Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-15
THE SEWERAGE OF THE DISTRICT.
Capt. Rosse1l Recommends That the System
Suggested by Experts BE Adopted.

Capt. Rossel1 Recommends That the System
Suggested by Experts BE Adopted.
For number Of years the question OF the
proper drainage and sewerage Of portions OF
the city OF Washington. the protection OF the
low parts OF that city from flooding and the
disposal Of the sewage of the District OF
Columbia have received the attention OF
the engineer department OF the District, and
many reports have been made upon the vari-
oas aspects of the question. congress was
80 impressed with the necessity OF taking
decisive steps in this matter as to pro-
vide. IN the act making appropriations for
the expenses of the government OF the
District of Columbia for the fiscal year
ending June 80 1890 that the President should
appoint three competent sanitary engineers to
examine and report upon the system of sewer
age existing in the District OF Columbia.
together with such suggestions and recon-
mendations as may to them seem necessary
and desirable for the modification and extern
sion OF the same.
Under this law the President. on the 18th day
of August 1889. appointed Rudolph Herring Of
New York Samuel NJ. Gray of Rhode Island
and Frederick p Stearns of Massachusetts to
make this examination and report
These gentlemen came to the District of
Columbia. and after a most careful and search
ing examination of the present system of sewer
age and sewage disl Osal. and of the conditions
existing, reported to Congress. through the
opinion. necessary to be done. This re-
port may be found in tx. Doc. No. 49, Fifty
first Congress, first session.
In addition to this reports were made by
Capt Lusk. corps of engineers, U.S.A., and by
the superintendent of sewers of the District of
Columbia, Mr.. McComt The proposed sys-
tens coincide in their main features. and Capt.
Rossell has recommended that action be taken
at as cary . date as possible TO inaugurate the
carrying out of the system as recommended by
fts.f
tlons-
In conversation with The Stars represent
alive upon the subject Capt. Rossell said:
1T is evident that 10 begin undertaking
of this magnitude will require much careful
work of survey and examination In order that
details may be worked out satisfactorily and that
from the time of making the appropriations up
to the time when very active measures must be
taken In beginning the work of construction
about one year must elapse. 1t will be necessary
to organize force of competent and skillful er-
glneers and inspectors familiar with this kind
Of work. and the pressing needs of relief which
stare Us In the face today indicate that no de-
lay should be made in giving the Commission
ers OF the District of Columbia the authority to
make the preliminary arrangements
The project, as favored by the board of ex-
perts, is, in a few words. to prevent, by en-
bankments, the high water of the river food
ing the low parts of the city, to do away with
local flooding now caused by insufficient sew
ers, to take the sewage and drainage collected
by the small sewers and intercepting trunk
sewers and carry 1t to point on the Eastern
branch between the arsenal and the
navy yard from this point to transfer it by
means of pumps and inverted syphon
across the Eastern branch. thence allow it to
flow through outfall sewer to some point
between Washington and Ale Xandris and there
discharge II into the Potomac river.
Arrangements are made to relieve the
pumping stations from taking care OF n large
amount of water coming from heavy RAIN
falls. but the pumps must take care of prach-
cally all the ordinary sewage and drainage of
the District of Columbia.
Il desire to recommend that both the COM
mittees OF Congress in charge of matters per-
tanning to the District of Columbia be i'm
pressed with the Importance OF this subject
and that they be asked to urge upon both
houses of Congress tine enactment of leglsla-
ton which will meet the great needs of the
District i'll the directions above outlined"
1t is understood that the Commissioners will
at an early day send bill to Congress for en-
actment having the above improvement in
view.