New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-25
THE SETTLERS or WASHINGTON.

LIEUT. HOMES REPORT-DETECTs or THE PRESENT
SYSTEM.
The report of the Commissioners of the Dis
trct OF Columbia was transmitted the President Dee.
g. and - summary OF its contents published IN THE
TRIBUNE Dc. q. An interesting statement by Lieut.
Hoxie Engineer OF the District. In relation To the cond-
81 she pavements and OF the city was not
referred however in that summary. Below VIII De
found an extract from his report:
The experience Of District with the Of s wood
payemenis been disastrous that the merits of as-
iicua varieties clouled by the prejudice against
their class. It is hardly possible TO give them any cor
dd praise and even strct Justice IL ieeorded Win .
upon the main sewers il las beer found necessary
make important notifications and extensions Inc
storms of last suminer tried these sewers severely we'll
the secondary lateral ana developed their
weak points more accurately aud univ rally than THESE
could have been determined by long study and eomput
with the completion OF the system the necessity
arises OF maintaining vigilant watch ia condition
and providing every way its efficiency, while
all defects when are apparent sh0ulu ne maze
the subject Of careful study. The extensive ex-
cavatiOn which has been going ON during the
last few years aud especially that r the sewers them
selves, together with the material brought down Dy
floods nom tie beds Of the streams IN the county, ana
that which, spit, OF every precauton, finds its way
into them from the city have contributed TO TAI them up
with deposits OF sand and clay and rubbish OF every de-
scripton. ont Of the Bs sewer were taken last SUM
MGR Zoo eartlads OK mud aud sand, lOtJJ DfcAs, ana
40 carloads Of stone.
A system ~ sewerage was prepared under the
direction of tho Board OF Public Works and he deiard
plans ie In this office. can hnd no record
f0rmc - 20 the cata ana formula used IN tle compute
ton the Dimensions OF the The plans appear
to nave been adhered 70 only Ia the construction 9i tie
August last these severely tried by storm
oi considerable violence. Ram commenced iaiiins
gently about q. NJ ana tohthleI UNI y a. H.,
when It BEGAN n descend IN torrents Between .
and 10 thres-tenths Of an incn fell; between 10
ana II, one and inIeenthr between IL ana L. ven
tents, dLd between - IA. and p I seN e.-ie uts-a
total OF three inches IN SIX h0uI-an average rate % Aa
IN inch per houf during US lhteiVal Two sloImr, o
violence had preceded thl- ana Ill three cdls some
9lin"7e 20 pLoPcty y yio orTn!T7 y" i,rd Sv t@
boi 'AIy 81 ana the noodil- o me ~ e4iS
overlooking water. Tie B~t sewer backed, ~ usual,
INTO lts several branches ana ce'rs ann stle.ts "cre
b. of insufficient capacity and inc weak points have been
noted for careful deraton while the defects are par
uliy remeded ~ The extension oil sewerage TINS sea"
son.
Il will perhaps be safe to assume that the reshets OF
the Potomac WhcA 1ccul aooH1 ne HJAtH VI Ap1ll "i
coincide with the violent Storm mich not 10
be cctcd before July, tnat Tie most unaYoanle
1onuluOn of the river Will De very Sh Ie ~ tAe nor
MAJ >, cf water. he same fact % the lac occur
frozen ground the early Spring. and THIS would rarely
happen ia the lac tal rains AOs puon may therefore
OF TIE rainfall IN the county up 70 the llu Of atuidaon
and except m the .f those violent showers Which
but little loss. Assuming Tie OF storm Of such
violence and duration mat ono ncA Per hour must &c
necessary for tine Tlber sewer TO discharge
200 cubic feet per second. According 10
duits OF tLs description sUch discharge into the nes
Creek Canal would require mead or water az lie Eoth
yerted into upon the area at this point a. tie
sewer horizontal Tie cOntroO ION OF re area ~ the
sewer ust below the gardens by the hdtenlng ~ the
crown 90 the arch 10 accommodate II 10 lAe cflaseWdJ
Third st rayors the location here OF the point OF
pressure, and IN .act dulins the storm ~ Aug
%, although The water touched AID caused rdtnB oI
the manhole covers below. none escaped through tie
the arch and It's ballastus here being only 80 pounds
sauguine estimate Of the cohesive strength Of
the masonry would fail short OF security under these cir
camsances In the event u an unio tnate eoho,nat9n
OF cshet and storm the capacity Of tue sewer seemed ~
longer doubtful.