Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-09-16
THE SEWERAGE QUESTION.
The Problem Apparently Solved by the
Shone Hydro-Pneumatic System.

The Problem Apparently solved by the
Shone Hydro-Pneumatic System.
Several months ago what is known as a
Shone sewage ejector was ordered from
England for the purpose of making an I'M
provement in the Orphan Asylum drainage
and at the same time making test OF the
Shone system of sewerage, to ascertain the
practicability of applying ii to Sacramento
In due time the machinery was received,
the necessary excavations made, sewers
laid connecting the Orphan Asylum and
the Columbus Brewery with the ejector,
and an air compressor fixed ready Tor oper-
alton to supply air to the elector.
The ejector has been placed in brick
and concrete station, feet and inches in
diameter, sunk about fourteen feet below
the surface of the street, and located
at the line of the alley between X and l.
streets. The lower end OF the sewer drain
ing the asylum is about nine feet below the
surface OF the street, and has fall from
the asylum to the ejector OF five feet.
Yesterday forenoon the City Trustees
made an examination of the operation of
the ejector. They expressed themselves
well pleased with it, and somewhat aston
ished AZ its simplicity, expecting TO find a
more or less complicated piece of ma
chinery. Mayor Brown believes that this
test proves the practicability of applying
the system to the whole city, forever BAN
ishing cesspools and vaults, and providing
the city with the means of making ours as
Clearly and healthy location as can be
found. Trustee Nielsen was somewhat
doubtful as TO the ability Of making the
experiment, believing that some other
town, better situated financially should
take the lead, but he is now well satisfied.
Trustee Jones has for some time been an
advocate Of the system, if not too expen-
sive, and very much opposed to the system
now in use, viz, storing our filth in cess
pits near our dwellings. He is now thor
oughly convinced that the Shone system is
the best thing for Sacramento available,
and is well satisfied with the result Of the
test.
Drs. Oatman, Bruno, Tyrrell, Glow and
Nelson and a number of citizens called TO
examine the work done, and satisfy them
selves in regard to the operation Of the sys-
tenn. All seemed well pleased, and those
that expressed themselves spoke strongly
in favor of the extension OF the system
throughout the city.
The drainage from the Asylum has now
been discharged by the ejector for about a
month. Everything at the Asylum has
been connected so rs to discharge directly
10 the sewer, except some outside closets,
and to do away with the only remaining
stencil about the grounds it is proposed to
connect these with the sewer. use water for
flushing, and ill up the old vaults In this
way it is expected to get the drainage ar
engagements as near perfect as it is possible
for modern sanitary science to make them.
Sewer-pipes have also been laid so as to
discharge the drainage from the Columbus
Brewery into the ejector. This adds very
materially to the facility with which the
sewage is disposed of especially from a
deep cellar from which the water has here
tofore had to be drained by bailing Sew
eral parties i'll the neighborhood are anx-
iOus to connect with the sewers as soon as
arrangements are made for permanently
operating The ejector, and then fill up their
cess-pools and vaults. The test having
resulted SO satisfactorily, this will now
probably be done and those near enough
given an opportunity to do away with
what have heretofore been considered
necessary evils. The proprietor of the
American Laundry is also anxious TO ar
range for connecting his place so as to lead
the drainage TO the ejector, his present
manner OF disposing of his surplus water
not being satisfactory to HIM Disposipg
of the drainage from the laundry has al
ways been quite an item of expense and at.
times has given considerable annoyance.
The Shone system has been in successful
operation for several years in number of
English towns. among which are East
bourn, Warrington, southampton, Win
chester, and one Of the suburbs of London.
1t has also been adopted by the municipal
authorities of the town of pOttsdam, Ger
rreO ar,A
made for its application to the entire city.
City Engineer Bassett has letters from
several of the borough engineers of the
towns in England where the system is in
operation, all of which recommend it most
highly.
The results of the tests made prove pretty
conclusively that the Shone system is well
adapted to Sacramento, and that by it as
good drainage can be obtained as though
the city were located on higher and more
sloping ground. That in our situation we
can, by awaiting ourselves of this system.
have as good or better drainage than San
Francisco upon her hills, and in fact in
comparably better than San Francisco has
at the present time. In fact, our sewers
are more Clearly than those of San Fran
cisco even now; the difference between
the two places being that while Sacrament
to stores her filth in vaults and cesspools,
San Francisco stores hers in her sewers,
which become nothing more nor less than
elongated cesspOols.
The greatest advantage claimed for the
Shone system is, that in its use engineers
can work by rule; it enables them to put
in sewers with as much precision and Ger
talnty of action as is accomplished by the
railroad engineer in laying out his curves
and grades over a rough, mountainous
country. By the use of the system the en-
gineer can lay his drains so as to make
them invariably self-cleansing, by giving
the grades necessary for securing a securing
velocity of current, no matter whether he
is operating on q perfectly fiat surface or
not, and is able to dispose of his sewage
whether his outlet is high or low, near or
distant up hill or down hill.