Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-07-17

ing features and is one we'll worthy thu
attention of visitors having any Low,
Whatever for applied science here dis
covered in multiplicity of varied direc
tions Outside of its scientific phases the
work has its Typographical bearings, the
first aspect of the trend of the long ser
pentine sewer suggesting to the casual
onlooker the coptrasted watersheds OF
the city, in fact the complete local geo
graphy Of Wilmington.
The undertaking in so far rs its present
workings are concerned has been divided
into two sections Nos. / and q.
No. l section is the name given TO the
division Of the works commencing AZ the
foot Of Walnut street on up towards the
city mill. At present gang Of workmen
are employed digging and trenching
along the line of the interoepting sewer
opposite the waser-works station of the
city mill. They are preparing to dig q
tunnel underneath the large forebay of
the wheel supply at the city mill. Close
up to this point the nRvvies have exca-
waited trench 16 feet deep.
The sewer in this section Is finished
from the foot OF Sixteenth street to the
city mill and ia partly finished as far as
above Market street bridge near Bishop.
stead.
On eithsr side of tho forebay the sewer
Is laid. Beneath the forebRy, the enei-
neer in charge says, there is a ledge of
solid stone which has 30 he blown out
with dynamite. This difficult excavation
work has been the general featurs all the
way from Walnut street. In other words
the section has bsen the hardest job of
excavating that the contractor has ex.
periencsd. One trouble has been that
heavy charges of dynamite could not bs
used for fear OF disturbing the valuable
machinery of the pumping station.
A 24-inch pipe runs from the foot OF
Sixteenth street to Walnut, It il laid
upon a substantial stone cradle for a
foundation. The natural bottom is bad,
clayey and alternating in loose muddy
strata causing the engineer to have re-
course to the above substantial sub
structure.
Men are yet working at the bulkhead
At the exit OF the sewer. This In the
workmen's pRrlRnce is called s'the Kick
ing point" When finished il will be n
nice pisce OF stonework of coarse
masonry. It will Of course be located
right on the wharf line of the creek.
south of the Market street bridge in
the Brsndywine is discernible naked
sample Of the 36-inch sewer erected in
the stone cradle. The fact has been re-
ferred tobefore, but on each occasion
that the big 36-inch pipe is seen as il
joins entrance to the 24-inoh pine. the
question Immediately arises every time in
the mind of the uninitiated: tWhat on
earth kind OF engineering is it that
allows 36.inoh pipe to empty into one
of 24-inoh girth?"
This is very natural question of
course from lRyman, but the engineer
smilingiy replies and, in the present case,
points out that just at the junction Of the
two different sized pipes, the smaller one
leading into the creek has noticeable
depression, which fact IL Of more than
outbalnnoing value to the diminished
pipe diameter in giving outflow impetus
TO its contents,
The 36-inch pipe energies from the old
"ahort race" archwRy under the bridge
and Is built up all around solidly through
the whole extent of the arch with masonry
work. From that point along towards
ne MILL II VIII be GOV red with earth to
he height Of three feet above the crcwn
the arch. Above the bridge at the ex-
ension of the work one of the finest ex-
tnples of sewer engineering ever seen in |
his section of the country Is complete
% far as the building Of the sewer itself
concerned. II serves ~ m excellent
sample of the work being done. 1t has the
appearance OF an elongated barn building. |
The general measurements over all are n |
feet in height and feet wide, The |
cement and brick work is inside this
again. Externally it is a mound of stone |
and mortar giving the impression of great |
strength and Bolidity.
At this point the King street inter
ceptor joins at right angles with the new !
Brandywine sewer. Within a few feet |
OF contact, however, the King street
sewer bifurcatss in two branches; one,
the smaller Of the two, carrying SEWAGE
eapties directly into the large new in.
lerceptor and the larger of "a. inoh diam
Pter passing underneath the interceptor
'mptles surface water drained from King
ma Market streets directly into the
Brandywine.
Here also at this point OF the new in
teFceptor Is a large nianhoie which stands
~ feet above the crown of the arch.
4here WILL be ons OF these manholss, the
engineer shys, at the centre point Of each
curve along the entire length OF the
Brandywine interoepting sewer,
The stone cradle Of section No. ends
ct a point about 150 feet above the
bridge. at a point 4e0 fest from the
latter point gang Of 20 men are at work.
ibis is very interesting spot lust now
As lar Rs workmanship in sewer building
"a anected, some OF the prsttiest, in fact
Aflstlc orlok building Is seen. Standing
on the brick trench the eye Of the on.
aooker 10 delighted with the scientific ex
actitude Of the disappearing lines of brick
joining rs true and straight far as the eve
can discern, as if they were taut lines of
Irvine focusing TO the distance point. To
appreciate the scientific beauty OF this
work it should be reinem bered that ali
She bFicbw1rk is laid en- an sllipss, There
Is no easy rectangular building iuasingle
square foot Of tho lengthy structure.
This is estimated the greatest test Of good
brick sewer work.
The masonS engaged are among the
nnest IN the country. One o. them,
esorRe Fox, whom the engineers think
wy highly OF served his time for years
b the big London eewers
~ don't think" remarked one of tba
engineers This equal exists in this country
for this peculiar work. He ia a sewer
mason distinctiveIy. He would not work
on a building q house) at ell. Each
mason On the work is a tirst-class man,
The next interesting point as the re-
yporer's toar u ths work progressed, was
where the ordinary laborcrs were tronch-
,ug. Some Ct tho men were just engaged
tutting into position what is called the
Srohle. 1t is wooden structure of tho
.lape OF tho sewer interior line. II Is by
tae mid of this the masons work. II yas
Ieated that putting in the invert Of
rive is the most difficult piece OF work
IN the sewer contractors duties.
VT has to be done nicely" was the ex-
piamation, Tor it looks like the d--In