National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-29
BOARD OF HEALTH.
THE REFUSE FROM THE P-STREE1
SEWER

THE REFUSE FROM THE P-STREET
SEWER
The Board OF Health held q meeting at their
rooms last evening" Prof ]. NJ. Langston in the
chair.
A number Of complaints of nuisances were re-
turned from .he health officer and reported aoated
Dr. Keene the health officer, returned the let
ter Of complaint signed by Messrs. Rittenhouse,
Dodge and others, and reported that he had made
careful inspection of the localities complained Of
and found three distinct sources Of contamination
Of the atmosphere in that neighborhood:
First, just south Of and near the P-street bridge
is the mouth Of the immense sewer which drains
the northwestern section OF this city and continu-
ally Vonits It's dlth into Rock creek, which, with
the Iluggish current, IL borne half mile or more
out into the Potomac, forming not bond Of union
between the two cities, bat foul repulsive river
Of separation. From the nature OF the material
held in solution there can be no doubt that most
deleterious gases and Yapors emanate therefrom,
particularly when the water is low and the bed Of
the creek exposed. The effect OF the suns rays
upon the deposits cause such offensive odors to
AL the atmosphere as to induce one to run his
horse across the bridge rather than walk, as the
law directs. .. ..s ...| ..
Another and the second cause IS 9 brick or bar
rel sewer about four feet in diameter, which ter
inmates on the hill near Beal street. some IS feet
ABOVE the CIeek. anu WHICH u hllONeu 20 uOh OFe1
and down q steep, rocky precipice, forming . cas-
cade, not slVery, but filthy, the rocks themselves
being stained by the deposits. From the base Of
the hill It flows some distance to the creek. In
medIately above this is thiokly settled portion
Of the city, and within few feet Of the mouth Of
the sewer some FIVE or six families are living.
That the completion Of the original system Of
sewerage comprehends the remedy for these great
evils he has no doubt, but meantime, and until
such completion the people who now complain,
and others, unconscious victims Of these impuri-
ties-which must, Of necessity, from year to year
increase, as the quantity Of sewerage increases
will sufer. Hence he believes it to be imperative
that some action be tnken Immediately looking
towards the abatement OF these great public nui-
sances.
Third Is the soap factory Of VIM. Hughes, at
the corner Of Twenty-fifth and N streets north
west From this factory emanate such offensive
and sickeDing odors as are incident to the manu-
facture Of soap through all its stages. The pro-
cess most productive Of these odors Is the render
ing Of talloW and other fatty substances, often-
times in a state Of decomposition.
The first portion Of the report Wns referred to
the Commissioners for their consideration and
action and the last part to the health o1oer with
directions to take immediate steps for the abate-
ment of the nuisance.
The bill Of VIM. Forsyth for surveying lots,
amounting to So2, and Cruit & Co., for making
seWer-connections, amounting to between eco and
800, were referred to the ordinance committee.
The board then adjourned.