The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-02-17
Now Orleans and the Proposed sewer
system.
Memphis Appeal {.

Like the cat in the adage, New Orleans is
letting dare not" wait upon III would"
in the matter of adopting a syst m # sewer
age and drainage. With the pronounced
success Of the Wsring system in Il !, city be-
fore it, and with the proposition of COM
pany, largely composed Of IFS own citizens,
to sewer and drsin the city without cost TO
the corporation, the municipal authorities
have delayed, postponed and referred consid-
GRAFTON of the subject foS period already
long enough to have almost completed the
work. It il with no object of gratuitousy
interfering or rendering upsought advice that
the Appeal discusses the matter. Aside from
the generous and friendly interest in New Or
leans which obtains throughout the valley
generally, Memphis is peculiarly concerned
10 whatever promises to promote the health-
fulness of her great southern sister. Hence,
no apology is needed for urging the immedl-
ate sdoptioD of this sewerage md drainage
system and the prompt prosecution of the
work. The small-pine system for the I'M
mediate removal Of sewage only, now popu-
larly known as ''the Waring SYSTEM" has
been Thoroughly tested in this city during the
past twelve months, and for more than
four months of that period under the most
exceptional conditions. 1t has successfully
withstood alike the enormous strain put
upon it by the reckless waste Of water during
freezing weather, and the scant supply
accustomed by the failure of the pump
ug-works. During the former even
the smallest pipes we're found ade-
ouate to the care and disposition of the
increased volume, while during the latter
repeated examination failed to detect any
evidence of sewer-gss. In the course of the
year only seven distractions of sll kinds
havs occurred IN the twenty-four miles of
pine; their removal has been readily effected
at the cost of few dollars in each case, and
their occurrence hssin no instance affected
any one but the careless house holders of
whose premises the distractions have been
found. The application of the system to the
geographical peculisrigies of New Orleans
is problem requiring merely ordinary en-
eiuesring ability, and its feasibility can be
demonstrated in advance. Only less import
ant than the prompt removal of sewerage for
New Orleans is the drainage feature Of the
proposition By the same use of porous
drain. tiles rs here in Memphis, it is proposed
to drain the subsoil Of New Orleans the
drains to empty into wells which are to be
kept pumped down to minimum depth OF
ten feet below the surface. What is pro-
posed is, in effect, 70 raise the surface-level of
New Orleans at least ten feet above its
present hight. This will be to give dry
stratum upon which to construct good road
ways, and it goes without saying, to anyone
who has examined the subject, that, no mat
ter what material 10 used or what skill employ
cd in road-making,i it is money and time thrown
away to put them on wet, undrnined sub
coil. OF the effect upon health il 10 only
necessary 70 point out he predominsnce of
deaths and disease due to excessive moisture
"A prsdoninance estimated at fully thirty
psr cent, of the total number of cssee. Il ia
safe to say that this msy bs reduced at least
one,halG Every consideration, then, of
economy, of somfort of public health and
consequent enduring prosperity, urges
prompt action and hearty cooperation with
The promoters of this beni6cient undertake
ing. As the New Orleans press has recently
said, with one voice, at isa turning point in
the history of New Orleans"