Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-01-11
Drainage of Great Cities.

The city of Boston has entered upon
great work. 1t has begun the con-
structlon of a large sewer. or drain.
which after encircling half the city,
will come down to the water, and then
be extended several miles, partly under
ground, partly under water, and will
finally discharge itself from one of the
islands In the harbor.
The work will cost several million
dollars, and will not be flushed for
some years. 1t is made both more
necessary and more difficult from the
fact that over one half of Boston
proper" is ''made land" having been
once covered by the tide and filled in
with gravel brought many miles from
the country.
Being fiat. this land does not drain
itself; and as it has been filled into a
height of only few feet above the
tide, the sea will not carry away all the
fJul matter that is emptied into it.
The drainage of great cities is sub
Ject of vast Importance. 1t usually
comes upon a community unawares.
Nature will take care of great amount
of refuse, aud SO far us she does so the
sewage, or waste matter, is no injury
to the health of those who live near by
where it is thrown upon the soil. At
last Nature Is pressed too hard. Some
of the rejected matter is left unlisposed
nf. 1t is stagnant, and the effort of
Nature to get ri | of it only decomposes
it into foul gases, that breed disease.
When this happens, pestience
sweeps through the city that has neg
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at last, the people are aroused to the
absolute necessity Of an extended drain
age system, to save their lives and
their health.
In general, American cities are not
40 well drained as those of Europe.
The sewers of Paris are one of the won
ders of that capital. We are still
young in this country. Our cities
have grown up quickly, and in many
Of them people have as yet hardly
been convinced that it is the lack of
good drains, for the prompt removal of
refuse to safe distance, that causes
large death rate.
No city that is provided with plen-
tiful supply of water is safe without o
sewer system. When families must
draw ali the water they use from wells
o. cisterns trey are naturally saving of
it. If they need only to turn stop
cock to obtain all they want, they use
many times as much. The soil will
absorb much water, but there is
point hey onl which it can do no more.
Then the excess that cannot be disposed
of, holding much vegetable and animal
matter. becomes source of great dan
ger to those living near the point
where it lies stagnant.
Even country houses are not free
from peril from this source. Too many
houses drain into soft and porous
soil, near the we'll from which water for
drinking aud cooking purposes is
drawn. People may live in such houses
for years. without suffering; and then
perhaps the diphtheria. or scarlet or
typhoid fever, may break out and carry
oil half the family.
Otner HOUSES stand on ledge. The
waste water runs through the Thin soilLs
until it reaches the rock, and tner5 IT
stands. The sun heats the rcfussN
matter, and causes it to give off poison
uns gases, which ruin the health OF those
who are within brepthinE distance.
The greatest care should be taken by
the head OF every family to see that his
own house is properly drained. If as
much intelligent care we're bestowed in
making sure that houses are thoroughly
and properly drained, a5 is given to the
health and comfort of domestic pets,
the lives OF millions OF Americans
would he lengthened by many years.
l0"&bS' C0mI1ani0n.