Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-05

/ menace - moc0 VaiuApac properly e00 . eoufce
OF heavy annual expense for its removal The
| territory adjacent to these sewers IL rapidly
building MP and the residents naturally object
to the removal Of the deposited material, which
is thus yearly bscoming more difficult and sx-
Tho only suficiens remedy Il to provide at
once for IN ADEQUATE system Of sewage dis
posal. An appropriation should be made with
out delay for commencing those portions of
the system which can be operated without the
ings and estimates should be 81 once prepared
for the machinery and sppurtsnances Of the
whole system.
| Unless full and decisive action be taken in
this matter very serious results may be e1-
danger to tho public health and the flooding Of
| property on o large scale.
| My estimates for the fiscal year 1893 coutsu,-
| plate, under the head Of main and pipe sewers,
| the building OF the lower Rock creek intercept
| ing sewer and portions Of the + street and
Easby's Point and Anscostia fright bank) inter-
ceptlng sewers. Under the appropriation for
suburban sewers II il hoped that funds may be
provided for completing the upper Rock creek
Cleft bank and the Piney branch intercepting
sewers The former is needed to preserve
Rock creek from contamination, aud the latter
70 afford sewerage for Mount Pleasant and the
various Subdivisions which drain into Piney
branch.
II would be Of great advantage to the city and
to the District at large sufficient funds could
be provided in one appropriation TO complete
the entire system OF sewage disposal The con-
struction would OF necessity extend over sew
eral years. but great saving VI time and
money would be effected if the whole work
could proceed from beginning to end without
the delays incident to annual apprOpris tons.
There is nothing to gain ind much to lose by
pOstponing this work, the execution of which
will be more and more costly with the crowd
ing up of population and the increase Of traffic
in the low areas.
The total estimated cost of satisfactory sys-
tenn Of sewage disposal Is between three and
| one-half aud four millions OF dallars. The
City of Mexico is now engaged in expanding a
like sum npon single feature Of its system Of
drainage. the great Nochistongo tunnel.
aAUoiSa SAVERS AND RAINFALL
Some interesting and valuable results wero
obtained by making eontemporRneous measure
ments Of rainfall and sewer discharges. Tie
work of observation and computation should
go on without interruption for several years.
1t is recommended that an appropriation OF
90, 500 be made for this purpose.
THE skwkn DIVISION.
The establishments OF this division on per-
| manent footing, effected BY the act approved
March 8. 1891, cannot fail TO produce excel
| lent results An additional field party is
| needed to make surveys and estimates for
extensions, and to exercise q close supervis-
ion over work Of construction. The time
has arrived when. IN my judgment. the duty
divorced from that Of maintaining and repair
ing them. The effect of the existing arrange
ment is to burden the superintendent Of sewers
with mass Of detailed work which does not
| strictly belong to an engineer and which grows
heavier with the completion Of each foot Of
| sewer. This will be especially true if the next
| Congress provides for the construction OF any
part Of the system Of sewage disposal.
CLEANING AND nEPA1RrNo SEWERS AND BASINS.
The appropriation for this purpose for the
fiscal year 1891 was $4,000. The most i'm
portant pieces Of repair work done were por-
tions Of the sewer on 14th street northwest be-
tween H and X streets, and also portions of
the Georgetown main sewer. The repairing Of
the latter il nearly completed and it is hoped
tina: after the current fiscal year its name
may no longer appear In the annual estimates.
Among the other principal items of work
done under this appropriation may be men-
toned the cleaning OF ITO 463 lineal feet of pipe
sewer. 3.s43 iineai feet of brick sewer, 4,671
manholes and 40. $40 receiving basins.
The appropriation for the current fiscal year
is S43 0G0 ami S45 coo is estimated for A. needed
| for the fiscal year 1883.
REPLACING oBsTnUcrED sEwERa
The appropriation for this purpose for the
fiscal year 1891 was s26, 900. There was re-
placed under contract q total length of 1854
feet of pipe sewer. varying from ~ to - inches
in diameter. and by day labor TO- 937 feet varying
from to ~ inches in diameter. For the current
year the appropriation IL S25, 600. and for the
fiscal year 1893 o like sum should be appropri-
atsd.
MAIS AND PIPE SEWERS.
The appropriation made under this head for
1891 was sl40 90. There we're built by con-
tract a total length of q 7l5 feet of sewer rang
ing between IL inches and as feet in diameter;
,496 hneal feet OF basin connections and - re-
ceiving basins, and by day labor 1888 hneal
feet OF sewer from to q inches in diameter,
| 80 receiving basins and II manholes. !,
the work Of dredging James Greek canal,
specially authorized in connection with the APP
preparation for 1891. was well under way at the
close Of the fiscal year.
The appropriation for the current fiscal year
| is S119,OO0. For the year 1893 IA much larger
! sum should be provided. Ny estimates for that
| year aggregate sSi2,05 for main and pipe
| sewers, and do not include all OF the work
| which should be constructed without further
delay.
About the enc, Of the fiscal year 1891 was
led to believe that some of the pipe sewers
| laid under contract were not fully sur
rounded with concrete as required by the spec
ifcatiOns. An examination made by digging
down to and cutting the sewers in question
| showed deficiency Of concrete in a few in
stances. This deficiency is now being made
good by the contractor concerned.
SUBURBAN SEWERS.
The appropriation for 1891 was s75, 900 There
| were built under contract IL. 634.54 fnsai feet
| OF sewer, varying in size from twelve inches to
eight feet in diameter: TAI lineal feet OF basin
cOnnsc tions aud twenty-seven receiving basins,
| and by day labor ,34S lineal feet of sewer,
varying in diameter from six inches to twenty
| four inches. twelve manholes and five receiving
| basins. Some of the more important lines
upon which substantial progress was made are
as follows:
Adams and Jackson streets, Anacostia; Trini.
dad valley. lexington valley, Lincoln avenue,
Bladensbnrg road. 14th street extended, Rock
Creek valley, above street.
The appropriation for the current fiscal year
| il rs, COZ, and estimates have been submitted
for 1888 amounting to Sl62, 500.
PEnNrr WORK.
The allotment to the sewer division under
| this head was S35, 900. Thore were built under
the voluntary permit system q, 222.S5 lineaI
| feet Of sewer from inches to SIS feet III diam
| eter. Is receiving basins and 15l manholes,
and under the compulsory system AlY7 feet of
| sewer from inches to 15 inches In diameter,
| 5 receiving basins ard 50 raanhcleS.
In addition there were built from deposits at
the total cost Of applicants 3228 iineai feet OF
sewer, from SIX inches to fifteen inches in di-
ameter. two receiving basins and seventeen
nanholes.
For 1888 an allotment Of $4,000 has been
| asked for permit work.
PLUMBING REGULATIONS.