Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-13

Success of the Warning System OF
Sewers In Memphis-Its Character
and Cost.

AS the subject Of the proper sewerage Of
this city has excited so much discussion and
serious consideration, the following article
in reference to the system adopted in Mem
phis win be Of interest:
After the last epidemic at Memphis the
citizens determined that the lack Of proper
drainage, which was believed to have &C
counted for the great mortality, should be
remedied at once, and they called in Col.
George Z. Waring, the distinguished sani-
tary engineer, and entrusted to him the con
struction OF . complete system OF sewers to
drain the whole city. As this is the first
example Of the application OF the modern
system In its entirety, the following descrip-
ton OF the work and its results, furnish
ed by ]. II. Humphreys, the engineer IN
charge, will be read with interest: The city
has a population of about thirty-five
thousand. aud occupies the SUBMITS and
slopes on both sides OF q valley, which is
drained by a stream known as Bayou Gayo-
so. The main sewers are located on each
side OF the bayou, and as near TO it as was
found practicable. There are, altogether,
about thirty-four miles Of sewers, of which
four miles are mains, located along the
BAYOU and discharZing into the river by one
outlet; the emainder are laterals draining
into these mains, except about two miles of
ten was adopted. and discharging into the
Mississippi by other outlets.
The mains are ten, twelve, fifteen and
twenty inches in diameter. OF the laterals,
about IS per cent. are six inches in diane
ter and the remainder eight inches, except
a few short lengths, which are ten inches.
The mains for the most part are laid with
grade of two inches in one hundred feet,
which is the minimum. The minimum
grade of six inch lstersls is six inches in one
hundred feet. At the upper end OF each
lateral is located one of Rogers Fields Au-
tomato Flush Tanks, which discharges one
hundred and twelve gallons in about forty
seconds. This tank discharges Its contents
as often as it is filed, but it is believed once
in twenty-four hours is sufficient. The
system is without man holes, except q few
distributed on the mains.
No surface or roof water is permitted to
enter the sewers, the system being de-
signed and proportional for house sew
age only. The house drains are all four
inches in diameter, and no trap is permitted
on the main drain, each fixture being pro-
vided with separate trap. The soil pipes
are cast-irOn, with lead Joints above the
ground, and extend four inches in diameter
above the roof. Each house drain is cOnse
QuentlY ventilator for the public sewer.
For the purpose of removing the subsoil
Wster agricultural drain tiles are laid In the
trench with each lateral, on the grade Of
the sewer, or below it, which discharge, not
into the sewers, but into the bayou. Addi-
tiOnal lines Of tile have been laid in streets
in which no sewer is located.
A large part Of the trenchinE has been
done by contract, but the pipes have been
laid with hired labor. The prices last paid
for eXeavating and back filling are IS fol-
lows: Trenches o. feet deep, 25 cents; 81
TO feet, 30 cents; 9 to IL feet, 40 cents; II
to Is feet, IS cents per lineal foot. The
pipe laying, including laying drain tile in
the same trench, also the cost of the ce-
ment, sand oakum and tile paper, is esti-
mated to cost 40 10 cents per foot. The
9ush tanks cost complete about S45
each, including SO royalty. The six
inch pipes, although draining houses
on both sides, In some cases for a
distance OF three hundred feet, have never
been oVercharged, and have seldom been
found running half full. No trouble has
been caused by sewer gas, and the sewers
are believed to be comparatively free from
it. Some Of the six inch pipes have occa-
sionslly been obstructed by sticks, bones,
etc, becoming fixed across the diameter of
the pipe, all OF which have been promptly re-
moved. TWenty-One cases of such obstruc-
lions have occurred, which have been re-
moved at an average cost of SIS each. Some
deposits have been found in the mains
Wnlcn nave been rapidly and lneXpenslFely
removed by the passage OF hollow metal
balls through them. These balls are about
three inches less in diameter than the
sewers, and being lighter than water, are
pressed against the top Of the sewer, aud
are rolled along by the force of the current.
The velocity of the ball is less than that of
the water, which in passing it is detected
against the bottom and sides of the sewer
so as to thoroughly cleanse 1t. A portion
Of the mains have been so cleansed twice
since their constructions; the laterals not
at all.
The laying was commenced abOQ Janua-
~ 10Th, 1850, and On July lst Of at year
about twenty miles had been laid. The flrst
house connections were made about March
LIST of the same year. Hourly observations
in the twentv.iuIrh main on April Both last
showed the greatest depth Of flow 1874
inches, at 10 a. m; least depth, inches' at
3 a. N. On June 18th, greatest deptn, IA
inches at IL a. m; least depth, IVA lnches,
at a. m Floats In the same sewer gave
surface velocity of 2 10 feet psr fecond,
the depth being 1914 inches.
The following is a statement OF the con-
nectiOns made with the system to date, but
does not include those made with the old
sewers discharging by other outlets: Water
closets, 1879; sinks, 2,4Os; unnGls, l55;
bath tubs, 267: wash basins, 800, pTlVy
sinks, II; cellar drains, IA.
The system of sewers appears to give en-
tire satisfaction both to the city government
and citizens generally.