The morning call., 1892-03-12
A GREAT PROBLSSlM;!.
The Scheme of Formulating q
City Sewerage System.
Eight Months of Labor Ahead for the En-.
gineers Assigned to the Task - The
Work to Be Accomplished.

neers TO devise a system of sewerage for
this city reopens question OF momentous
import to the citizens in a hygienic and
financial sense.
The Board of Engineers will consist OF
Professor George Davidson. Colonel Men,
dell of the Unites States army, Irving NJ.
Scott, and two engineers yet to be named
by them.
Whatever system may be recommended
by this board, it will not likely be sub
mitted to the consideration of the people
before the first week of next November.
The eight Intervening months will be
occupied with the preliminary work of in
vestigation divided into two stages.
FIRST STAGE OF THE WORK.
William p. Humphreys, formerly City
and County Surveyor. with force of as
slstants, will attend to the first stage This
includes the examination of the condition of
the 227 miles of tho existing sewers In the
city and the accumulation and preparation
OF vast amount of data bearing upon the
subject. Preliminary TO this labor Mr..
Humphreys has already commenced 10 lay
out the work TO be done, by the preparation
of instructions for working parties, by
dividing the city into districts where the
sewers are 10 be examined; by providing
Tor the compilation OF data and by furnish
Ing an estimate of the expenditure of the
expense TO be incurred in making the pre-
hmlnary examination, so that IL may be
included ID the next taX-levy and thus
allow the work Of examination to be COM
menced on the first day of next July.
THE SECOND STAGE.
The second stage will begin on the COM
pletion of the work commenced in July. 1t
will begin with the submission by MIR.
Humphreys of his report to the Board of
Engineers, whose duty it will then be to
devise plan best calculated to obtain a
sewerage system ample for the present and
future requirements of San Francisco. The
paramount questions, which involve the
practical application OF the plans, the con-
structlon OF new sewers or the reconStruc-
ton OF old sewers according to the new
system, the Methods of assessment or taxa
ton for carrying into effect the system, will
have TO be solved later, through the action
OF the Board of Supervisors, the State Leg
islature and possibly Of the municipal tax
payers through the ballot-box.
Tie situation for the remainder of the
year VIII be that of investigation solely and
the accumulation of data upon which all
these agencies of Government may predi-
cate intelligent action.
ACCUMULATED DATA.
Mr.. Humphreys has been selected by the
Board of Supervisors because he is not only
an engineer of extensive experience but
also because the enthusiasm of his profess
sional life has been largely expended in
stadyiDg the sanitary needs of San Fran
cisco. lie is already In possession of a vast
amount of data bearing on the subject of
the proper sewerage of this city. Some
years ago he constructed at great expense
to himself relief map, showing not only
the topography of the whole peninsula.
but also the photography OF the bay. In
1876 he prepared sewerage map Of the
city, detailed drawings of sewer connec-
tons, catch-b basins and traps. and detailed
plans of house connections with sewers.
All these Will be available in his present
undertaking. since they were specially pre-
pared by him rs a basis for the plan he
submitted in 1876 for system OF sewerage
in accordance with contract made the
year previous with the Board of Super
yisors.
HUMPHREYS FIRST MOVE
The veteran engineer was visited yeSter-
day by CALL reporter in quest of infor-
nation in regard to the work in hand. Mr..
Humphreys, being only on the threshold of
his WORK, did not feel disposed to submit to
an interview. He had as yet nothing to
give except the results of previous investi-
cations. which would fill a large-sized VOL
ume. His first move would be 10 establish
himself and books. papers, maps and models
in an office In the new City Hall which is
TO be provided for him. The whole ground
of former explorations would then have to
be re-eXamined. and the territory graded
and severed the past sixteen years, repre-
senting over $50 miles of sewers, subjected
TO scrutiny. He had accepted his appoint
ment at compensation of $500 per month
for the present, aud had agreed with the
Supervisors that in no event should the ey-
pense OF preparing instructions, laying out
the work, preparing estimates aud other
work, until July l, exceed 5000 per month.
AN UNDELECTABLE TASK.
He smiled when he was asked whether
fhe aich IN ha du tod in a.,
engineering class OF tie State University
next June and whom it was proposed
should be employed as assistants in making
an examination of the sewers would be
likely to avail themselves of the privilege of
dropping into the manholes The engineer
thought that only laboring men or sewer
experts accustomed to this kind of work
would be found willing. as well as avail
able, for the task, which is by no means
delectable.
A few items as to the sewerage history of
San Francisco may be of interest at this
time.
FIVE MILLIONS IN SEWERS.
There is no official record of the construc-
ton of any public sewer previous to the
year 1858. 1t was In that year their con-
stiuction was officially commenced. Up to
July /. 1875. there had been constructed
81 ,69l Since that year 153 miles addi-
tiOnai have been constructed, bringing the
total cost to date up to s. 5000
The greater portion Of these sewers are
OF brick, but their cost has been excessive
because, among other reasons, they have
size OF the sewers are 3x5 feet. These brick
sewers are egg-shaped, with the smaller
end down.
ELONGATED CEssPooLs.
Most of the streets In the older portion OF
the city have brick sewers which extend
up the hlllsides TO irregular distances.
When these sewers approach the lower Cor
lions Of the city, where the foundation is not
sufficiently solid to sustain brick sewer
without a resort to piling, the sewers are of
wood and are generally level, or nearly level
Being down. or nearly down TO low water.
the tide rises and falls In them. so checking
their outflow that most of them have been
for many years and are to-day nothing
more than elongated cesspools badly
cboked with offensive sewage matter. This
evil, 1t is claimed by sanitary engineers,
must go on increasing from year to year,
until some change Is effected and some
remedy applied.
COMPLICATIONS OF ECONOMY.
The want of system in the existing
sewers. Mr.. Humphreys AYERS. greatly COM
plicates the problem Of designing a proper
plan OF sewerage for the city, because in
order TO curtail expenses il Is necessary to
utilize as far as possible the sewers already
built, and to reconcile them with those d.
tails which more correct principles demand.
The use. therefore, as far as practicable. of
all existing sewers will be kept constantly
In view in formulating any plan of sewer
age for the future
The topography of this city is divided by
nature with several drainage districts. As
an original question. the sewerage districts
would correspond with these, but the ex-
istence OF the present sewers, which il is
desirable TO utilize, makes some variations
necessary.
CONVENIENT TIDAL CURRENTS.
The bay of San Francisco, with its strong
tidal currents, affords great facilities for
getting rid OF the sewage matter of the city,
but to make 1t available the sewers must be
carried cut to points where there are strong
curr ents. III they stop short the lower parts