the population. especially of large cities ia
reduced may be traced, directly indirectly to defect
I've sewerage The ravages of smallpox in Philadelphia
At the present time due in great measure to the
peeuar conformation Of the land the city being built
uDon n low level tract, which Ia drained with great
difficulty 1t strange that important matter
as this affecting does the health and lives Of thou
sands should not have received attention. and yet
II is only within 90 years that the authorities Of this city
have needed advice and warnings on this subject.
The business of cleaning the was transferred
from the Department of Streets to the Croon Aqueduct
Department 1885, and the construction of
intrusted the same department in 1sO The two ser
vices then blended far the cleaning, repair
ing and rebuilding Of sewers we're concerned In 1879
A. W. Craven was appointed one of tho engineers Of the
Croton Aqueduct Department, and eventually became
Chief Engineer. To his efforts until his resignation in
1865 due the present system of sewerage in tho upper
part of the city, and many Of the defects in the older
sewers removed under his supervision In 1850 the
CrotOn Aqueduct Board composed Of Thomas Stephens,
Thomas B. Tappen and A. W. Craven, addressed to the
Common Council o communication requesting that the
Board should be granted authority to employ competent
persons to survey the part OF the city with the
of establishing general and comprehensive plan
sewerage The Board urged the following for
the adoption of the proposed plan.
ADVICE THAT WAS NOT NEEDED.
As matters Of domestic convenience the construction
Of sewers generally desired and property will
fia
measures, they Of paramount importance, and the
advantages felt by the city at large The evils aris
ing from the absence OF system the construction OF
FENCED bv the owners of property and as constantly
brought to the notice OF the Department In many In
stances no remedy hut the entire rebuilding of them
has already been incurred IN attempts 10 partially
remedy the difficulties would have been saved, had
system OF drainage first established. To protect
the .pper part Of tire oty from similar injury 1t is am
ten of drainage that locality. it may be proper to
add that the design Is TO construct main outlets AID
branch sewers OF ea2cty prorordonate to the cIent
OF drainage required Following as nearly as possible me
ntua water courses or the streets when graded me
genera! plan once established the sewers Wheh nul5'
Eould be made to conform herewith and, when fnished
wOuId form harmonious whole -
There were at that time miles Of in the city;
with uTopOrtiOlate lumber o. receiving basins ana
wear The Common Council declined TO grant the re-
qu st OF he CrOOn AGueduct Board, and sewers were
have incurred under the proposed plan In 1863
the number OF miles OF sewerage had increased 20 ie
and Sl0 receiving basins aud receptaces Tor
lee t,o Comn1Cn Connc ar,.1rzrd the coHDleton Of
surveys AID pansas might become necessary in the
Council was urabe however to provide fuEds for the
prosecution of the work. and hence the proposed I'm
lrOvemCnts deferred. IL the following wear inc
iecsae authorized expenditure Of SIC coo for this
uu ose and that amount having been appropriated by
the Common Council the WSrk was completed
OUTLINE OF TIE PRESENT SYSTEM.
The area Of the city dstricted. the natural water
cOursee were notei and WREN it possible, and the
Wy established grades would allow the main sewers
were 7nado TO conform these Examinations
Of the condition. grade, direction and capacity Of num-
Der OF the drains nSde, in order 10 determine the
character and amount OF reconstruction required ana To
estah the proper outlines Of the drainage districts
Much difficulty was experienced In consequence OF the
proper records of the depth and situation of sewers
Maps made OF the new sewers ana He'd ior future
| reference, and gradually something ike order was
| evolved from past chaos. .-. 49, ,.--, -
Experiments made to ascertain the difference in
the flow of the tides opposite points on the North aud
East Rivers as well the total rise and fan IN each
TaSaee Gs an illustration Of the defects pre-
system of sewerage 1t may De mentiohed tns ~
at 81 certain streets thus closing tn mouths OF
the cell4Is connecting with them on each side
DIMENSIONS OF SEWERS.
Engineer Craven ascertaincd that nearly all branch
sewers were too large, and from this very reason were
more liable to clog up than If smaller in diameter
Previous the passage OF the act OF 1867 all sewers
whether mains branches had been constructed Of the
same size four feet in diameter II easy matter
10 ascertain the actual amount Of rainfall on gwen
reo and M added to the refuse would he all that the
sewers would need discharge. A small stream of
trucking over tie bottom OF large sewer would
leave deposits these would he increased daIy untlI
mass of matter lad collected which no volume Of water
would entirely wash out; and these deposits
rang increased year by year the sewer would
hlaly be closed whereas il anad been Of one-ha the
diameter the volume OF water forced through u after
every heavy rainfall would have been sufficient TO Keep
II Tree With large an area B 10 now covered ~ me
city would have been almost Impossible to recufy the
and neglect OF over century put nnch mas neeE
DONE and but Tor the manner IN which municipal affairs
isr send have been accom- piised wherever MISTAKES
Lsye been made III that portion os the city which was
cIiSd mat they can he eailv recrl ana the sewers
be altered o Is TO conform 10 a new plan.
SEWERAGE THE LOWER DISTRICTS.
Tho sewerage the lower and older part Of the city
as already stated is OF the most defective kind. The
sevors we're not constructed general plan, and in
consequence thes generally fail to perform their func
tons Below Canal-s on each side OF the city Tor
considerable dfslehce ii9nl tne -,ott IA. IN. rs nj
than usual which happens Whenever there Is strong
eea inward and 10 force back these Of the North
and East Rivers. Much or the Iahu' 700, on
each bank has beer filed III and bu upon and through
this artificial ground the water percoates rendering the
cellars throughout the entire area damp ana nLWhOe
some al all times, and engendcring typhoid ypnus ana
other feyers The cellars of the stores In West Washing
ION and CreenwicD-sts, unless carefully constructed
and the same is true of those the streets running
parallel with the East River Where once were nttle
inNtratsg for a considerable distance.
The CIeton Aqueducz Department has Tor years past
eject of this wretched system OF sewerage; For
mery al of the main sewers eHpueo I t sHe Dtih
heads, and the sediment was preclpated INTO
water in the slips, necessting almost constant dreg
ing to keep clear Wherever could be done the
main sewers were carried out TO the pier lines, ana
refuse was emped into deep water and carried by the
srer the shorter sewers and to connect them with the
larger ones but owing TO the want OF system ~. te OUT
set IitfIe mas been accomplished In this direction To
inc sewers In that portion Of the city lying
below Canalst would involve great expense Ahu years