The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-27
The Filth in New York Sewers Estimated
Worth from Five to Eight Million DOL
lars for Fertilizng Purposes.
The Greatest Gold Mine
Ever Discovered.
How Solids and Waste are Utilized in Eng
land and the Immense Profits Re-
turned to Stockholders.
How Epidemics Hay Be Avoided and Large
Revenue Accrue to the City-The Deposits Of
the City Will Give Profit Of Nearly Four
Million Dollars Per Year il utilized and
All 0dors and Gases Be Obliterated.

Inc ClCy VIII o1v0 frout OF Nearly cour
Million Dollars Per Year ifUtilized and
All odors and Gases Be Obliterated.
SANITARY SOLUTION OF THE SUBJECT.
The article recently published in the HERALD ex-
nibitng the condition OF the sewers OF the city and
the deadly deposits Of the reeking fifth that are
located under the streets and houses has attracted
widespread attention at the hands Of the sanitary
authorities ana caused much uneasiness among
our people. The facts there given clearly show the
criminal neglect OF the authorities in the construc-
ton OF public sewers and utter disregard OF the
laws OF health by house owners. They also show
that We are living over
re- ACRES OF THE vILEsT FILTH
that the Nind Of man can conceive Of; yet New
York claims to be model city and aspires to lead
those of the world in all movements looking to
cleanliness and health.
The article referred to has dspeled the illusion,
and upon its appearance our people awoke to
realization OF the fact that death turks in our
sewers, in our Kitchens in parl0rs and even in
our bedrooms and that In matters OF health we
have yet much to learn.
That article was intended to point ont the evils
remedies The subject having been thus promi-
nently brought the notice OF the authorities and
the public it is q pertinent question to ask,
"wHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT 1T 2n
Certainly we cannot afford to remain inactive,
when sewer deposits, by the hundreds OF thousands
Of tons. rot under the city and feed cholera yellow
fever, smallpox and a dozen other diseases. The
health authorities may spend money lavishly in
KEEPING UP A QUARANTINE
against the importation OF disease and for street
cleaning; but 1t will be money thrown away If they
leave undisturbed these fostering deposits that
breed In our midst the very diseases we take so
much care to quarantine In the lower bay at the
expense OF commerce and large outlay.
Severa! suggestions have been made as to the
best means OF
CLEANSING THE UNDER SIDE OF GOTHAM
and Keeping 1t clean. Among the most feasible at
i1rst glance are:
First-To utilize the waters OF the rivers in Mood
Ing the sewers once or twice week by means of
hydraulic pressure and carrying of the solid de-
Secondly reconstructing the sewer system and
giving them the proper grade, and
1htrd-By the adoption Of some means to secure
and utilize the solids before they pass from the
house closets to the main street sewers
Regarding the first proposition, engineers do not
agree upon its feasibility. Some claim that it
could be done at moderate expense, without ma.
the water from one OF the rivers into an immense
reservoir, to be constructed at the highest eleva
tlon on the island, and then
FLUSHING THE SEWERS FROM THIS RESERVOIR
Grave doubts exist In the minds OF many whether
sufficient force could be given the water to remove
the compact mass of deposits now in the sewers.
This plan certainly presents other difficulties. The
diagrams given in Mondays HERALD show that
there are hundreds OF house sewers OF lower
grade than the street main sewer The flooding OF
the sewers, as a matter Of course, would make the
condition OF the house sewers worse than they
now are. The now Of water would lift the upper
crust OF the solids OF the street sewers and force 1t
back into the house sewers, which would become
clogged with the filth, there to remain perpetual
source OF annoyance and disease. 1t would require
the tearing up OF probably two-thirds OF the house
sewers OF the city, and placing them at higher
elevation than the street sewers. This would in
many cases be found utter lmpOssibility, as tue
basement floors OF many houses are now lower
than the street sewers. This would entail upon
property owners the destruction Of much property
and consequently the plan will scarcely commend
Itself 10 the authorities
The second plan-the reconstruction OF the
street sewers--would be an immense work, the
cost Of which would doubtless run up into the
millions, miles OF sewers would have to be torn
up. Besides the expense, business and travel
would be seriously impeded by the breaking up OF
The third plan is one that Tor years has attracted
the earnest attention OF sanitary minds, and the
problem sought to be solved rs,
NOW CAN THE WASTE OF CITIES BE UTILIZED
sor the use OF man without creating offence or en-
uangering health ~ This has excited the minds
OF medical men and inventors OF both hemi-
spheres; but, so far, those Europe seem TO have
come nearest To the solution OF the vexed problem
IN sanitary matters we are century behind
EUROPE, after whom we pattern, Notwithstanding
tine reputation Tor inventive genius we have
II has long been known that the excremcnt and
other solids that are found In every city are Of
COMMERCIAL VALUE AS FERTILIZER
IN the reclamation Of exhausted soil; yet the DIFF
hculty has ior years been to discover some means
70 CoNect TINS material and work itup into fer
tizers without producing offensive odors Varions
patent contrivances have been called into being by
she genius OF men who saw In their pet schemes
FABULOUS PROSPECTIVE FORTUNES;
but In this country ALL nearly all have failed in
che accomplishment OF what was sought by their
All OF the most learned chemical authorities OF
Europe agree that the solids collected in the cities
and towns, II the ammonia IL fixed and phosphates
valuable than the best Peruvian guano Agricul-
tural chemists have written volumes upon the sub
devising chemical process for the collection OF
this waste material without allowing the ammonia
20 evaporate into the air and escape and
TO PREVENT THE ESCAPE OF DOORS
by disinlecting these solids in the closets. II is
realized. 1t is the result OF twenty years expert
ments in England and France. The European
SCIENTISTS and the press speak or 1t In very favor
able TERMS and already companies have been
formed with large capital in England to solve the
pau. FOR tuo years 1t mas been In successful
cperSton In Boxwich and Churchbridge, Eng
iand and the stockholders are realizing large
HronM Works are now being erected IN Sheffield,
LMes' bromwlcn and the borough OF Poole, In Dor
- IN those places, where IL has been tested, the
pioh's 10 tne stockholder average about 81 25 per
Sacn innaoitant and reports made by Sanitary
C@mmissions appointed for such purpose state that
NO olors are allowed 10 escape and that the ex-
p pertinent mas proved to be success That the
sanitary authorities OF this country NAV better
understand what progress Is being made in Eng |
aand, the following
/ EXPLANATION OF THIS PROCESS
which is highly commended by baron n,,as. n, |
paris, Dr. Phipson and Prot. Manning of london |