The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-22

mand of unexpected and unprecedented
growth, 1t should be supplied. Neither
the early construction nor the exact Local
ton OF such blocks outside OF the distric
deeply severed before 1870 could have
been forseen, nor could the cost OF agen-
eral deepening OF the system with view
to such possibilities have been then af-
forded; you can much better afford now
to construct new sewers at a much greater
depth where they are needed. You can
not now afford to construct sewers at
great depth throughout all the future ex-
tensions OF the system to meet the remote
contingency Of such a requirement in the
added districts.
| That the sewers arc much too shallow
for the proper removal OF household wastes
] cannot think, nor that there are many
house drains with less gradient than one
in sixty which is quite enough nor that n
grade Of one in fifty is every rarely attain
able" should rather say that the cases
where such grade cannot be obtained are
very rare. OF course am speaking only
OF work shown on the sewerage map OF
1881 Concerning the extensions OF the
sewers beyond what is there shown have
no information.
/ should be disposed to recommend eau
ton and good judgment in the construc-
ton OF manholes. The more modern de-
vice Of oblique inspection pipes is not only
much better for smoll pipe sewers, but
much safer Manholes are dangerous APP
pliances for such small sewers as you
have.
In the sewerage OF the Chelsea District,
i should say that the extra cost OF eight
inch pipes beyond the cost OF six inch
pipes, could be spent to better advantage
in increasing facilities for inspection and
cleansing than in giving greater diameter
IL is true that nearly all OF the obstruc-
tons OF your sewers have occurred in six
inch laterals. think this is due much
more TO the fact that these sewers are lat
erals, with moderate flow, than that they
are six inch. Were they eight inches in
diameter you would still have, under your
present conditions, many distractions.
! There Is another view 10 be taken Of
this question: II deposit is to form in a
sewer at all, II is better that il should
quickly obstruct IL, and compel It's cleans
ing than that II should lie rs fostering
deposit, producing Sewer gas" Yo~r
present lateral sewers, when they e
| all, are kept clean, and that Is the "a,
point. What Is required is not 30 much
an absence Of distractions rs an absence OF
deposits.
That the sewers OF Memphis are clean,
probably cleaner than any other sewers
built before they were, have the excel
loht authority OF Mr.. Hartford himself for
saying. He wrote me on the 18th OF 0c-
tober, 1855, saying
Your letter Of the 18th ultimo, ad-
dressed to Maj. Meriwether, was handed
TO me for reply. Since il was given TO me
! have had thorough examination OF the
system made. Every line Of sewers,
whether OF low or high gradient, is thor
oughly clean. We have no fouling upon
any line. aud upon many ] am certain
that a velocity (mean) OF not over one
and hall feet Is reached. On one Of low
gradient az in 20O') in distance Of 200
feet, the maximum depth OF flow is not more
than two inches (it is a u line) or perhaps
three inches with the flush; yet here,
where the mean velocity cannot exceed
LIS feet, the pipe is perfectly clean.
eve have, II Is true, occasional stop
pages, but they are invariably caused by
iorcl,n substances such rs sticks, rags,
etc, never by deposit OF sewage"
Mr.. Hartford says that there have been
1000 distractions In house drains within
n single year. II that statement had en-
anated from any other source than the
City Engineers office, il would seem in
credible. As II ID probably true, Il is
simply disgraceiul II indicates n neglect
Of the most imperative duty Of your sani-
tary aud engineering department 10 which
| cannot too earnestly urge immediate Az
/ tenti6n.
Memphis Is now provided with the es-
sontial appliances Of good drainage.
Neither this system or any other system
OF drainage ever invented, can be trusted
TO take care Of itself. Its power for evil
under neglect IL nj least equal 10 its power
for good under proper control, aud II would
be the part OF wisdom TO proceed immedi-
ately 20 establish such perfect admins
trailon OF this important department as
| will keep the house always in order, ready
for any emergency OF disease that may
come.
had long feared that The efficiency OF
your drainage system had been relied on
with too blind ana serene a conlidence;that
YOU felt that you we're ''all right for all
time" in this regard, and could apply
your energies TO other things. My fear
was confirmed IN my interview with Mr..
Hartford in December, when he told me
that II was impossible with the limited
staff Of the. Engineers Office 10 ensure
compliance with the plumbing regulations,
and that Il was the regular practice Of
plumbers TO remove distractions In house
fixtures and drains by forcing them
through 10 the sewer. expressed sur.
prise that there should have been such an
inordinate number Of stoppages in the Ia
teral sewers Of Memphis when they were
rare elsewhere. The stoppagcs here are
probably five times rs many as In five
times the length OF sewers OF the same
character In the rest OF the country. lilo
gave II as his opinion that II was duo 10
bad plumbing and the method OF freeing
house drains that have described.
Everyone interested In the sanitary con
dtion OF Memphis should take 10 heart
and should act upon the closing sentences
OF Mr. Hartiord's report, bad practic'
has now become the common practice
and II is clearly attributable 10 lack Of In
telligent supervision. Our force Ia toe
small 10 make this. II ascertain that pool
and illegal work Ia costing this depart
ment large sum each year for cleaning
and repairing sewers, and II Is not i'm
probable that II has caused, prematurely
our ovcr-chargcd mains"
II proper attention is given 10 this i'm
portaut work II will, perhaps, be foun'
I the most effective means Tor relieving
such main sewers ~ now seem 10 be To-
small. GEORGE T. WARiso. in.
Newport, X. l., April IL, 1889.
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wabash western Matters.
ST. Lous, April 2i.--Col. w. II