The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-12-20
Utilization Of Sewage.

The primary object of sewerage is the re-
moval from streets and houses of cities of
refuse matter that if allowed to remain
inevitably breeds disease and death. 1t is not
enough that this matter be taken away from
the immediate neighborhood of our dwellings
it must be so thoroughly disposed of that il
cannot get back again in any form whatever.
Spread out upon fats which are exposed to
the SUMS rays several hours each day, as was
until recently the case on our Back Bay, it
exhales poisonous Vapors which waited back
by favoring breezes work almost as much in
jury to health as would have been done had
the poisonous matter been suffered TO remain
undisturbad in cellars and street cutters.
Conducted into the deep waters of our har-
bors this difficulty is obviated and the main
object accomplished. But another arises,
and that too oftentimes very serious one.
Channels and docks are filled up by the de-
posits carried down and large expense in
Cured in clearing them out.
The perfect system of sewerage manifestly
is one which not only removes poisonous
substances beyond the possibility of their in
PRODUCTION into the human body either
through the lungs or the digestive organs but
also does it in such manner that no other
interest is injuriously affected-or what is
better--so that other interests may be bene-
fitted, and thereby the cost of removal par
TALLY paid for, result that is rendered pos
sible by the fact that sewerage deposit has in
it elements of great value to the farming dis
tricts by which cities are usually surrounded.
How to accomplish all these things is a
problem which has claimed great deal
OF attention and has been solved in vari-
GUS ways. Most Of the solutions have not.
however, been such as could be made general
in their application. Around Paris by means
of canals the sewage of the city has been
made to transform what few years ago was
barren, sandy plain into the fertile market
of gardens Genneviliers which almost entirely
supply Paris with its vegetables. This meth
cd is manifestly attended with great expense
and for this reason as well as some others
would prove impraeticable in most American
cities. What is wanted is some cheap and
simple method of separating the liquid con-
tents Of sewers from the solids which are
held in suspension, and preparing both so
they can be conveniently used as fertilizers.
Such method Mr.. John Bowring, an Eug-
lsh chemist, claims to have discovered. He
has recently made series of experiments on
the Continent, the results of which are de-
scribed as most satisfactory, and is at present
employed by the Burgomeister of Brussels in
estimating the cost of treatment of sewerage
deposits. Mr.. Bowring's system is founded
upon natural laws of capillary attraction.
His apparatus is cheap and simple of
construction. A series of wooden rings
are clamped together with iron. Between
every two rings are set metal disks the exact
size of the rings, covered on each face with
cloth or canvas; these disks are perforated
with three large holes. When the apparatus
is ready for use it resembles an immense
hogshead or barrel. into this the contents of
the sewer are forced either by steam or hand
pumps and rapidly spreading over the cloth
covered disks the fluids ooze out on all sides
perfectly clear, leaving the solid matter COL
lected in the rings. This process goes on till
the rings are full of solid matter, made COM
paratiyely dry by the force of pressure and
the complete extraction of fluids. The whole
process occupies about four hours and the
solid matter is in condition to be easily re-
moved for tertilizing purposes. The liquid
matter which is rich in ammonia can be used
either as a fertilizer or the ammonia can be
extracted and sold.
The introduction of this process in Europe
is said to have been attended with great sue.
cess and it would seem to accomplish the
great desideratum in sewerage viz.-the
thorough and economic removal of all that
poisonous matter in which the streets and
dwellings of large cities abound. Unforeseen
difficulties may arise in practice, but as de-
scribed Mr.. Bowring's system appears emf
nently feasible, cheap and effective.