New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-23
CLEANS. THURSDAY, APRIL % 1874.
The OdorIess ExcavatinS Apparatus.


Yesterday committee of the Board Of
Health, accompanied by DR.. A. w. Smythe
DR.. O. Smith, Hon. P. F. Herwig, Hon
Thomas Ong, Major Nicholas Casey, Judge
| Alexander Walker, Mr.. J. Langles, Hon
Charles Dillingham; and several other gen
tlemen witnessed the practical operation OF
the odorless excavating apparatus, an in.
I srrument which at no remote period is des-
| tined to revolutionize the business of a very
| worthy class in the community, and which,
| in sanitary sense, must prove of invalu.
able benefit lis utility consists in trans
! ferring from cess pools TO an alright com.
| partment, with an utter absence of noxious
odor, all feculent matter, and in conse.
quence enabling the operation 10 be per
formed during ordinary business hours.
This is achieved by a suction and force
pump, to which are attached two lines of
hose. By its operation the matter to be
removed is first lifted from the place OF
primary deposit and forced into a water
tight cask placed for convenience in VIII cells.
The chief features OF the invention are
two valves-operating upon the same me.
chanical principles as does the human
heart-which offer no obstruction to any
substance large enough to enter the suction
hose. They are made of soft elastic vul-
canized rubber, each consisting of two fat
pieces placed face to face and riveted to-
gether at their edges An end Of each is
distended by cellar, tie other portions in
their normal condition, collapsed. In length
each valves, as three diameters, when open.
1t will be perceived first that the collap sed
end when filed with solid substan ce at
once expands, but being of sufficient length
forms with tie substance passing through
an air tight joint, which retains the pres
sure until second motion of the pu1np
forces it through. By this means the hose
inserted in the vault with the pump and
section Of hose attached to the recepta Gle
form an air tight connection, from VIII ich it
is impossible for either effiuvia or the fec
ulent substance to escape
The first experiment was tried with a
large cask filed with mud and water, N ixed
to the consistency of thin mortar, large
pieces Of rags, empty bottles and refuse of
similar size. In less than one minute the
entire contents of the cask were transferred
to another, perhaps fifty feet of, and subse-
quently by using the pump transferred to
the original receptacle. The apparatus was
next removed to building at the corner OF
Common and Peters street, where one Dor
ton of the hose was screwed to an air tight
night cart and the other inserted in large
sink. The receptacle attached to the vehi
Gle is cask, containing about thirty three
and a halt cubic feet. Il is provided with
an Indicator, which accurately denotes the
moment it is filed, and has hole ia the
top to permit the escape of gases. These
pass through small charcoal furnace, be-
come deodorized and rsr;fed, and of course
rapidly ascend.
In perhaps TWO minutes the cask was
filled, and an air tight cap being placed
on the end of the section nearest the sink,
the contents of the hose and pump were
exhausted. Air tight caps were then placed
on the section detached from the pump and
cask, all were securely sealed, and the ope-
ration concluded. Notwithstanding the !
fact that the work was performed during
the hottest portion of the day ana in
bright sunshine, no odor whatever was per- !
ceptible.
The gentlemen present appeared assured !
not only of the extraordinary power Of the
pump, but of the cleanliness and great sani-
tary benefit which must result from the
adoption of this method.
So satisfied Of its utility has the muni-
,ipal government at Washington become
hat sometime ago the authorities there
with the inventor to put it into
practical operation, and test of several
months has proved the wisdom of their
course. More recently the board of health
If New York followed their examp le, and
t is not improbable that a. their next meet
ng our Board Of Health will earnestly
1t.
Without dwelling upon a subject which
he fastidious would scarcely select for con-
ersatiOn, there are few in the land un-
ware OF the intoleraOle nuisance Of the
resent system. Hundreds have been mad
ened by its stencil, even in the hottest
ummer nights doors and windows are
losed against il, and the disease which its
readtul attluvia disseminates annually
dds scores 10 our mortuary list.