Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-06

TOT the conveyance OF foul and putresible vast
OF disease, from the dwelling to safe point OF dis
Charge; are laid beneath the surface and In man.
| cases are not susceptible OF actual examination
fore no part OF municipal administration present
Ing more complex and difficult problems and call
Ing for the display OF greater technical knowledg
system, which furthermore IL subject onl,
TO general principles. and requires tina
ea fStA aaaped every to local case snSnd rS
existing systems OF sewerage In the cities o
Washington and Georgetown consists in part o
requirements OF the case and In part OF later con
Mruct,ons guided by better knowledge and NOR
sG,endlh CT methods very much has been accom-
ton 10 amend former defects and to adopt the sys
| tenn OF discharge OF waste matters to the presen
much remains TO be done, and even were oil exist
Ing deficiencies provided for, the gradual extension
OF the system-as the area and number OF popuia
variations Of contour and elevation, win Away
| call for the application OF the best engineering
skill and require considerable annual expenditures
The completion OF the Boundary sewer during thu
past season marks an important era. The purpose.
and progress Of this great work have been fully SET
5 m Tvs ns tss
| age OF Washington, viz, the Tfber creek and
street sewers, have been from time to time over:
their contents f upward through the manholes into
the streets. This overlooking was in part due to
| the unnecessary admittanee into the subor
Of A rainfall e and surface T drainage eo%
ing down the slopes lying to the northward Of the
as and sae
ward into the Eastern branch, thereby relieving
the city sewers proper OF the unnecessary and
responsibility only of caring for the rainfall and
sewage within the city limits.
AS the estimates indicate, however, considerable
addltional expenditures are now urgently re-
CURED. large amount OF new sewers is called
1of TO follow the extension OF streets and the very
aceive building enterprises now in progress and
the law requires that before an improved pave
ment can be laid the underground cOnduitS for
gas, water and sewage must be put in. Further
more more, large amount OF drain pipes laid many
laid with open joints, the roots OF trees have pen
etrated into them, and with great rapidity and in
pipe, so as to seriously reduce and In some cases
completely stop the flow. Efforts to remove these
oDStructfOns, though in some cases partially sue
sole remedy IS to lay new pipes to take the place
OF the old. Being now laid with the joints in
cement mortar, no further difficulty Of the same
The problem OF the extension of the sewer sys-
TEN to the outlying suburbS-such as Mt. Pleasant
previously referred to-is more serious Up to
this time no attempt has been made to furnish
these minor aggregatiUns with the proper and nee
essary facilities. Although they are charged and
pay 1ull urban rates OF taxation to continue this
neglect is not only inequitable, but dangerous
since the haphazard and Imperfect methods OF dis.
posal of waste matters now of necessity resOrted
ing modern ideas OF decency, creating perfous null
sances and infringing the health regulations of the
District. Within comparatively brief period,
also, ii will be needful to undertake constructions
to modify the present sewer outlets and to protect
both the reclaimed flats and the harbOr OF WASH
1ngton from the deposit OF or contact with sewage
For this purpose 1t may be found adviSa-
BILE to construct another large intercepting sewer
along Water street. the harbor front for the pur
81 nf I all the city along the
barracks for discharge into deep water. The
proDlem Is an important one, that need not now
be discussed, but which will shortly press for solu
tion, and must be carefully worked out in advance.
In view OF the large amount OF work doing and to
be done In connection with the sewerage system,
the recommendation made by Capt SymonS and
concurred In by Capt Griffin for the creation of
sewer department, Is approved, although owing to
the ~ n o a ths s aSr 1sher @
estimates for the ensuing year, There is no legis
1at1on authorizing the commissioners to compel
sewers, unless the houses actually front upon
line of pipe. And in consequence, the owners OF
alley and other properties refuse to secure the laying
OF sewers for houses built by them they might do
under The permit system 1t is respectfully recon-
mended that an enabling act be passed to meet
cases OF this sort, as the multiplication OF dwell
1ngS without proper sewer connections in the built
up portions OF the city is highly undesirable from
every point OF view, so that If the owner who Is
more ready to save expenditure than to make
future tenants or the safety OF the public.
STREET PAyEMENTs,
as shown In the table, entitled summary OF Street
Pavements, July LIST, 1885," which accompanies
the report of Capt Griffin. The aggregate OF street
surfaces Of all descriptions between curbs within
the city limits is about 1000 square yards or
2:ssH lneal miles. OF which, in round numbers,
600 yards, or 30 per cent. of the whole area
are paved with the modern asphalt, coal tar dis
tilate and asphalt blocks. Ten per cent are paved
with granite and trap blocks; 10 per cent. with
co5bie and hubble; ~ per cent: with ma
yards with relic OF the old wood block and 8OO-
GOO square yards or 81 per cent, are unimproved
1t will be observed that the area covered with
modern improved pavements, and that quite UNI
improved, are nearly equal The use OF the stone
blocks is restricted to business localities having
rough freighting, and to slopes upon which
the street pavements might prove to be too
slippery. The old wood pavement has been nearly
obliterated, and the rough stone pavements are in
course OF removal. The gravel and macadam
streets also are being gradually covered with
smooth pavementS as urgency demands and the
appropriations permit.
the improvement OF streets and avenues is the
perpetual cause OF Jealousy and heartburning as
the amount available rarely exceeds a small
percentage Of the total cost of the work petiOned
Tor and eagerly urged upon the Commissioners,
whose duty and responsibility it is both to decide
upon the sum which in their Judgment should be
allotted TO that purpose from the District reve-
nues and be recommended to Congress for apprO-
pratiOn and to select from the long list of streets
improvement. those which the public in
terest suggests should take precedence of the
much larger remainder whose advocates are natu-
rally dissatisfied.
In order to analyze the subject and ascertain in
what proportion the annual appropriations have
been allotted TO the several sections of the city the
following table has been prepared, exhibiting the
actual cost OF Improvements made in the several
localities for the period 1S79ISS7 their area pop-
ulatiOn and taxable valuation, with the percent
ages of the totals in each case: