National Republican., 1878-12-12
OUR SEWER SYSTEM.
The Commissioners Plans for In
proving II.
Principal Causes Of the Compiaints-No
Present Necessity for the Discharge Of
the Sewage at Points Far Distant
Proposition to Raise the
Grade OF Low Grounds
Tho Tiber Sewer.
Tho District Sewerage.

Tho Commissioners have transmitted to the
Hon. s. W. Dorsey, chairman Of the Senate
District Committee, tho plans and estimates
defects In tho main sewerage system Of the city.
They state that the principal causes Of com.
plants arc found IN the low.lying grounds
along b street northwest and the Botanical
Gardens. In these localities large areas are
flooded during each heavy rain to the depth of
from two to three feet, injuring greatly the
value Of property, giving. ground for much
vexatious litigation and affecting seriously the
health of the city. The plans presented are
designed to prevent the overflow upon the sur.
face and to protect the District thereby from
liability for damage. They are, in fact, in.
tended to correct the grounds Of complaint by
the general public and incidentally to relieve
those of the residents whose houses are so con.
structed as to bring them above the line Of
necessary fall Of the sewers In discharging
their contents into the river.
The Commissioners are Of the opinion that
within the life Of the present generation there
will be no necessity for tho construction Of
works looking TO the discharge Of the sewer.
age at points far distant from the city, and
that all Of the conditions Of health will have
been sufficiently observed when the discharge
takes place In deep running water, and tho
fats In front Of tho city are filled so as to pre-
vent the Judgement Of fstid matters upon
grounds which are exposed during the inter
vals Of low tide. As at present designed the
principal laterals pour their accumulated
foods into the almost horizontal sewers Of the
low-lying grounds which are entirely insuf.
fciont in capacity for the scrvcos srcqu uired Of
them and the surplus waters are thrown upon
Al. Ii. H..
crowded along their lower sections, and In
many cases during heavy rains spurt thoir
waters like fountains into the air at points
where tho fall Of the ground gives opportunity
for this relief The Commissioners propose to
relieve these laterals and the main sewers Of
the low grounds by seizing the waters Of the
upper areas at suitable points In their inter-
mediate passage and conducting them by in.
dependent channels into the river.
The present system Of sewers will then DO
ample to carry of the floods from the surface
below tho lines Of the intercepting sewers,
thus: The lines of the relieving sewer for the
B-street area will DO along New York avenue,
down Fifteenth street, aud thence by direct
line to the river. 1t may, ultimately, be ne
cessary to construct parallel sewer upon tho
south side Of street, but at present its drain.
ago may otherwise be provided for. The
drainage of the Tiber basin offers another aud
more difficult problem. This basin extends
far out beyond the boundary Of tho present
city, its total area being five square miles.
With the exception Of the small portion carried
into the Eastern Branch by the intercepting
sewer along Boundary street, the entire drain.
age passes through the arch at the Botanical
Gardons Under the present conditions the
water from tho hills over beyond the Soldiers
Home is carefully gathered and poured In one
tremendous volume through the very heart Of
the city.
On no account should such state Of affairs
be allowed to exist. 1t Is true that heretofore
the surplus waters have spouted through the
man-holes Of tho overloaded sewer, to be
again absorbed through the same aperturcs
when tho rains have subsided, leaving the
flooded areas covered with sllmy aud filthy
sediment; but the narrow escape of the lower
part of the city from horrible inundation by
the breaking of the Tiber arch during the
past summer is peremptory premonition of
danger both to property aud life. The COM
miSsioners have, therefore, been driven to tho
conclusion that 1t Is necessary to adopt plan
which will defect the water Of the everything
area by means Of an intcrcepting sewer which
will carry them harmlessly into the Eastern
Branch. Owing to the insufficient capacity of
tho large connecting sewers in the upper part
of the northwestern section of the city, 1t has
been found necessary to carry the intercepting
sewer as far west as Eighth street. By the
construction Of tho two intercepting sewers.
for which estimates are presented amounting
to S5O353.i7, the immediate aud pressing
wants Of the city will be relieved. The rem
edy is expensive, but the cure will be radical
and permanent.
Questions will hereafter arise In regard to
tho treatment OF tue minor difficulties on the
low grounds from back water Of the river at
times of excessive food. Two methods of
treatment will present themselves-one, to
Nkos lras L..
age surface proper, aud pump the latter; the
other to raise the grade Of the low grounds
over certain limited areas. The last system
will undoubtedly be the most satisfactory in
its results. Tho Commissioners are not, how
ever, prepared, without having carefully ex-
amined and estimated the cost, to give their
positive recommendation to either plan. 1t Is,
at all events, q matter which will not require
immediate attention, aud can wait for q time
when the finances Of tho District are In more
healthful condition. The detailed estimates
present, In addition 10 the cost Of tho work
which should be dono Immediately, gross
estimate Of the cost Of carrying the proposed
intercepting sewer along New York avenue
and the present B-street sewer through the
fats to deep water.
This work would, In reality, be a part Of the
expense Of the improvement of the fats, aud
eau he completed gradually with that improve.
ment, at q far less expense to the District than
If undertaken as independent work. 1t is not
necessary that II should be done at once. There
are also presented, as properly appertaining TO
the subject, the estimates Of repairing the
break in the Tiber sewer at the Botanical
Gardens, and for parallel sewer south Of
street. The first constitutes an item properly
chargeablo to the revenues Of the District as q
work Of repair while tho second, for reason.
before stated, may be postponed until q more
favorable opportunity, or carried to com.
pletioD gradually at some future time as cur.
rent work.
OWING TO THE MILDNESS OF THE SEASON
WE HAVE REDUCED ALL ONERCOATS AMI