The daily gazette., 1883-02-21
A TALK ABOUT SEWERS.
RuDoLPH HERiNG PRESENTS
HIS PLANS FULLY.
COUNCIL DISCUSSES THE MATTER
Mr. Quinn as p Ciyii Engineer Tells the
Expert some New Emcts, and Mr.. Bailey
wonx Understand the Arrangement.

l a Ap%clAl LuSStink Vi NOuuctI was nela
| last evening to transact general business.
After the roll had been called IT was sug-
gested To take up the question Of vacatinR
Twelfth street and opening Hazlett street,
as petitioned for by Thomas McCorxle and
| others. i, FIT IA A
Mr.. Taliey reported that Thomas Ne
Corkle had telephoned him during the after
noon, saying he had been vaccinated, was
feeling tiAwell aud would be unable To at
tend the meeting of Council. he (Talley)
had replied that he hoped the gentleman d
vaccination would take The latter then
stated that Walter Cummlns, ESQ.,, would
represent him before Council
In the absence of Mr. Cnmmins q recess
of ten minutes was taken to await his ap-
pearance, the members the while examining
the plot of the proposed sewerage system
which was opensfOr inspection In the Mayors
Office N
Being called to order again, Mr.. Tailey, ss
chairman OF the Sewerage Committee, re-
ported that after having consulted with
two engineers on the subject he had engaged
Rudolph Herring, civil and sanitary eng-
neer, whose system, he thought, was good
one, being used In Memphis aud several
European cities successfully. The commit
teee had no report 10 make but would pre-
sent the report of Mr.. Herring for consider
alton. tFtA
On motion, Mr.. Herring was invited TO
read his report, which he proceeded to do,
prefacing his remarks with the statement
that he would not read all Tit, but only
certain extracts.
The large plot prepared by the engineer
was tackled upon large board screen stand
ing by the entrance door to the Council
chamber and then placed in front OF the
Presidents desk, where the engineer pointed
out points he desired 10 explain.
The plan is neatly gotten up, and shows
complete diagram OF the whole city by
streets, the main sewers and drains being
designated by distinct marks. The whole
sheet measures 6x4 feet, the scale being 900
feet to the inch.
The main sewer as laid out begins at
Rattlesnake run and follows the course of
the Brandywine down to Walnut street,
thence to Fourteenth, to Popular, to Thir-
teenth, TO Lombard, to Twelfth, to Spruce,
to Eleventh, to Church, to Tenth, to Locust,
to Ninth, to Buttonwood, to Eighth, and
to the Delaware river, with tenn
porary outlet In the Christiana
Another sewer branches from the main
/ line, Just described, near the Christiana out
l let and strikes the line Of the Philadelphia,
Wilmington & Baltimore railroad at Sew
enth street, follows 1t along to Poplar
street thence along Poplar to Third street,
/ TO Walnut, to Second, to Tatnall, to Front,
to Madison, to Third, to Monroe, to Conrad,
to Jackson, TO Chestnut 10 Adams, to Lin
/ den, TO HArTisonxsta M@tiis, 10 Beeeh, The
/ third sewer beglAs at the intersection of
/ Market and King streets in the Ninth ward
extends along fandever avenue to the p.
W. 81 b. railroad, to Dure street, thence
over Shellpot dam, at which point 1t inter-
sects with the main sewer, running out
Eighth street TO the Delaware.
The streets not traversed by the main
sewer will be laid with small sewers of six
or eight inch terra Gotta pipe, with which
connections to all the houses will be made
These smaller sewers empty finally into the
main pipes and the deposit is carried into
/ the river. ~
The main or outfall sewer running to the
| river is of brick, with diameter OF 3i2 feet,
and 4 miles in length; the arm ON the
| north side of the city would be 214xl1s
/ feet brick on the south side y y feet ;
and the intercepting sewer In the Ninth
| Ward, also of brick, 3x2 feet.
During the reading of the report several
1 members asked Mr.. Herring for information
| upon different points which was clearly
/ given, the gentleman on one or two occa-
/ sions informing the qnestioners, who CON-
| planned of sewers In certain cities being OBJ.
| noxious, that he was basing his calculations
l on a perfect, and not defective system.
Mr.. Quinn insisted upon asking ridicu-
/ lous questions and making absurd asser.
| tions, fatly denying points of engineering
| set forth by Mr.. Herring, who has made the
study of sewers q life work and been through
| at least 100 miles ofsuch drains In European
cities.
| AS a sample of Mr.. Quinn's scientific In
| formation he declared that cold air, being
l the heaviest would rise, while warm air
| being light, would sink. Then, upon look
ing at the map, he remarked, aside tc
President Conrad, that the drainage ran up
1 hin, according 10 the drawing. He also
thought that "when the Almighty lets the
rain drops OF heaven drop upon the streets
II cleans them better than either the Street
| Committee or Street Commissioner, and
declared that he was dead against sewers.
| His continued outbursts of knowledge be-
came very trying and tiresome to all present
Mr.. Baily, wLo was undoubtedly against
the whole scheme, seemed unable, or un.
willing, to- understand that 1t was
| possible to prevent sewer gas from coming
into houses, even though when informed
that disease from bad drainage IN dwellings
was nearly always caused by defective
plumbing, with which the sewers had moth.
ing to do. The gentleman from the Eighth
ward was opposed TO referring the mattel
back TO the Sewer Committee, and failed Il
During the promiscuous talk Mr.. Herring
stated that the flow of sewerage would carry
itself to the Delaware without any trouble
and once there would not be perceptible IN
j the river for more than 100 ieet from tht
outlet He thought the sewers might with
out any detriment at all to the public healtl
be run into the Christiana, where 1t would
| D ass off with the tide, and, being what i
known as live sewerage, be more or les
consumed by fish. Man holes and overflow
at different places would relieve the sewers
In case of an excess OF water and no pressure
would be possible to injure the work.
He further stated that the sub-s0il drain.
age caused more disease and was mucl
more serious matter than regular. sewage
After the sewers, which were NOT calculates
to accommodate the surface water, tn
matter of sub-soil drainage could DC ii
tended to without much expense.
The meeting was very interesting on
/, and much information Was impaired by MI
: Heriug.
1t was decided to print 500 copies OF tn
. report. and 70 refer the whole matter bac
TO the Sewer Committee for the purpose Q
ascertalning the sentiment Of the people o
the subject aud inquiring As to the bes
means of raising funds to carry on the wor
, If II might be decided upon
THE REPORT.
The engineers report is too largo to b
0 given In full, but the following extracts cor
tain the most important features
The fret question to which you have DE-
! sired ah answer is whether your city 81 th