Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-07-11
INETEBN REPLIES FROM ]
TEEN COMMITTEES
The Sewerage system-No. III.

Editor Morning Mems: In my first article
on "The Sewerage of Savannah" 1 said, 'if,
therefore, the river, with fall Of not more
than six feet to thirty-six miles, can keep
itself clear. we must look to some other
cause than distance as factor"
The first idea which strikes US, and per-
haps it is allsufficient, is the volume Of the
water. Its depth is also favorable, but If
we can turn into the sewers the requisite
volume of water, let that suffice.
/ will here introduce an article written
about year ago and sent to an ex-Alder-
man of Savannah, in hopes he would take
the matter in hand, but he carried the Cot
ton Exchange in his Uranium, and could
find no room for hydraulics:
AUGUST, lSS0.-EditOr Morning Nea0s: l
saw in your paper a short time since an article
of Dr. Falligant's about the condition of the
sewers in Savannah, and although living at
a distance l am interested, as a taxpayer, in
all the OUTLAWS made by the corporation.
What is 1t possible that the very costly
sewer through Broughton street, dug and
built more than thirty feet deep at its east
ern end, is not Of sufficient grade to carry
off all the matter which can fall into 1t ? Or
is that folly an exception, and the Doctor
only speaking of other sewers less favorably
situsted?-the one through the Park, for in
stance.
The question then, for solution, is, is DIR.
Falligant's suggestion, to food the sewers,
practicable from the present water works,
and would 1t be etficacious and my conclu-
sion is that 1t would be both, even in the
sewer which has the least grade or fall to
the foot; and also think that the city can
well bear the cost, If 1t Is done in a iudcious
way, and without raising the water to the
unnecessary height of the tower, or leaving
It ia a reservoir to settle.
Some persons may think that a duplicate
OF the pumps now used for the water works
of the city would not supply water enough
for all the sewers TO run In them alternate
ly for few hours every day, even with
ten-inch pipe. suppose thatit would not, Nor
could the city stand the expense of the
working, and much less the setting up Of
the machinery, and therefore 1t can't be
done unless some plan less costly can be
devised.
There are two plans which have suggested
themselves to my mind the cheaper one is
to arrange food-gates IN the sewers, the
closing and opening of which might scour
out all the deposit; but | will not particu-
lariZe this.
The other which prefer and propose, is
" SOubtl uCb fcOof COTo ONcI buC pOiub vi cdCu
sewer where its highest level is, of convent
ent size, say five or six feet square, with ar
engagements to let out all the water suddenly
into the sewer, e. e., like dumping cart
This would scOur everything before it, es-
pecially il one was placed along the sewer
at every second or third crossing (say where
the pumps used to be- and let out upon the
food Of the first as 1t passed; practice would
decide whether. before, upon or AFTER con-
sulting the safety OF the outlet; say Bllbo's
canal and its banks.
These reservoirs could be made ornAmen-
tai, and useful too, as a watering place for
horses, and to supply the sprinkling carts.
As to the filing of these reservoirs, a
small steam engine, on one Of the public
! docks, large enough to overcome the fifty
feet rise of the bluff, in a three inch pipe,
could supply great many such small tanks
as l suggest, and therefore the expense
would be light.
To test this plan cheaply 90 to one of the
low ground canals (Bilbo's will do), where
there is perfect level, put such a tank as
is suggested above, quarter mile from the
river; put a backing, so that the water can
flow only to the outlet; let all the water In
the canal run out, and at low tide let the
tank, which was previously filed, be sad
denly emptie1, and If 1t does not Sc0ur that
canal, have studied hydraulics practically
on rice field in vain and will give it up.
A s., of Roswell.