Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-25

Il
described In previous reports, the reasons fol
| It's adoption given and the notifications OF
which is capable suggested. Since then 9
very comprehensive report Of the results OF an
examination made IN 1850 of several sewerage
works IN Europe subpitted by Rudolph Herring
civil and sanitary engineer, to the National
Board Of Health, at their request, has been
brought to my notice. Mr.. Herring reviews
very clearly and fairly the general subject oil
| sewerage. giving the results Of a thorough per-
sonal explanation, with many interesting sta
tistics and exhaustive references to professional
works upon this subject His conclusions con-
| forming to thy methods adopted here. are Of
| interest as recent expression OF competent
terest. and applied to no special locality.
| The existing diversity Of opinion regarding
| the best method Of removing Offal and waste
water from houses and towns can. believe, be
explained, at least partially, by certain difficult
ties which meet us in rightly judging the meas
| ures, methods and designs. It will, therefore,
be proper at the outset to ascertain their ma
ture and examine their bearings.
'ln comparing the views of the gentlemen d.
| rectly and indirectly interested in the sewage
question, 1t can be observed that the habitual
engagement of the mind in certain directions
tends greatly to influence opinions, and to cause
what may be termed professional bias.
ut can be observed In Europe, as a rule, that
chemists, physicians, and agriculturists are
prominent among the opponents of the water
carriage system. They point to the injurious
eHects OF soil contamination by sewers, of the
gases and germs emanating from them, of the
pollution of river and subsoil water, and to va
rious dangers which are expected to arise from
sewage farming"
again, we can notice that engineers, who
IND themselves confronted by problems such as
the removal of stOrm-water from the surface of
the streets, of sub soil water and house refuse,
also the construction and cleaning of streets,
10
removal and finally the restriction to the ut
most economy Of expenditure, are quite gene
rally III favor of water carriage.
But also among the latter alone, we discover
DIVISION of opinion. Municipal engineers OF
large cities with closely built up districts and
we'll paved streets, who have been obliged and
accustomed to provide for the rapid removal OF
ranwater and the protection of cellars. &C..
nave generally Endorsed the so-called combined
system of drainage for all towns; l. e., leading
ralnwater and sewage into the same sewers
among the engineers who have
drained small towns, where usually
quite other conditions present themselves,
the separate system is often. favored
where sewage and rain-water are removed la
different channels; but we find it likewise re-
commended for all towns. Finally even some
OF the details OF each system form points of dis
pute An inspection of the different methods
and works seemed to reveal the fact that advo-
cafes frequently lay too much stress On the ad-
'"' 'tnio opPOheAGS eAaSSeIale Tic UeleCts
OF systems.
1.-The physical features of a town will greatly
influence the character of design, and, if not
rghtiy understood, also give cause for erroneous
opinions. The main drainage of London has
frequently been attacked as being wrong solu-
ton OF the metropolitan drainage problem,
yet the enormous population. the Topography
theproxinlity to the ocean, the inexpediency and
expense OF Thorough publication of the sew
age, qulteJustified the authorities in adopting
the present system.
1--WE have the sewerage Of Memphis objected
to on account OF the exclusion of rain-water
Yet, whe1Tc considering that there was an urgent
necessity OF speeily and cheaply sewering the
unfortunate town, this feature is fully justified.
especially when considering the surface char
acteristicse OF its' site. On the other hand, it
would be "a like error to recommend the exclu-
sion OF raan-watar or the separate system for
all cities. as few parties have advocated in
England and this country"
/ "a
zine sewerage question must be treated
from two aspects. AS the works are to receive,
convey ana discharge organic waste products,
the decomposition of which is either directly or
indirectly, the cause Of unhealthful influences.
1t is necessary to examine them, first of ALL from
sanitary point of view. When satisfactory
standard In this direction can be reached, the
next inquiry is into the expense attached to
their execution, in other words into the least
possible cost ct which sanitary condition can
be obtained. 90 ''''''''' - =
''To rightly understand certain present condi-
tions it will be well to glance briefly at the his
tory of the subject:
1.-THE first sewers in the more modern Euro
pean towns were obtained simply by archng
over the natural waterways. which had become
fOuled by general refuse continually cast into
them. Their position along the valley lines re-
quired size sufficient for the conveyance Of
storm waters
AFTER the introduction OF regular domestic
water supply into cities, there was an increased
supply of dirty water running off In the cutters
causing filth and insalubrity both in winter and
summer; and 1t was proposedto lead this house.
water. together with the street washings, d.
rectly into the sewers"
at was recognized that if water-carriage was
to answer the general hygienic requirements
radical changes were necessary in design and
construction to prevent deposit and storage of
filth. Investigations were. therefore, made with
reference to grade, shape, &c. to facilitate
complete and rapid removal. and enough was
learned to see practical possibility OF attain
ing good sanitary conditions. Then, as it was
found that most of the old existing sewers
could not be made to answer the new demands.
mainly on account of the shape and grade it
became question of economy whether they
should be eentrely replaced or used for pur-
pooc Atoo 1ulS circumstance gave
origin to the separate SYSTEM when rain
water alone flowed into the old sewers, the
house drainage being led away by new system
of very much smaller pipes. A small amount
of ran-water was turned into the latter from
back roofs and yards in order to give
them an occasional flushing. When. how
eyer, no old sewers could be systematI-
cally utilized in this way, and the
rain-water removal was an important consider
ton, we find that the combined system was
adopted, leading off rain-water and sewage by
the same channels, as in the larger cities Of
Europe and here.
"AnOther phase of the question now appeared
The extension of sewers Increased the amount
OF filth discharged into the rivers, causing pol
luton of perhaps the only available source of
drinking water for other towns This new
trouble was mostly felt in England, where the
population is dense and the rivers are small.
and where it consequently has attracted the
greatest attention. sufficient publication of
the sewage before dischargng into the rivers
became the only alternative"
''The original expectations have been well
sObered down, and the question resolved itself
into the e4deaYpr to obtain a sufficient purfca-
ton at the least cost to the community.
instead Of expecting large profit.
Not one, but several methods are
found to give coed and economical results and