Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-02-07
Sewerage in the District Of COlum.
hia.


Gustavus A. Karwiese, consulting civil engi-
neer, has sent to the Senate District committee
an elaborate plan for the improvement of the
sewerage and the sanitary condition of the Dis
trict OF Columbia, In accordance with the re-
quest of the committee that he should inveSti-
gate the sewage systems OF prominent Euro
pean cities, and make such Recommending oa5
as he should deem proper In regard to Washing
age systems OF various European cities, Illus
trated by plans, &C., he concludes his report
with the following in regard to our District
sewerage:
Washington, d. c., located on deep-water
navigation of the Potomac. is the best laid out
city In the world, and is without parallel in the
buildings, and beautiful private residences
which attractions have pointed to, and con-
ferred npon her the destiny to unite. with her
lot as capital of this great nation that OF being
also the most magnificent city. Washington
cannot become manufacturing city, but may
yet be commercial city OF some Importance
and by reason OF her deep-water facilities load
the largest Sea-going vessels with the surplus
Of our breadStuffs and other products of the
daily growing west. Washington is surrounded
with good building-s stone Of diverse qualities
good brick. and all kinds of building material is
laid cheaper at her doors than any other city
on the coast OF the Atlantic. Building can be
accomplished cheaper here today than In any
other city of equal Sxe in the Union 1t Is for
SUCH reasons that 1t Is inviting to all classes of
people, outside OF politicians, wishing 10 retire
from business, to come here and spend the rest
can continent. Washington is the cOncantfa-
ton of the highest civilization in America and
with the Increased arts and sciences the gtowth
of the city will continue to be so promoted th 1t
That there will be no limit to the fncrea se OF its
population. 1t is from this standpoint tint
make the following recommendations, waicl
deem necessary for the sanitary condition of
the capital and the present and future welfare
OF her population. recommend
L. The complete regulation OF the Po-nnac
rNer ana the Eastern Branch. and the co1iae-
me- ONT M fhn
mentS (bulkheads) along each side of the river
beyond Alexandria. The bulkhead line for both
rivers TO be made as shown in the plans here
with submitted. and an unObStructed and god
navigable channel to be established Thereby
without the artificial aid of dredging
2. The passage of strenuous law for the pro-
lection OF those waters which connect at Wash
1ngton for not less than twenty-five miles 10
stream, for sanitary reasons.
8. me reclaltnfDg OF all swamps and fats
around the city limits and within the pro posed
emDankmentS, and all flats SO reclaimed to be
hl.ed up. not less than seven feet above high
water mark. with clean gravel and sand from
the surrounding heights
f. The diSc0nnectiOl Of the whole sewerage
system of Washington and GEORGETOWN fro
the waters OF the Potomac river in the follow
ing manner, to wit: Tie sewage of Georgetown
10 be collected In tW O iItercepting Sc werS to be
JudiciOualy located a ong the south and east
sides OF said city. and TO connect at point on
ROCK creek, nearthe eastern terminus of Water
street, ard then to Gro IS Rock Creek nv mems
Of syphOnS and empty into the new grand col
iecting-sewer, which I Shall take the prve re
TO call the grand cole tor. This large Sc yer
propose 10 build shall be an intercepting sever
Tor the total sewageOf Washington and George.
town, and to be prOyi1ad with five overllows
equally divided from uoint hnlow the railroad
prldge TO the southern point of the embank-
Ment, where the crossing under the Eastern
Branch Is effected. The size OF this grand col
iect0r TO be properly increased at every June
llon Win main branch. The grand collector
should be started near point where o and 22d
streets lnterSect. and run down along the east
Side OF Rock Creek into 9th street, then taking
up the worthless canal bed (the obstruction at
dhe NOUN OF ROCK creek to be removeD and be
dlrected south to point into the present river
Where 3so So 81 OF latitude interSects with 10
03> longitude west of Greenwich. and following
from here slightly reversed curve as Indicated
IN tne accompanying maps to point near 10
vi longitude west OF Greenwich, forming so q
proper river embankment all along from the
mouth OF ROCK creek to the point mentioned
which is | 100 feet west of GieSborough Point
ana about one mile south OF the James creek
basin. Here the grand collector shall discharge
the total sewage collected over d. A. b. Muir
ray self-actlng Strainer into a Water-tight we'll
from hence the sewage shall pass In tunnel
under the Eastern branch to a point on the
eastern bank OF the Potomac south of Giesbo-
rOugh l,olnt, and about 22l miles below James
creek, Which is to be the terminus OF the grand
collector and the sewage station proper This
property belongs to the United States govern
mebt. and is perfectly isolated. SO that the I'M
avOldable discharge of gases and bad odors from
the pumping-well will be absolutely harmless
Az this station the sewage will be lifted by sy-
phOnS, without the aid of any complicated ma
cnlneTy or expensive pumps. into iron tanks.
ana hence distributed for agricultural purposes
After proper irrigation perfect filtration has
taken place, and The efluent will be conducted
In an odorleSS and clear state from the lowest
land section into the river
All tne sewage not used for land irrigation
IS chemically treated and after allowing three
i, ". dor settement the etiiuent is drawn off
INTO large reservoirs divided into comoart-
mentS and located along the bank of the river
WIN The outlets Immediately over the river
t lem From the reservoir the chemically
curing the first hour OF each outgoing tide
IDere shall be so many discharge valves i'm the
Ietalning reservoir as are necessary to accom-
push thlS OBJECT In the given time The taals
ana reservoirs are so arranged as to be cleaned
periodically by flood OF water during high
tide: the locations and arrangements of this
Sta'lOn are such that at any time hereafter
when the quantity OF sewage shall have reached
very large proportions and warrant heavy ex-
pendlture for the proper irrigation preparation
on large plantations, it can be used for sucn
irrigation conveniently, for the barren lands d.
rectly east of the sewage station over the hills
are tne quality OF land so desirable for the sew
agG li1ra1lon. private company, or an able
ihdlvldual, should be encouraged to accomplish
lhls latter fact, not only to establish valuable
tS Tor the country at large, but to turn
ines, Inc ef1luent eastward and let the same, alter
large areas OF land have been irrigated, run into
tne fatuXent river at point about ~ mile,
south OF Marlborough, Md, by this route. free
lhS washington forever from the effect Of he!
sewage.
The grand collector shall be a low-IeyeI
sewer, with four main branches to be con
structed In circular form cut of cement and
glroed with galvanized iron bands; the fall Shall
De not less than Il feet per mile, or 2 feet In
ches more than there is in the London inter
ceptlng sewers, and not to exceed feet Pc
mile In any OF the main branches or Tunnel
ms grand collector Will be foot below low
water mark at the junction OF the Georyctoyn
branch, apd feet below low waite.
Nne at the junction OF the central
branch. This central branch will tnterceOJ tn.
street sewer at 18th street. where ;t starts
with 3 feet below low-water marx At the
junction OF the railroad branch the grand CO.
lector Is over feet below mean low water and
rect inches at the junction OF the soutlal,t-
ern branch. From the junction OF the south
ern branch the grand collector will have very
large proportion TO the terminus at tue mos
SOuCherly city point OF the new enhancement
Where the whole sewage is discharged into ;,
low water. 0p'ii '0io" ni7ah
The grand collector will at the st,rt,,e,
point, take up the whole northwestern cnron2
OF tne city west OF Vermont avenue and 11th
stIeet and north Of street. CONTAINING rhe 60
called Slash Run district by means ri inter
ceptlng sewers. The first loW-leyeI fnterceot
ing main branch will bring the united SeWage
from Georgetown with a grade moi less than
one 1oot below mean low water at the innctiHn
win the grand collector The size. location
ana TOTAL length OF the new Intervening sewer
must DE determined hereafter
Inc second lOW-leypl main bra poh o,,loa .,o