The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-03
SURVEYOR WINS TRIP.
MEMPHIS, NoRFoLKA AND CHARLES
TONS DRAINAGE SYSTEMS.

Investigations to TIE Special Com
uaittee OF Council on Monday What
He Says About the Drainage OF the
Cities That He Visited-His Views
On the Drainage OF Savannah.
CITY Surveyor W. j. VIM has returned
from an extended visit to Memphis, Nor
folk AID Charleston, where he went under
the instructions of a special committee Of
the city council to investigate the house
drainage systems of the three cities.
A MORNING NEWS reporter found Col.
VIM last night busy compiling his notes
TO aid him in the preparation of his report
to the committee which he expects TO have
ready to submit on Monday.
Col. VIM was not prepared to anticipate
his report in an interview, but he talked
very freely of his trip, and the courtesies
extended him in the cities visited.
COL. wINNs TRIP.
He left Savannah Oct. 20, and went to
Memphis, where he spent three days exam
lining the house drainage system and sewer
age of that city. and where he says his re-
ception was most cordial, and where his
Investigations were materially aided by DR..
Thornton, president of the board of health,
by DR.. Mitchell and Mr.. Hadder, president
of the taxing district of Shelby county At
Norfolk, where five days were spent, Mayor
Banks, Maj. Brooke, city engineer, and his
assistants Messrs. Ferguson, Miller and
Treddell, offorded him every facility for
practical and intelligent investigation
of the house drainage system there.
At Charleston, where Col. Winn spent last
Thursday, City Engineer Barbot and Street
Engineer Hueguenin were very kind and
II. al, ,41ar q
ward to Col. VIM detailed reports of the
tidal system of drainage in Charleston,
where they are considering the house drain
age system.
MEMPHIS DRAINAGE SYSTEM.
Col. VIM said that the house drainage
system of Memphis has wrought wonders
In sanitary way, and he says that he was
astonished at the mortuary reports, which
show Il remarkable decrease in the mortality
of Memphis as compared with the statistics
prior to the adoption of the house
drainage system. The decrease in one year
being about thirteen to the 1000 of popula-
Zion, the mortality dropping from about
'twenty-eight deaths to the 900 of popula-
ton to about fifteen to the 1000 He
attributes this not only to the excellent
sewerage, but to the house drainage system
aud the abolition Of privies. He says that
the storm water is drained into a bayou
south of the city, and the house drainage
system is in most successful operation. At
each lateral the Field automatic flush tanks,
holding $50 gallons of water, are used.
NoRFoLK's SYSTEM.
The system of house drainage, Col VIM
says, is somewhat different at Norfolk.
The storm water is carried off by sewers
discbarging their sewage in the Elizabeth
river at a convenient point. The house
coxuacro ic a0nUavad IN and JapOSitad ",
a well 25 feet deep and IL feet in diameter.
From this well runs a slphon $50 feet long
connecting with another well of about the
same dimensions. At this last well the
fntid matter is discharged by powerful
pumps, 10 inches in diameter, which lifts
the sewage to the hight Of % feet, and it is
then forced through pipe 1000 feet long,
and discharged feet below low water
mark in the Elizabeth river, at a point
nearly opposite the center of the city. The
same healthy sanitation is noticeable at
Norfolk since the adoption of the house
drainage system, and the abolition of
prIvies.
TIE MORTALITY DIMINISHED.
Col. VIM was shown statistics at Nor
folk going to prove that the fatality in one
district OF Norfolk, not served by the house
drainage, was equal to that of three other
districts in which house drainage had been
established.
Col. VIM says that the plumbing regula-
tions are very rigid in both of the cities
named, and the work must not only be done
under the supervision of inspectors APP
pointed for that purpose, but none but
licensed plumbers, who are competent me-
chauics, are permitted to make the connec-
tons. Blank applications for permits must
be obtained, and the work must be approved
by the proper authorities before it is &C
cepted.
NO CHARGE FOR SEWER PERMITS.
He says, too, that Memphis makes no
charge for permits to make sewer or house
drainage connections, and at Norfolk only
81 is charged, a nominal sum about cover
ing the expense of issuing permits, etc. 1t
is the policy in Memphis and Norfolk to en-
courage connections with the sewers and
house drainage pipes for the better santa
tioa of the city, and where permits are not
applied for where connections should be
made, notice Is served that immediate CON
nections must be made under penalties.
These connections cannot be made untN a
permit las been properly presented ard
parsed upon by committee of the board of
street and lane commissioners or its author
lied agents
HAS the house drainage system of the
two cities been very expensiyer Col. VIM
was asked
THE COST OF DRAINAGE.
Necessarily so. In Memphis Mai. Hum
phries had a force of seven engineers and
twenty-four inspectors for the twenty-five
miles of house drainage done there, but it
was very important work. and it was
highly necessary to be particular. At Nor
folk, for five miles of house drainage there
were two engineers and an inspector. The
first nine and three-qGarter miles cost, I'M
der the supervision, | believe, of Col.
Waring, $4,000, the iast five miles under
the supervision of the city engineer, cost
$1,000 per mile, or about one half the cost
per mile Of the Line and three-querter
miles,
ado you consider the Warning system a
success in Memphisr
"Well, do not care to be quoted on the
system you mention. it was found neces-.
sary in Memphis TO increase the number of
manholes and to enlarge the size Of the pipes
before the house drainage system was Il
success"
A SURVEY NECESSARY.
"Can the house drainage system be laid
here as cheaply as the basis you give for the
five miles laid at Norfolk under the city en-
gineer's SUPPLEMENTARY, that is $1,000 per
milefn
1.-THE soil is about the same here, and
quicksand is likely to be encountered, as it
was there. To answer the question with APP
proximate correctness, the fact would have
to be developed by survey"
"Have any surveys been made here"
None under my direction or control.
hnxra x.At fhNHo far haaa he, I'D aI 10