The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-03
Underground Drainage in
the Uptown Districts.


Of view, it may not be out OF place to again refer
to the subject Previous articles covered the in
designations OF DR.. Stiles and Engineer Ingram, Of
the Board OF Health, and the reporter Of the
HERALD, and their publication produced a profound
sensation among property owners and the officials
OF the city. Still the subject is not exhausted and
the object Of the present article is to exhibit
the work performed by the Chief Engineer
OF the Sewer Department with view to the cor
rection of abuses caused by the imperfect cOnstruc
ton Of old sewers. The Health authorities bear
testimony to the fact that the present Department
OF Public Works Is energetically at work reforming
the sewer system. With view 0fgetting an idea OF
the extent OF the labor of the Public Works Depart
ment upon the sewers reporter OF the HERALD
called upon Engineer Stevenson TOwle, who has
charge OF sewers and in conversation with him
that gentleman gave the following statement Of
the work performed by his Department.
Under the Department OF Public works the sur
veys OF the Old system OF sewers, commenced with
crossed steadily and satisfactorily during the past
year. large number OF the old sewers built be-
fore ls49 were
:. WITHOUT MANHO1Es
or any other way Of entering them from the sur
face, and in many instances no maps or records
could be found to give any idea OF their construc,
ton. The streets had therefore, to be eXcavated
and the sewers broken into before an examination
could be made to ascertain their location, condi-
many cases OF obstruction have been found and re-
moved. Under the old mode Of construction the
sewerage was extended without regard to any sys-
tenn or regularity as to sizes. Sewers were built
piecemeal as necessity required, OF all shapes and
sizes, and careful study is required before a COM
prehensive plan OF relief can be made. Over
ONE HUNDRED MILES OF OLD SEWERS
have been surveyed, and very large proportion
found to be little better than elongated cesspools
filed with soiled deposit, oftenuimes OF the most
offensive kind and the accumulation Of years. In
stead of being conduits for the discharge of the
Fnhp nf vAr N 1ttxy
but receptacles for It, and rather than being aids
to health, were fruitful sources OF sickness ana
sewers am convinced THAT their evil condition
arises mainly from their want Of grade, bad work
manship and size
THE SIZES Or THESE OLD SEWERS
are often out Of all proportion to the service re-
Gulred OF them, being OF several times greater ca
limited amount of sewerage flowing through them.
some are five feet in diameter receiving drainage
that In amount is scarcely sufficient to keep a
sewer OF as many inches lree from deposit. This
limited How, spread over the broad bottom OF
large sewer, loses much OF the power necessary to
carry of the heavier matter, which Is deposited
over the bottom until the sewer is filled. The same
amount OF sewerage flowing in sewer Of the
proper size and shape to secure the greatest depth
OF how would carry of all the solid matter before
IL had time to deposit emit foul gases. In the
construction OF these sewers there seems to have
hcs that the velocity OF flow OF fuid is in pro-
portion to the hydraulic mean depth. From this
the result is that in the old sewers
THE FLOW is LITTLE MORE THAN sTAGNATION.
The outlets having been built ON made ground,
without the proper precautions having been taken
to secure firm foundation, the sewers for some
distance back from their mouths have sunk below
low water to such an extent as to cut Off all
1oated Of or the foul gases Escaping; 50 that at
each rise of the tide and with every drop of water
entering the sewer an equal amount Of
FOUL AIR Is DISPLACED
and forced BACK through the house connections
into dwellings, with such force as to pass any trap
that has yet been invented for its exclusion Fur
deDth
sewers the weight OF water at high tide resists the
discharge OF storm falls, SO that at the commence
Good the rapid influx Ofrain water produces action
similar to that OF hydraulic ram, with such force
resist when the strain is brought upon them.
Several have been known to burst from this cause.
IMPROPER WORKMANSHIP.
Another great reason said Mr. TOwle, OF so many
failures among the Old sewers was the practice OF
building them with dry or porous bottom, which.
by allowing the liquid part OF the sewage to leak
out left the solid matter without fluid to float 1t or
besides saturatng the ground to an extent highly
detrimental to health. The ground adjacent to the
sewer thus saturated frequently yielded to the
pressure ABOVE, and the sewer became displaced
and broken. Sewers even when OF proper size and
FORM II not constructed with great and OF the
best materials, are soon acted upon by the power.
1ul acids OF sewerage, and their destruction be-
comes only question Of time FASTENED by the I'M
perfect manner in which plumbers connect drains
with them. Many instances are found where
connecting drains from houses extend entirely
very soon completely Obstruct 1T by accommodating
eolid part at these points, Occasionally sew
other r. private parties, which although In use and
representing so much sewerage, are SO Wretchedy
made, OF the most Objectionable shapes and, from
mistaken economy, OF cheap material Of poor quail
ity that they do not deserve the name OF drains.
The aggregate OF these is large, but work Of this
Kind Is no longer allowed In the public streets
without the supervision OF the proper authorities
In certain portions OF the city the ground hav
ing been made on the sites of old ponds, marshes
and water courses, whole regions have settled
carrying down the houses upon them, the streets
with their psvements and the sewers. Some sucl
Pond; Canal street, West Twenty third street ant
Others. and the district lying between Greene, Sui
Ivan, Canal and Broome streets. In the las
named section the streets have been repeatedl,
regarded and repaired and the sewers rebuilt al
the new roadw Ways were Termed The presen
surface OF the street, and in excavating severa
pavements are met with at different depths, as il
also the case in other parts OF the city. Otter
sewers were made to discharge into others of les
capacity and to follow extremely tortuous route
to their outlets. Among many
BAD CASES REMEprED
within the last few years are given the following =
The sewer in Oak street, between James and OIL
fee from tide water but two hours out OF tn
wenty,four, cutting OF the free discharge OF tn
An egg.shaped sewer, built at higher grade, ha
teen substituted.
the Centra street sewer, between canal ant
Iroome Streets affords case OF gross neglect o
dishonesty the sewer having been built lower a
tae centre Of the block than at its point OF dis
charge.
The sewer, in consequence, was llled with sof
matter, which could only be removed at great ex
Iense by hand labor. A sewer uniform grad
was built TO replace the old one.
The examinations OF Fifth avenue at Harlem
River, Forty-sixth Forty-eighth and Ftfty.hrs
streets at HUDSON River, and I1sth street at II al
,em River; also West Twelfth street, between Yves
street and Hudson River, and Thirty-ourth street
between Eleventh avenue and HUDSON River ar
y cases wnere the sewers we're built on made groun
without proper foundation, and their mouths oh
.etructed by the extension OF the streets beyon'
D. them.
All were much out Of grade, and the last two ha