New-York tribune., 1875-03-08

port OF 1873 page 10. The object "to divert the
drama from nearly 1900 Of ground outside OF the
city limits and which formerly found 1t way through
Tber the river by means Of large iH:ersccting
sewer along Boundaryst" The for wide and
expensive departure from their first plan not given
The change alone, however proves conclusively that
they had all the tIDe been cropping about IN the DARK
and we're utterly unfit for planning drainage works.
THIS conclusion ia confirmed by the manf sty impracti-
cable character of the change II also proves that in
their report OF they had greatly msrcprosented 'he
capacity Of the Tber sewer for draining that valley or
that the large sum expended the additional sewer
for relieving the Tber was not necessary, ana there
must have been recklcsslv squandered But what
most unfortunate is the obvious fact that the changes
made by the Board is not an improvement aud may re-
suit in very great ev and that the defects have not
been cured. but are seriously augmented by Lieut..
Hoxe's efforts His manifest failure In that work, and
his apparent inability TO improve II, seem 10 call for
another changesuch will insure competent engineer
ing.
> partial investigation OF the transactions Of the
Board OF Public Works made last Winter, but 1t was
thorough in regard to their work on the sewers.
commission has been substituted for the Board but its
engineering OF the important parts OF tie
sewerage and drainage, only plain is not an I'M
provement on that OF the Board For instance They
have extended and nearly completed the main TDer
southwark from Marylaud-ave to V. giniaaye.,
length Of over 1000 feet dead level with its bottom
fat th ee feet below tide level and built OF neary
uniform size through its entire length az TO corre-
spond in all respects very nearly with the section above
It, This fatal mistake And 80 obvious is it that II
Congress had only looked into the matter during s last
session. overwhelming reasons would have been found
for stopping work upon tnat most gorgeous piece OF
folly. In this way the large paid for its eonsruc
ton would have been saved and the danger of great
damages from foods would ha been greatly reduced.
To the authorities may do now, and speedily
the best possible be taken ior avertDg
at least modifying pending dangers the following
facts bearing the question are respectfully sub
mitted
The greatest rainfals visiting this locality have been
at the rate Of two inches an hoar and this quantity Is
generally recoF lzed proper basis which 10 pro-
portion the sizes OF drains and TIE Board of
Public Works claim to have done But in this as 10
most OF their other cacu they have made very
great mistakes as, for instance, they nave estimated
that ouehal OF such rains VIII disappear by perc0aOn
and evaporation. while only the other hat viii nnd Its
ls79 pages IA and 45 The length OF the improp rly
added level section OF the mau lner sewer. extending
from James Creek aud Vrgnia-ave. to the Botanical
Gdruen Westof Tue capitol is httry 5Soo ieet dIu I
has very nearly the form a1d sectional capacity -
the section next aOove It, VIZ nearly 24O square ItSt
ana 20 feet span From me BOtanca GArAeh 70 tAe
north boundary street the distance along the natural
Of the main branch OF the Tbcr is about 500
teeS IN winch length there Is 81 u $50 ieet: iue
form Of the arch Of TINS section far rs CONSTRUCTED o.
lect length, the Hme tllt Of the level section
below it, but It's span near It's upper end Is reduced OI1
T paS to nom the eF se nt &
water. which often quite Ills the upper section ANA
flows through II with the velocity due 10 ~ great tdI
u pass through the long, Ow level aud always partially
ObsTuctei section OF the size below IT, BIT this Is
not all While the lower section IS thus strained by the
water pressing IN from he higher elevations and hni-
ing ifs tree outflow thus crampcd, II must Inevitably
back up IN the upper section, and. when attaining su
cent lead burst some OIL the weakest parts O the sewer
Whle the main sewer is thus filled with water from the
higher elevations alone 'i cannot receive the liquids
ane IQm the 41mlE0us l0Wer pIsueles along is s'de-
These IN turn become surcha1Gd aud force their foul
contents into cellars and oasemcnts and eiilow ana
spread over the surface OF tAe strceis 10 mocetdt
weLinfOrmed person can fail TO see that these
contributions from the branches alone reqsre that
the lower section OF sever should. be gradually
and considerably enlarged toward Its lower end.
For want OF such common sens IN planning th.
sewers exceedingly dlsagreeabie eAocts from The foul
sewage have already appeared along ne iues ol hoth
the Ther ana the Bs sewers since the changes uaor
in them, though th3 rains during tnlt TINE nave Decn
comparatively moderate. mere i!rsheis. as Is Wei
Hnown. notwithstanding the repeated m-st2temcnts OF
the Board that tue rams had equa!ed any on record
AL of these damages have occurred before the extern
Vrgniaave. which ID fact not yet joined 10 the Sec
ton above H. But what will come OF Joining tIe 40
parts may Inferred from wua foil wed ad4Eg the
shOrt length Of the level part Wllch les III Ihd-'i
above MarylaudaYe" some tW ftetih i'ngth. II ie-
duced the Of the fow from niue lles to eight
mics an hour. When the lower and hIcch longer les
part shall be joined to II tn how WI pnOaby De r.
duced 60 five miles nOur Sdch retarIauOn Of nOT
cannot certainly fan to become dsa t.Oasn The cN-
IRENE Tn.s Gue too plain to require long argument
IL would be insuing 10 common seuse % of lt. Eut
the foregoing facts DO not cover al the clements ~
destruction IN this case The great quantity heavy
sand gravel and Oow!deFs rolling ana Washing III loh
above, and lodging the level boston o. the sew er,
must inevitably cOnirb1te largely 10 Obsruct and choke
1t and hasten the general wreck.
That members OF Congress may know TO what hight
great floods occasionally rise, and ina taey may
provision be made for them vii name one point Of
easy access Wlcu Will show Low Llsn e surface oI
aood rose about IS years ago. The wafer then .-ord
two feet higher tnda the sC or ground 1oOr tie Ht
house westOf the CapltOi on The north side OF Penn-i
vanIa-aye A line e. XtenIng eastward and Wes;glti
on level at tha hgnt viii show the breadth OF ground
submerged at thaU umc Ihs fact, auC others, VIZ,
that there were at that tune fewer buildings along the
M ti.e4 l.
twal around the Botanical rdcn AMI that The canal
was wide and fully open, VIII serve to show how Ne.y
far rom adeqaae present sewers must be 10 iaee.
the requirements OF floods.
The entire length the Doundrg interceptinc sewer
is reported by Lieut. Hoxle be 1920 feet; ITS lover
section, 10 feet II ches diameter; the next 81. -l'I
above 49, feet inches ameter; tie next. feet j"
eter length 1851 feet. ami inches fall in 100 feet the
next upper section. 20O icet II length, feet dia
eter, and Inches fail N 100 feet IAe capacity OF tue
two lower and larger sections may possibly do Tor car
ryng off the hOwlDE N along thelr sides but ca
not addi,On dispose Of All the water OF the tlh
branch OF the Tiber, rs the ara expected 1t Wou',T
receiving il through a sewer SIX feet in CGu"i'r r
having sectional capacity OF traction over IS sIdre
only inches III 100 feet while the sectional flow OF
the branch proposed 10 DE intercepted u known 10 nave
been l72 square feet THIS was ascertune1 by measnr-
ing the rainfall OF Aug. r. 1879. Oaly inch fell but
that fell 26minues. ana lowed with the velocity due
70 fall IN that stream al anC near tGo DouIldly, OF
anout u inches 100 feet That rlin though falling
rapidly ye, on account OF It's short Duration cannot
ave produced more tnan 0ne-la a. great lOW s has
been repeatedly RfOuueed o1 tqutHy heaY9 rus "a
longer dIraOB Inc cOrrechess Oh lis cpLcilslJn IL
confirmed by the general appearance of me valley and
by marks along the sides OF the stream In let
ter IN lie TRIBUNE, i'll December 1873, Ill which was
con only the volume OF water but also the
great ference between its fall ma that or the inter
cepting sewerSt was demonstrated that the SIX ieet
cdDnOt carry oil more than ABOUT one
sixteenth part OF the 1OOd-water OF that branch How
much Ietft HOxie may have been Impressed by that
exposition lis not known but ne said IN hl late
report when he took charge or the NCfk he found
3 feet in length of the lower part OF the feet
constructed. But having grave doubts Of Its
capacity" increased the size OF thc 2lO feet OF the
upper part left him 10 construct to Ieet diameter
And by turung away from the boundary street TO "A
higher point In the branch, some liuJ feet farther
north he had increased the fall 10 iucnes IN 100 feet
But by cnangin. It's course, and Instead Of connect