, 1879-05-31

: 10 the 1I4MpF o. 1Ht lftoTHe
CHICAGO, May W.-1n an article In last Sim
days TRIBUNE a physician OF tlts city takcs
occasion to find great deal Of fault with the
recent changes which have becn and arc being
mado IN cur sewerage syatcnl, tho prlncjpal
chapge boIng tho substitution Of open iron
grat!ngB Instead Of The cloaol wooden coverings
wh!ct, hare hitherto stopped up these street.
openings to the Sewers, or 'man-holes, " as they
arc technically called.
In tic article referred to 1t Is stated that there
arc 1850 of these 1nan.lolos within tic city
limits, 1nl the writer makes ecrlous objection to
the use OF open grntugs, both on sanitary md
cconumic grounds.
Ho states that tho effect Of making 15,500
optnlhts intb TIN, 'scwcrs Of "tlfc cry vii, bc to
allow the dccomposinE gases Of the sewers to
cscnpo into tho lower atmosphere atld invade
our houses through doors and windows, through
cracks md crcyices, thus bringing poison
atid discaHc-germs into our altt!ug-roon,s
and hcd-chatnDcrs und he leads us to tufpr that
ancl, a ioolhardy experiment. il support Of
ths lugubrloua Ftow Of the matter. authorities
md statlstics arc cited, until tho conclusion is
reached tl'at the success Of Chicago as sum-
ton tho fato ii those who are how here. and by
reason Of circumstances arc forced to remain
here. have hoped tEnt some Que better tunli-
fed tllan would reply to th1s article, and re-
lIeve any fears or aporchenalons created by 1t BY
exposing Its faIlacles. In every community
there arc aono sensitive souls ready to talse
alarm at tho slightest auCgcst!olI, and t0 such
the article referred to might sccm to bc Of ST.
rlous Import
1'lcro is, however, no car1so Tor nlarm. Tie
experience OF other cities md the fundamental
principles Of sanitary SCIENCE teach us tlat next
to our improved Watcr.supply, these open Erut-
ln1s, when put over every tnati-holo In the city,
Will constitute tho most salutary improvements
IrhIrl has brnN tnnjIN {1tIrtuV tHn FjtFFS Nhtl1n
existence. When tic present el!icant 1Icatth
Department sllall have passed awny, 1t Will need
no other monument than this TO testify to Its
wisdom Anl efficiency.
Ny reasons for tt,inktng 60 arc these: 1t Is
weil.cstn6isl!ed principle, Of sanitary science,
a1.l Of chemistry rs well, that any poisonous
eu,anation from Ecwer Ut elsewhere Is rendered
more md more narinlrss the more 1t d diluted,
centratcl the poison, tho more harmless
1t is. Now, IT. ts pccullafity OF our
sewerage systcm tliat, when tlle water tn
thr river " unusually high, a. so,net!nes hap
with watcr 30 tlNt tho lower levels bccot,c stag
nant, Drainage Ia temporarily suspended, nr ot
lcast partially so, mud tho sewers becon9 1lcl
With Gaacs, generated by decomposition: and Us
for these Rases through tile scWcr-Ihuutls, they
obtaIn torco enough Ii certain localities " force
tla "traps" in tie house-scWcrs aud Ii a cor-
ccntrated form these foul gascs then entcr our
prominent suwcr-bniIders tells me sliatin search
lug for detective sower.pipe llp las foun1 Tho
scwer,gas escapmg with sufficient force to blow
out a canu|c,
occur, since tho uressure Ut these gasesis tukca
UtI tie tTnps, AllI, JUDGED, oil from tic huuAa
ppes eyct,, II there nto lii traps. 80 long, teFc-
lure, as these Crattngs se.natu III usc, suclI q
and cannot invade our homes, i 1t e>capea
from tug scwsra anywhere Il must bo through
tllu gratnEs lA thu ccntru of the street; It can
net. back up late our dwellings,,
now accepted by al sanitary authorities, lllat
oxygen ur oz0ne, rs 1t exists In common air, Ia
the Ereat DESTROYER Of s9pt[c germs, or tic Or
ganig Dolsuus that rcBult from decomposition.
ana II alr In sufficient quantity can be brought
Btrlct!oH fS Inevitable.
Pure air atltl sewer Gas are natural enemire,
nl,l cannot cxiat together. THIS letttugin In Of the
atmosphsre..tale pure winds from lake md
prairte-into tlle sewers OF our city through h.
boo openings IL til effect to pru7ent- any Ecnesa~
lion u septlnous matter, lR the form Of gas or
earns. o. otherwise, and to keep tic sewers ~
sweet and purc as the surface Of the atFcets.
There Is matter enough .deDosttelt In tho
streets, and alleys. and vacant luts Of Chicago
every Jay of q dccunpusablb a1Id aeletcrtoua
nature TO breul pestilence II 1t Was not for the
counter Influence 0f our parc air and aalubElous
brcezcs-
so far. therefore, a. tho sanitary question is
concerned there ls no cause fur alarm, al!4 tler0
ought not to b TWO opinions among thinking
peoptH concerning tho matter.
As for the economic question, II tho improve
ulent WeEo to cost ten times Whak II will tho
publtc should not grumb!e, fot It Will ultimately
come cut of The income Of the luctors. Tho
people surely eau stpnl "; whether tlss doctors
ca1a Or not, remains to BE- seen. 1t should bo
stated, huwuycr, that the outlat Of something
less than 900 Ia not made strictly ou sanitary
gEounIs. The old wooden crossings coat nearly
~ much as tho Iron oues, aud Wcfe continually
needing renewal; whlle tho irou crossings aro
permanent fixture, and the open ones cost no
more than II they were caAt solil. Respectfully,
lsouxHr N. Tookga, 81. u.
Ntd1s VI. rooF.
To tht Editor " Tia 1Ttbnn&,
CuIHA0ot May H.-At tha American laborluE