Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-09-18
Eow IT IS EAEAGED Is 4 WEST
ERE ToWy.

There is no proposition before this peo-
pie more problematical than the disposal of
the sewage of this city. To all the plans
submitted there are objections-as there
will be TO sll that may yet be presented.
But we should examine any and all schemes,
in the hope that out of them all we may
arrive at something that will answer our
needs, which are, effective drainage, re-
moval Of noxious matter and gases, and
economy Of accomplishment Among the
many examples already cited we do not
remember that that OF the town of Pull
man, near Chicago, has been considered.
There are some features in its System of
sewerage that are worthy our considera-
tion. Pullman is . place of nearly 5000
people. 1t is built on the level, low
prairie, and the artificial fill is but three
feet. There is absolutely no fall except
that obtained by this artificial filling.
Thus the town is not so advantageously
situated as is Sacramento in that respect
Yet the town was purposely built on that
level, low ground because an effective sys.
: tenn OF disposiDg of the sewage was first
agreed upon. The water that supplies the
town is pumped from Lake Michigan by
powerful engines and lifted into the top of
lofty tower, from which, by gravity, it
descends to the town pipes. The engines
that draw the water from the lake miles
away force the sewage of the town out of
the place upon farm three miles dis-
tant. Here it is driven through strainers
that retain all the solid matter, which is
deodorized and used as fertilizer. Be-
meath the tower of the water works is an
immense cistern, deeply sunken in the
earth and securely cemented and otherwise
lined. Now the same engines that draw
in the fresh waters of the lake, and force
out the sewage, suck the contents of the
house and street pipes into this reservoir,
from which they are elected to the sewage
farm as stated. This cistern would of
course be breeding nest for disease if left
open or if not ventilated. So it is con-
nected by yentilating pipes with the Chin
neys of the boiler room, and the large
manufactures Of the town, and all the
vapors and gases are thus drawn up into
these tall flues and either destroyed by the
heat or sent far into the upper atmosphere,
where the processes Of nature render them
innocuous. It is claimed for this system
that. instead of danger from forcing traps
and from any backward movement of gas,
there is positive draft from every heuse-
pipe into the main sewage system, and
thence up to the outer sir through the
chimney hues. It is shown that the blaze
of fambeau placed over the man.hols Of
the sewage system is drawn furiousiy
downward into the system. 1t thus ap-
pears that this village of 5000 people,
built on a plain as Fat as house,foor, is
to all appearances perfectly provided with
running water, and securely protected from
the evils of sewage and sewer.gas. This
town is represented as very healthful, and
zymOtic diseases are practically unknown.
There are no foul smells in the whole
place, and fevers are SO rare as to be phe-
nomenal. There are some features OF this
sewage syetem that might be well consid-
cred here. It has been suggested by cor.
respondent thatisisro possible by the construc-
tion of fumes from point on the Amer
iosn river to obtain water power sufficient
20 operate ths sewage machinery. That is
an engineering problem, but, if feasible,
we could thus draW our sewage to q cen.