National Republican., 1878-06-18
The Sewer Question.

r. ne EiiiOr Of Ec National Republican:
Much has been published recently upon the
Important sewer question of the city, and cs.
pcc.ally how to remedy the defects and want
Of capacity OF the old canal or B.strcrt sewer.
some of these are very crude and utterly i'm.
practicable from Il want of knowledge of the
topography of the city, while others are com.
plicHtcd costly, and liable to fail or got out of
working order With considerable experience
in public works and many years consideration
of the subject, l have long believed that the
only simple, practicable, and economical plan is
to build an interCcptng sewer in Z s. rect, from
Judiciary Square to Fourteenth; thence across
the Avenue TO d; thence to Fifteenth and
then diagOnally across the White Lot TO enter
tho river above high tide at Seventeenth street
The sewer should be quite small at the begin
ming. toincreaSo considerably at Seventh street
and increase thence west at every street and
sewer connection to the end. 1t would receive
the rainfall from Fifth to Fifteenth, and from
T. to y streets, or about 100 squares and iutCr.
vrning streets, and also the White Lot. and
would relieve the old canal or D-strcyt sewer
Of about two.thirls of all rains now cmptying
into 1t. 1t would have good drscyn through
ont, carry oil all mud aud filth quickly, and
relieve tho B-strcct scwrr Of about three.
iOurthS Of the mud and iilth which now settle
in it, and which is 50 expensive to remove.
The old canal sewer Is below even low tide
is always partially filled with water, mud
and filth aud it floods the cellars on peunsyl-
vlnia avenue with very foul water two or
three times each " ar from very heavy sudden
rains, and about once in five years from floods
in the Potomac, which last cannot be pre-.
vented. The proposed L street mtcrceptng
sewer would absolutely prevent all floods from
rains, which destroy much property and are
injurious to health. T. street Is now almost
imrassablr in many places with its rotten
wOOd.pavcment which shOuld be removed,
| the proposed sewer laid this summer and fall,
aud the street bu repaired with concrete. The
recent appropriation Of Congress, together
with the taxes, has doubtless pnt the city in
| inhus sufficient TO cNpcnd on this
sewer, 20 much needed, and the
| work should be commenced at once, which
| would furnish work to hundreds OF labUrrrS
/ hrirknakrrS, and hrickaycrs who mrad it Sd
! badly. AMd n til, plan seems 10 nc to be en-
tiIcIy practicable, a'ull pr ,pp'c it - the new
. commissioners and City Engineer aS SUOu ~
| organized. Aud lastly, in order to ave tim"
/ and that thc work, ii approved Of. may bt
/ commenced at the earliest prart:cabc moment
! ! snggC,l that hOuse.Uwnrrs and sturckycpcr'
, "n the AyynUr, who have their cellars Hooded
| two or three times tach year, their property
/ injured OF destroyed, and their health cudun
/ grrcd, together with experts IN such work gen
/ orally, a"I who approve Of my simple plan
that all such may write me, giving such upm
! ion, which favorable opinions will accompany
/ my proposition to the city government and ad,
greatly to its strength.
4. WATSON.
! NAsHINGTOS, ID. c June 10 ISIS.