The Portland daily press., 1879-09-23

ness of the sights and odors ia and about them,
frequently the exposed situation which makes
the common name OF the resort SO bitter q sar-
casm, all operate to induce, first, long post
ponement, and then a marked Infringement of
visits which health absolutely requires hould
be frequent regular and deliberate; and these
causes act most poN erfully upon the minds OF
the sensitive and delicate, to whom an interfer-
ence with the normal functions of the body is
perilous in the extreme. In public report a
more detailed reference to this aspect OF the
case might be considered Objectionable; but it is
a matter of such inheritance as to demand at
least the attention we have given if.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
Having thus presented the results Of our in
yestigations into the causes of the nuisances,
far as these causes are within the CITY limits,
we offer some suggestions concerning their re-
moval
And first, as to the trouble in the region of the
Cove we are positive that. as long as sewage
is allowed to pour into the Mill Pond anu
the Back Bay, there will continue to be eman-
ations which will disgust and Sicken all who
come within their baneful influence. While
there has been epi1emic of disease on this
account it is firmly believed by sagacious ply
sicians who have large means for observation
that there is general lowering of the tone of the
system in the jewellers on our northern slope,
and consequently diminished ability to resist
morbific agencies; and this condition is thought
to be due to the poisoned air which these pec-
pie are Obliged to breathe. The exemption from
alarming disease which we have enjoyed can not
be expected for many more years. All the time
the situation is becoming more and more serious,
medately concerned is, in our opinion, wei l.
grounded. Something, therefore,. should be
done at once, for longer delay would be criminal.
There is but one way out OF the dlinculty
which is really worth considering, and that is
the construction of an intercepting sewer, into
which all the others shall empty, through Deer
ing's Oaks and along the shore of the Cove out
beyond the bridge OF the Grand Trunk Railway.
This sewer should be capable OF carrying the
sewage from the northern and northwestern
quarters OF the city, not simply as they are now,
but as they will be when covered with houses,
the dwellings of dense population. The exact
location is question OF engineering detail With
which we have no especial concern. 1t is suffi-
cient for US to know that it is feasible plan.
1t is proper, however, to mention that the estab-
lshment of the sewer as it ought to be laid Will
involve the construction of the long contempla-
ted and partly built Marginal Way, and the
raising of the Dump ten or twelve feet, to the
height which it ought to have had in the be-
ginning. This sewer, receiving all the sewage
from the northern slope, would relieve the Oaks,
the Pond. and the Cove from any further addi-
tions of filth and enable us by artificial means
to restore the two former to their prestine condi
ton OF cleanliness. We advise the dredging of
the Pond and those parts of the Oaks where
sewage has stood and soaked into the ground.
Several feet of the bottom should be removed,
and clean gravel then spread over the entire
surface. The aperture in behring's bri ge
should be closed with solid masonry so that the
tide may be effectually excluded. 1t would not
be practicable or necessary to do any extensive
dredging work in the Cove stop the fow of
amount of pure salt water which is constantly
flowing in and out would soon cleanse the bot
tom sufficiently for the purposes of public
health. We advise the extension of this inter
cepting sewer out beyond the railway bridge, in
order that it may discharge its contents where
there is swift current to the open sea. The
sewage should be let out only on the first
half of ebb tide; then before the tide turns, the
filth will have been swept out SO far that is can
not be brought back again, and nothing but
good water will come into the Cove.
Of course, this plan is expensive, but it must
be adopted sooner or later. If the city cannot
afford the requisite outlay all at once, let part
be done now, the rest as means will allow. But
whatever is undertaken should be in accordance
with this design, SO that all further work may
be in the direct line of extension of the original
plan. Thus, for instance, the intercepting sewer
might be laid in the Oaks and down to
behring's bridge. There it could be turned into
the channel which, if deepened, would serve
passably to convey the sewage beyond the
br dyes. In this way the worst feature of our
sewerage would be removed, the nuisance would
be greatly mitigated, and, when the citys
finances would permit. the rest of the work could
be done.
On the harbor side, the sewers ought to be car
ried out at least to the end of the wharves where
their contents would be able to flow into deep wa
ter and have chance to be carried into the At
lantic by the receding tide. There is much less
cause for apprehension about the sewerage on
this side of the City than on the other but the
existing state of affairs is far from perfect, and
should receive practical attention at the earliest
possible moment.
Concerning the unauthorized discharge of
filth into various fields and street cutters as
above mentioned, we ADVISE the drainage OF Jne
pools and morasses in question, and the prose
cution of all persons who shall hereafter expose
their neighbors to the dangers always connected
in our minds with putridty. Such an offense is
far more serious than keeping private powder
magazine, because it is fraught with greater
peril to the community.
1t ought to be SuperfiuouS to make y recon-
mendation about pig-sties. The ordinance on
the subject is perfectly distinct and the officers
understand it; and yet they allow swine to be
kept in direct violation of the law, even after
specific complaints have been entered. We rec
olnmend the enforcement of the ordinance.
Large accumulations of manure about stables
of an ordinance forbidding under penalty
the collection in one establishment of more than
one-half a cubic yard of ordure.
Greater cleanliness and care in the collection
OF the house offal should be o bserved There is
already sufficient law on tn e point; what is
needle is some enforcement
With reference to the culvertS we recommend
that they be cleaned out at least once fort
night; that, after being emptied, they be trapped
with fresh water at once; that they pc flushed
with clean water every week; and that each one
that is near a house be supplied with a ventilat-
ing tube carried from the summit of the curved
pipe to point above the highest chimney of the
building. By our present arrangement, the
sewer vapors are dscarged under our very
noses, disgusting our senses, and Jeopardng
our lives; by the plan which we present, these
gases will have to rise above our dwellings, and
will be rapidly diffused in the air at point
where there are always currents to quickly dis
tribute and dilute them.
At present we have no ventilation of our sew
ers excepting through the untrapped culverts
into the streets, and through our house drains
into our cellars, kitchens, water-closets, and bed
chambers. If we prevent the ventilation by the
gullies the gas will force itself into our confined
habitations, where the air is changed far less
frequently than it is outside, and we shall thus
be subjected to the concentrated influence of
the most deeterious eXhaaations. We must,
then, have shafts, such as suggested, erected at
short distances, and allowing the free passage of
foul air out and of fresh air in Sanitarians the
world over insist upon the necessity of the ven
tilation of sewers. The more nearly we can make
the air in them like the atmosphere above, the
less likely are they to do harm. However much
care we ray devote to them it is never safe
to treat them as if they were other than foul.
We recommend that, in all culverts which may
be hereafter built, the catchpit be deeper than
it is now customary to make it; and this in order
that there may be better chance for the set
Ting of considerable amount of solid matter,
thus preventing the cloggiDg of the trap and
the obstruction OF the sewer. when the amount
of street wash is heavy or the culvert cleaners
are careless.
We recommend the utt9r abolition of the sys-
tenn of accumulative privies. Let an ordinance
be passed making it an offence punishable by a
fine of considerable amount, for householder
to have on his premises an accumulative privy
after given date, say two years from the pres
ent. Meantime let the city provide an appara-
tus for the odorless removal of the night-soi,
and compel every citizen who persists in main
tanning vault, to have it emptied once in six
months.
Several objections to this plan will be offered
1t will be said that the abolition of privies would
be hardship to the poor, who can not afford to
put in water closets and enter the common
sewers. But this is met by the fact that the
poor are almost Invariably the tenants of
those who are able to make the required i'm
provements, and who should be compel led to re-
move from their premises all nuiSances, for the
existence of which the tenants are not reponsi-
BILE. Then it will be objected that, some
streets are not furnished with sewers and others
which have sewers are without sufficient sup
ply of water, it will be impossible to operate a
with safety to health To this we
reply that careful investigation shows very
general distribution of sewers and water pipes
over the city, and there are comparatively few
streets in which both not laid. In the small
number of exceptional cases. the alternative
method of the earth-closet should be adopted.
OF this plan of disposng of excreta it is difficult
to speak too much praise. The faces are depos- |
tied Immediately upon fine, dry earth or coal
same. The moisture is absorbed, the odor en-
,irely suppressed and the eXcreta are placed in |
most favorable for decomposi- |
ton without putrefaction. The method is
odorless. neat and inexpensive, and |
nobody would suffer a serious wrong in being |
obliged to follow it. There are, indeed other |
ways in which faces may be safely disposed of; |
IS, for example, the pail system, and the shallow
)rivy system; but as the former can not well be |
operated, unless on large scale and the latter |
S liable to be offensive, neither is worthy of |
consideration for our purposes beside the earth |
,loset method. Another objection will be made |
IN the score of the expense of an odorless, eXca-
yating apparatus But when one considers the |
lost of removing night-soil at the present time,
md the market value of the article, he will |
quickly see that the machine would pay for it |
self very shortly, and bring handsome profit to
The owner The price charged TOR emptying |
FAULTS is six dollars cord, and the nightsoil is
I.