The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-04-26
The Utilization of sewage--.Tnsteati Of
Running the River Ii EnricI,cs the

Running the River Ii EnricI,cs the
Land.
In a previous paper some views upon the
utliiztion of sewage were given, setting
iofth Inc sanitary and commercial side Of the
question. Suppose the city, In its wisdom.
was 10 lay pipes and convey its waste water
10 some poor barren farm OH the south shore,
what could be done with it when it arrived
Oh the land? The amount Is of'no conse.
quence. 1t might be 10000 tons per day, or
some smaller amount. The question Is, How
can it he used to the best advantage, how
'hali It be applied to give the best return,
and to what crops?
There are two methods of applying sewage
used III Europe, one known az the spine
and-hose system, and the other the " oDen.
gutter" plan. In the first, pipes arc laid to
the heids, with hydrants at intervals to
which hose are attached, from which tho
water is spread over the crops. Without
gong into details, we may drop this plan at
once. Its great OK ense, tile liability to choke
| ana freeze, the labor involved i'm its use, and
! the destructive force and dash given to the
water, will prevent its general Use in this
country. The opcn-gntter system is cheaper.
more easily applied, demands less care, and
Is not liable TO damage by freezing or lush
| ing.
There is nothing like actual examination.
Go and see thing in operation, and then
you will KNOW what you are talking about.
Come, let lis take the cars ut Charing Cross,
| London, run down to rural Croydon, and
| see the sewage farm near the town. A quick
hali-hour lands lis at the Old town. 4 four
wheeler secured, we ride through the crook
| ed and narrow but very clean streets, and
| presently come to the open country. We
might well pause to examine the quaint old
| town and the exquisite country, but time
| torbidS. We must leave it all, wondering
| whya sewage farm should bc located amid
| lovely villas, stately country residences, and
wide parks and gardens. We drive under
| double row Of grand old English oaks, and
look ont over the sunny fields where the
men are cutting grass the like OF which we
do not see at home, or piling cabhages into
mountainous WaSon-loads ready for Coycnt
| Garden market.
Our driver volunteers the information that
this particular road is known H. the "Loycl's
Walk" Here the sentimental youth of
Croydon come 10 see the gardens, the fields,
and each other Just here the horse il pulled
up, and the driver demands his twO-antl-siX-
pence, with the information that this is the
sewage place Queer. isn't it? The sewage
| farm for lovers walk We get out and
indulge in a suspicious sniff OF two. New
made hay, flowers, and other fragrant de-
| lightS--not hint Of the full stream that
| flows from the town to the farm.
We enter the cabbage-field and stop ut the
| wagon-load to examine the great size and So
| lidity of the heads. Such jolly drum-headS
| would he the envy of Boston housekeeper.
Half one would do for family. The soil
where the plants stand is porous, gravelly
| loan. and seems wet as if there had been 4
| recent shower. The path is trifle muddy,
and we take to the grass on the sides of the
way, and soon come to great field Of lettuce.
| Seeing 4 man ut work, we steer for him. and
| find he is the foreman. He volunteers to
show us about, and leads us into field where
| a party of men are cutting some enormously
| heavy grass. Presently we reach Il gentle
| rise. and, mounting the bank, find a ditch
about five feet wide, filled by rapid stream
| of black water. Huge weeds cling to the
| bank, and the grass is lush and green-back,
as if the stream had excited luN,lriant growth.
| Our guide explains that this is the "carricr
| that brings the sewage into the farm. II
| lows three miles through brick pipe, and
| lust before entering the farm is turned into
| the brook
Here we feel called upon 10 snia again.
| Nothing, save the sweet summer air. The
| foreman rcScntS our Snilf "Ol. Ito! There
is nothing bad about it. Mayhap liza carrier
stands dry for few days in warm weather
it may be trific unpleasant. You see, sirs,
the ground is Il disinfectant, and the sewage
| is weak.
We follow The stream along the edge Of the
field, wondering if the weeds do not drop
their seeds into the water "1es," replies
our guide, they do that, and the water is
full Of seeds; but lor' bless you we can take
care o that It's nothing to the weed seeds
in stable manure" Presently we reach the
extractor" This is Il huge iron water
wheel turned by the current, and having
straincrs instead of floats. The power is
J obtained by Il small wheel of the ordinary
pattern, and the great extractor, as large as Il
sound boats paddlc-wiecl, turns slowly
round in the current fishing out floating mat
ter of every kind and dcpoSiting it III Il heap
where it can he removed, and, mixed with
sand. sold As 4 solid manure. These works
arc enclosed in Il brick building, and require
very little attention. In the building the
i odor Is strong. Outside not 4 trace of any.
| thing disagreeablc can he found.
On leaving the works we visit a field Of
youug lettuce, Just set out, The ground is
damp, though we can walk Oil il easily. The
hundreds OF tons of sewage that flowed over
it the night before had disappeared utterly,
f leaving everything perfectly sweet and clean.
The plants, though Just set, look fresh and
: vigorous as if they had no real or iancied
: objections to their bath.
, Could we see the flooding going on? Yes
} the waterman was at the other end OF the
f farm. and we could easily find him. Crossing
the road. we enter another part of the farm,
and come to fields loaded with heavy crops OF
l potatoes, cabbage, grass, lettuce, and Other
, vegetables. We find one Of the carriers that
f surround every field, and as it is flowing full
|. and strong, we follow it to see where ii
: reaches the land. Soon we come to cross
carrier and notice The brick culverts ana TIC
e wooden gales used to divert the life-SNlhe
} current to the various fields. Where the c:,l'
, rier runs straight it is merelya trench aug III
I the ground. The brick-work at the corners
and at the gates isfto prevent the current
, from eating away the bank. AS we go on We
? see at some distance to the left great flock
of rocks and other birds flying round and
, ro,md in the air as if greatly excited over
something. Guessing what it means, we
, hasten on and presently find the gates Sc
arranged that the black brook is turned or
to the left. We follow the stream, and
: approach the circling birds. They do
not heed us, but with much noise settle
: down in a field of grass. There seems to be
l. hundreds Of them, and we see gus,, ducks,
: SHINE, and i'll manner of small fry flying OF
walking about on the grass in quarrelsome
, confusion. When we reach the field the
cause of this strange gathering becomes ap-
pareut. We find an old fellow at work
sprcading the sewage, and the wafer makes
; areat pools and shallow ponds in the grass.