The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-12-07

have " collective capacity Of one hundred
million gallons IN twenty.to0r hours. The
Crcssness station hss four enpines Of acol-
kctfve capacity of one hundred millions in
swenty.to hours. They are all rotating
beanl.eugtues, with fywhceis and double,
beat valves. The total quantity of sewage.
proper Is aboue
l29,9aQ, ,oG0 GALLONS PER DAY,
but during a rain they have $50, ,000, 600 to
pump a20,N00. 900 flowing by gravity, equal
to a total eS 100000, ,0s0'to be carried OH by
the sewers. This weud fill lake Of 4S2
acres three feet deep.
There IS rise aud fall Of twenty feet in
the tide at the Thsenes, and Its flows back
and forth at the rate of four knots per hour.
They were obliged for this reason to carry
this outtall fourteen miles away to prevent
the matter being transported back into the
city by the tide. -@s. ~ .
The large particles of solid matter In the
sewage is intercepted by gratines of various
kinds at the several stations. at Abbey
Mills there are large wells, through which
the sewage flows to the pumps. There are
doable sets Of cages, which are alternately.
lifted and lowered and the intercepted mat
ter thus brought to the surface and carted
away after being diSnfeeted with chloride
OF lime. At Deptford they have dxed
grstings in these wells. st which men stand
jEst over the surging stream OF hlth, and
keep the gratings free with hooks or COMBS,
at the same time picking out all the rags with
their hands and rinsing them In the sewage
water, this being one of the pefquisites. At
CrosSness they have an endless chain Of
combs, which keep the gratings free.
The stuff brought out consists of almost
every conceivable thing-raeS, bones, bot
ties, dead animals, &c
The Thames flows millions of fresh water
daily, but it could not maintain its purity
against this food Of detilement. The
FISHES WERE DRIVEN OUT
and its banks were lined with solid filth.
To relieve the city of this nuisance the COM
bined wisdom OF all the engineers in the
kingdom, who produced some ninety plans,
could furnish no substitute for carrying it
out of the city. The nuisance was deemed
unbearable even when viewed in contrast to
the expenditure of twenty-five millions OF
dollars, W bich it cost. The amount il would
require 10 purchase the consent of the peo-
pie TO have il back would be difficult to es-
timate. ..... s...
Another large pumping station is now
being erected on the north side, on the same
general plan as the existing one. This Will
make 4 total of eighteen pumping engines
and about ninety miles Of main intercepting
sewers The works have been executed in
the highest style Of the art, and no expense
has been spared to make them substantial
and effective as we'll as ornamental. The
Abbey Mills station is beautiful and grand
piece of Workmanship. You feel more as
though you We're entering some cathedral,
rather than a pumping station. The inte-
| rior OF the building is beautifully ornament
ed by the architecture OF the machinery, and
the various columns and arches are deco
rated in the Moorish style, in gold, blue, and
red. The yards are beautifully laid off and
planted with flowers. Everything in the
building is kept as
CLEAN AS NEW. PIN.
The floors, which are of cement, are white
enough to eat off of. Rugs and mats are pro-
'vidcd to protect them from the furnishing
tread of visitors. The only uncomfortable
thing is the smell of the sewage, which is
rather strong at this particular station, owing
to some defect in arrangement of the pump
we'll beneath. At the other stations the
smell is scarcely perceptitle. They are not
so eXtravagantly embellished, but are equally
clean and neat.
The effect of these improvements in the
drainage is very percepible in the clearness
of the river and absence of smell, and in the
presence of fish which have not been seen
here for years before.
Mr.. Bazalgette, who designed and carried
out these works, has been knighted by the
| Queen in testimony OF the valuable services
he has rendered the city. Sir Joseph has
| reason to feel proud of the results.
| OBSERVER,