The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-08
A Separate Sewage System for sa-
vannah.

SAVANNAH, Oct. 4.-Editor Morning
NeioS: The recollection of the epidemic of
1876, still fresh in the minds of the "old
folks" and the very alarming prospect Of
being shut out from the world, have awak-
ened oar people to the necessity of remov-
ing all causes likely to create di, ease before
q like visitation should come upon us.
Knowing the Importance of preventive
measures, [ desire to speak of one of the
greatest sources of danger to health, threat
ening us alike during our sleep and IN the
busy hours Of the day. l mean the accumu-
lation of filth, which in a city containing up
ward Of 100000 living creatures, is neces-
sarily very large.
The removal of a considerable portion of
this filth belongs to the scavenger depart
ment, of which will not speak to-day, but
will devote this article to the consideration
of the disposal of human excrements.
AT present large portion Of the excre-
ments is deposited in vault. Taking the
population at 60,000, the solid excrements
will amount to 10000 pounds per day, or
5000, 900 pounds per month, which with the
addition of the urine, say three pounds per
day, will swell the aggregate TO 100000
pounds. Surprising one-third Of this is
taken away by the sewers, there still re-
mains 100000 pounds to accumulate every
| month in the vaults. To remove this by
the CLOSED barrel system, a wagon carrying
1000 pounds would require 600 trips per
month or 200 a day. Manifestly such a
| plan would prove very expensive il carried
out thoroughly. Partially 'carriei out as it
is, fecal matter constantly accumulates,
and vaults reeking with putrefaction and
| filled to the very brim (some not having
| been emptied for seven years. are to be
| found, especially among the wooden shanties
| on the eastern and western slopes of the
bluff.
| Dangerous as these vaults are to the To-
calities in which they are situated, our
present sewers are more dangerous still, be-
| cause in effect they constitute an immense
| privy vault und srlying the city, pouring its
| poisonous gases directly into the houses con-
nected with it, aud polluting the air of the
| city. Being built OF porous brick, they
absorb noxious fluids, while Shiny matter
accsmulates on the sides and bottom.
Whatever is not retained In the sewers goes
into Bilbo canal, TO poison the air of that
neighborhood.
Many methods have been devised for re-
moving the sewage Of cities, but the only
ptan that can be used NTH safety in q CID
mate like this, where the weather is hot
| nine months Of the year, is that tOhich JCtLl
| remove all eGcrements in the fresh state
| and carry them into salt IOdter lChere then
| cannot decompOse.
| The two plans which have been proposed
| for bettering the present sewage system
Of the city fail to provide for the drainage
of the EASTERN and western slopes, which are
the most dangerous localities III times of
| epidemics. These plans also contemplate
| depositing all excrements into our large
| storm water drains. This could not fail to
intensity the existing evil.
| The only satisfactory system in south
ern climates is the separate SYSTEM That
ali
| smooth and air tight, totally diseon cted
from storm iOdter drains with sufficient
fall to oIloto a suit current and flushed
by the automatic discharge Of tanks. By
this method the sewage IS carried away
before it has time to become dangerous to
health. In Savannah it can be taken to
salt water at a point where the tides will
prevent any portion from being brought
back to the city.
This system is called the Waring system,
because 1t was invented by that eminent
sanitary engineer, and its adoption was
under advisement by the city council some
years ago but was deferred on account of
its cost
ANY permanent Improvement calculated
to benefit the health of city or avert
epidemics is cheap at any price. WHAT
would $500,000 weigh in the scales against
the losses of 1876 in this community9 What
would matter OF 1850, 900 or $500, 900 be
compared to the expense of putting down
and again tearing up Of all imperfect and
dangerous system, as any but the separate
system would prove itself to be in few
years by its sad results.
Knowing our exposure to epidemic
causes, and approaching our commercial
Importance, no system but one that has
been proven effective and successful in
similar climates should be deemed worthy
of tho enterprise OF our citizens and the
prospective development of our resources
j. G. LEHARDY.