Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-04
The Largest Cylindrical sewer i'm the
World.

WHY ITS CONSTRUCTION WAS coNMENcED-rHE
| SEWERAGE SYSTEM OF THE DIsTRICr-IMPRoyE-
| NENTs MADE By CAPT. EoxIE-THE INTER-
| CEPTING SEWER AMI THE TROUBLES OF THE
| CONTRACTORS.
| Since the commencement of the Boundary street
lnfercepting sewer. in 1879 The STAR from time to
time has kept the people OF this District posted
| as to the progress of the work on this great
| conduit. Not much has been said the past year,
| except to record disasters and drawbacks to the
work consequent upon the caving in of the en-
| bankment during heavy rainfalls caused by the
| proximity Of the new sewer to an old sewer,
built by Messrs. Gantz & Appleman under a
contract with the board Of public WORKS This
Old sewer when built was thought to be large
| enough to carry off the surface drainage OF the
| level porti on of the northern and northeastern
! section OF the CITY, together with the natural
| drainage coming down from the county through
several creeks, which used to flow through the
smaller sewers and cutters of the streets doing
immense damage to them, and overlooking the
| lowlands at the mouth Of Tiber creek where it
ernptied into the old canal near the Botanical
Gardens. Many thousands of dollars were ex-
| pended annually by the territorial government
| IN repairing damages all along
THE LINE OF TIBER CREEK,
| but all to no purpose, and the merchants Oh the
HHO VI ifdIld avenue Will long remember
| the losses they sustained by the hacking up of
water in their cellars when ever there was a
| heavy rain storm. The damages were especially
heavy when the storms We're coupled with Il
! strong south wind. which backed up the water
/ and prevented free flow downstream. When
| Capt. HOXie entered upon the District engi-
neer service one OF his first duties was to make
| careful survey OF the entire drainage surface
| OF the District, posting himself as to the nat
| ural flow of the ranfails, extending his inves-
! tigf.tion through the county north of the city,
and even into Montgomery and Prince George
i counties, drainage from which he ascertained
flowed indirectly through this city, to the de-
StructiOn of our sewers: Be- this means lie ascer-
tanned the approximate quantity OF water which
! grayitated to this District, and was enabled to
provide for its disposal in addition to the rain
| fall within the District so that the least possible
| damage might result. One of the most annoy
ing difficulties for many years had been the
| bursting of the Tiber Greek sewer. as before
stated. from oyercharges OF water This trouble
/ was overcome by the construction of an auto
matte overflow, devised and constructed by him
| in the Botanical gardens, near the point OF the
! discharge into the cid canal. where the bursting
/ usually occurred, since which time there has
been 70 recurrence of the trouble. The survey
! made by Capt. HOXie convinced him that the
| capacity Of the Tibcr and B street sewers with
! the smaller ones running under the streets
north and south. was insufficient for the amount
| OF water turned into them. and that more even
| aye direct into
| THE EASTERN BRANCH,
| Rock Creek. and through other channels direct
to the mouth of the b street outlet at the foot
of 18th street. The survey also resulted in a
general plan Of sewerage. nearly all Of which
has been carried out, with the exception of the
| completion of this immense intercepting sewer
| on the line of Boundary street. One of the
Intervening sewers was that constructed by Mr..
| Il. j. COyle. running from 1h and IL streets
! down New Ork avenue to 10Th street thence
| along 18th to point south of PENNSYLVANIA ave-
nue. where it DIVORCES into the White lot and
runs on Il straight course into the 18th street
| outlet. and SO on through the open canal into
| Georgetown channel This is an oval shaDed
| sewer with the small end downwurds. the :nyerr
| being constructed OF trap rock. close jOinted
! set in Portland cement on cement concrete
| foundation. and is pronounced BY all good
Judges to be one of the most perfect sewers
ever constructed. The purpose of this sewer
was to intercept the great bulk of water run
ming down the cutters north of it, and give
| relief to the sewers south of it. which object
has been most successfully accomplished.
THE SLASH Run
sewer, constructed under the board of public
! works. relieves great portion of the plateau
north of and N streets, carrying the drainage
! into Rock creek. AS above stated, the master
| piece OF this sewerage plan-the Boundary street
IhiteiCtptiIlH SeWeI-HaS commenced MeSSrS.
| John Il. LOane Il Co.. OF Baltimore. IN 1879
| These gentlemen met with so many obstacles
! that they became failing contractors and the
contrast was given to Messrs. D. b. Cooper &
Co., who undertook the completion of the first
! and second sections OF it, but also failed
| when MIR. B. j. Coyle finished them both
The sewer at its starting point. between 18th
| and 18th and streets northeast extended, is
cylindrical in form, and is % feet inside dam
eter, running 200 feet past the old. toll gate
Ia En nf Cont
| era, of the best material with trap-rOck invert
| close jOinted. and laid in Portland cement on a
| deep foundation OF cement concrete. and backed
| up with the same The outlet discharges into a
ravine packed with bOulders and rubble stone
thus preventing any washing awayOf the banks,
and the water runs direct into the Eastern
| branch This 1890 lineal feet unites with the
second section. which is 20 feet internal DIAM
eter and extends on the line of Boundary street
| 800 feet
| THE THIRD SECTION
| is now being constructed by Acker & Neitzv. and
the fourth section by Mr. b. J. Coyle. the latter
at the contract price of sl35, 600 Both these sec
| tons have been difficult to work in consequence
| of the peculiar character OF the ground cspe-
| ciaiiy that OF Mr. COyle. which abounds with
/ quicksand stratas and accumuatiOns of water
| necess!tafing the constant use Of large steam
! pumps One advantage Messrs. Acker & Co,
have over Mr. COyie is the fact that i'm their Sec
ton is found deep strata of superior clay
which they utilize in the manufacture OF excel
/ lent brick near by. with which the sewer is con-
1 structei- The cost of manufacturing them is
/ OF course. great but considerable saving is
/ thus made. which will possibly enable them to
colne out whole. In Mr.. Coyle's section it is
different. The depth OF the cut is fifty feet. and
| the character Of the emlankment Oh either side
| is exceedingly treacherous by reason of quick
/ sand; but added to all other draw backs is
| THE OLD SEWER.
nh,
| tected. This sewer was hastily and badly con-
structed. 1t runs at depth of thirty feet on
t the line and at the point Of Mr.. Coyle's work,
which is between NJ and and Boundary and
! 9th and 9TH streets northeast. The depth of cut
! for the new sewer is fifty feet. or twenty feet
| below the old sewer. The latter is always ex-
| posed, and. with its defective construction and
WORKOUT bottom, is constantly pouring It's con-
tents into the new cut of Mr.. Coyle's. OCCASION
ally breaking away fifty OF. one hundred feet at
! a time. These breaks have to De eXcavated and
! rebuilt adding vastly to the cost OF the work
! Thus far on this section alone Mr.. Coyle has r..-
/ built above three hundred feet of it. and what
| makes it appear more strange and foolish is that
| when the new sewer Is finished it is doubtful
! y,hT IN hort ~ Il