New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-17
THE DRAINAGE OF CITIES.
THE TIDE SYSTEM OF SEWERAGE.
CLEANSING or ANCIENT CiTIEs-wATBR As A FCRI-
rIER-ruE WASHINGTON CANAL-THK BEST



fcult questions that present themselves in the manage
ment of large cities Proper drainage and the proper dis
position Of the accumulated filth OF acy are. IN my es'
ton OF the marks of high state OF CIVILIZATION WINE
The absence OF them sav0rs strongly OF barbarsn IN
these respects OF the large cities OF the present 9
hold intermediate positions; they are partially out Lar
from perfectly drained and severed and in NAM cases
the sys OF drainage has been so nnperiectN h'"
or so badly executed that comparatively little benent mas
often been ed from the most expensive "orhS AM"
IN some absolute damage been done. This has been
especiav The ease in Washington. and believe to some
extent in all cities where Ring rule has prevailed
But aside from ali in plans bad construction and
the usir Ring practices by which cities and individuals
are alike robbed there appears TO be general want of
accurate knowledge, among men not connected with
Rings in regard to the nature OF nOxous gases emana
ng from various connected with sewerage, ana
the best way to dispose OF them. In respects our
sanitary arrangements appear be inferior to those Of
other nations OF more than 1000 years ago.
ABSORPTION OF GASES BY WATER.
One Of the most important powers possessed both by
.tn and flowing water but especially by the latter Is
lt attracting aud absorbing gases, and, therefore,
rising along s borders cannot pass over TO
the opposite sde. When moved by wind in any direction
the surface the heaviest gases sink into the water
10y grayitt0n, 1Ae lighter are drawn IN by naurd al
nAlty, chemical attraction and the highest Il
they rise sufficiently high above the Influence OF the
water 10 nass over IT, WILL on account OF their extreme
lcyity connue 20 rise and float At quite safe elevations
quite the highest buildings But let DE borne IN
mind chat accomplish this the motion of the water is
AL important still water continue % absorb gases
only until IL becomes saturated with them After that II
becomes Itself offensive and requires immediate revova
In flowing water the attracting power Is from nrst 10 last
very much greater then IN sia1aut water In order 20
apply the principle 81 using flowing water 70 remove IN
pries ana t. snow bow 10 may Dee applied on the Harlem
Ft- wherever else the regular flow OF Tie ude may
Do utilized. venture to give description OF the tdal
e. ~aor, time, 20 portion Of the drainage II wash
m.ton.
TlDAL DRAINAGE ~ WASHINGTON.
T. having oecn observed that IN consequence CT the
uc cntera4 alike AZ both ends of the Washington Canal
tim ~ the middle and then roccdng slowly outward
Tho canal hal become Hlthy, and was fast hling
NJ with sand and gravel. the corporate au
tho.ltcs. in 1866, concluded 10 have these
dHcultics removed by causing the tides and
some Of the water ~ Rock Creek to fow through The
caual ia one direction; tie plan 70 cause II 10
elf from the Potomac the basin forming the west
md q the canal. and pass out NJ lis eastern END INTO
t Anac0sta thence the broad and deep water OF
IL, Potomac II this was done it rightly concluded
tat none The tainted liquids thus borne out could be
retained to the city by succeeding tides as such matter
formerly returned in London. and in other cites
because thc outward COW OF the Potomac greatly pre-
A. of these calculations were amply Sustained by par
cif verrI1rrf fen ino The hands If rnvi>c and rcc-
jess -cnciner- who have since. u gross violation Of posi-
u laN. and apparently for Ring purposes closed me
CARL ar filing Il ul w.iL earth and all sorts OF titA thus
m ns j, Tor IAe future i deep bed Of fostering po-u-
TIE length Of tine canal and lis basin Of about acres
W. tArr- uo-. r. width varied from 30 feet ~ 90
fc.' TIE area ~ te i- and - BASIN W. - ~
I-, .t- bottom iru fot below the loves, des ana us
sur Dad thc .,'ne Jewel a- ~ VAR NJ 'n -nIlse %.
u Potomac. TIE average rise ana Ian 81 it lItH u
th... ice Hence Tire quantity az water eni'Hn- aud
LOWING orr ~ tho canal ono BASIN would Pee c4aal iue
ara multiplied "y inrc rev. Inc drN.h "I Il, ,iIeS
witch H. equal o. 7o567-J cubic feet To- etch tide or
daily 70 1t1l3%3o cubic feet - ag94orze ana
h,lr .ulr fhe eNo'-a of population q" LILO" lei-
That te operation OF the plan wa. DAT aila. III
dur o flr 1ct fGf the bed IF the canal I'D the nlue OF
IT, -uytA i -i is % m1he 10 TOO h-h Tor more
frnt , romI,iuc within the basin and western part
%, l. calHi But The outflow Of That ouctArd did AZ
fi eastern .a ia-r.ye-t pert of the cIual which pre-
vo'- SD, tides from ,I. -ur 30 tai md t'hst ueniN'
T. tlc canal.
DESCRIPTION or TIE TIDE SYSTEM
The means Boy which these highly important results
w,rc secured consisted u dixie ncoSing the basin and
md o The canal. and tdeltes placed within
IT, ikc Thar opcncd 10y the pressure Of the fides from the
outside Thus admitting the tide water and filing the
basin AID canal closed nr TN first outward pressure
o. e falling Tides and thus prevented the outflow i'll that
d. ccon But the end II the canal being open.
~ inclosed ia would pass ont freely in That
direction the surface falling 20 the evc o. the water
side. There Thus tal formed within the three
18th OF fhc equal To me rising ana Ialng
Che tides That under such c.rcum-tanccs-that is. If
tr canal had been excavated 10 proper deptl-an
ayac depth of nearly three g. - the uclo.cd water
must flow out ~ Drr one direction Is selfevdent And
must DO s." within The SIX h ur, time ln which The
A sl % must necessarily d1W with considerable force
lsvv 40 frsr. hut gradually increasing il velocity until
~ l""e lett. "i lt ner D. Iee,.eu iHtI wien 'h
lDiA ends w0nd Doe natural % suppose that the next
fi.c wn.t also enter AZ both ends Bur il was not SO
Icy did nor auI could enter to eastern end for
tlo that after the wafer had fallen % the lowest
water within the basin and cana was OV n towaldt,a
at tine Glc, speed, mus opposing WITH IL, IuIl .orce
v cn such large body of uco>ad water. over 100000
ton,. moved through IA. canal in six hours must nece>
e. n.y. w. a 49,, M ii ~ =, 49, fit I, ,,e
above and oveTv helm them; and the power thus and
cre opposing the entrance Of the tides must necessarily
cii!, T. ~ In the -iIne arccon though with gradu-
al diminishing energy uutu al the power arising from
tAc body OF nciosed flowing water shall have been
elcnded Eut while The entrance Al the eastern end II
mus opposed the western end the tide will rise
#" y open the me- gales oy pressure rom he outslde'
o. hc preceding tide and by their united force continue
oppose me entrance rom the east !Ih TIE last ude
Aal have lis null hight and filled the canal and
basin who'll from the west 10 the same level a the sur
begin 70 fallsiowly first but gradually increasing in
rldy OF Tow until the lowest level Is again reached
rising falling flowing in aud flowing out OF the canal
n direction only as regular ana A. oien ae Iie dts
occur Ins pIh ~ "l course a 10 0loso" 7e"crS
ana culyerts ~ wei as 70 open waterways. ,,
TO ACCOMPLISH tho same tblug al Baltimore IL Woluu
only require tie substitution Of solid causeway, with
ude-Ock. tde-gates and a raceway. for the present
soincw hat shay plchridge south of IAgltst 10 III
close "a tide basin Of 500 1000 along the
southwestern border Of the CITY into which the PaapscO,
IVvnn'- Falls aud several smaller streams discharge
iL,lr water All Of this water, and much from
the tides nav De desired can be conducted through
ample cuver1s constructed 20 extend from the
0f of IsW ard 81 10 the head OF the Basin al Pratts and
there discharge INTO that iOnl poo vlng stream OF COM
naratiyelv pure al the rate OF some 3oOOOOOO or
tO 600 900 cubic feet daily This would cause all the
nth OF that locality aoat out into tie broad wa,
av far enOuh q prevent the Oiry 0f It. return 10
sbf srv II estimating The COST OF such work for Balt
more should Dc taken into consideration that the
rseway Will also form solid durable. and indisp~nsa
blr bridge the culvers Will most per
fcc main and drains for that part Of the city,
and that ~ the water VIII he entirely auto
mn As the touch "A