The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-12

Council convened last night in obedi.
ence to the call of President Buckner.
Messrs. Camp. Engleby, Graves, Huff,
McCahan, McClelland, Mcconnell,
Watts and the president answered at
roll call.
Chairman Huff, of the sewer COM
mittee, submitted the following report
from Rudolph Herring and Samuel M.
Gray, sanitary engineers:
New YORK, March 4, 1892.
Waller P. Huff, Esq, Chairman J. AL
len Watts, Esq, Geo. c. McCahan,
Esq, Sewerage Committee, Roanoke,
Va.
GENTLEMEN: The undersigned have
been instructed by you to visit your
city for the purpose of examining the
territory which demanded the removal
of sewage and a relief from storm
water flooding, and to recommend to
you the best methods and plans by
which these demands can be satisfied.
We met in Roanoke on the morning
Of February "a. The members of the
board OF public works and of the sewer
committee, and also the city engineer
supplied us with the informa ton at their
disposal, including reports which had
previously been recommended for adop-
ton, various maps, plans and other data
furnished us by the city engineer. We
also held various consultations with
citizens interested in the questions
under examination.
We were taken upon the ground and
shown all the localities where trouble
was experienced, as we'll as the chan
nels Of Trout and Lick run and minor
water courses, the lines of the proposed
interceptor,, the Roanoke river near
Mill Mountain and the general topogra-
lhy Of the city from Tinker creek to
tho western boundary.
We find that the territory which is
most in need of provision for sewer
age. constitutes the business district
and the residential district to the
west and southwest thereof More
recently portions of the city
towards the northeast and south
east also appear to be in need of
carly sewerage facilities. few sew
ers have already been built in different
parts of the city. They were mostly do
signed on tho plan of separate system,
but few have been made large enough
to receive both sewage and storm water.
Further, the territory most needing a
relief from flooding during storms is
ohoNuoCo al dH0 near Uu0 business QlS-
trict, particularly along the line OF
Trout Iun. The surplus storm water,
which in times of severe storms does
not readily flow off, but collects on tho
surface of the streets in tho vicinity of
Henry and Campbell streets, flooding
cellars, obstructing travel and causing
much inconvenience.
1t is with these troubles in view that
we have made a study of your city SO
that we may present plans for relief
The phenomenally rapid growth of
Roanoke renders tho case somewhat
peculiar one. It's situation also adds to
the complication Of the questions.
What might be best for less RAPIDLY
growing city, Of like situation, may not
be the best for Roanoke, espe cially if it
continues to grow as rapidly in the
future as it has grown in the past, which
we judge is. the prevailing opinion of
your citizens.
The city is located In tho valleys of
Trout aud Lick runs, and so little above
tho flowage line of these streams that
during storms the increased volume of
water must cause serious damage unless
it is freely and quickly removed The
rapid increases OF roofed and paved sur
faces augments this trouble, by sending
the storm water more quickly to these
streams, and this tendency will continue
as areas now open are developed.
Two ways present themselves for
remedying the present troubles and pro.
viding for the future. One is, to
intercept the storm water before it
reaches the point in the valley
where it causes damage, and to take it
off in drain or sewer southeast to the
river, as proposed in the original plan
presented by Mr.. Herring. Tho other
plan is TO provide additional room for
It's removal in the existing natural
channels. To do this it will be best to
build several new conduits instead of
depending upon the enlargement of the
present Trout run drain in Campbell
street. In considering either plan a
provision for removing Jhs sewage must
also he borne In mind, as it is likewise
an important part of the project
Mr.. Gray understands that the exist
ing information regarding levels, areas
OF water sheds and the general typo
graphY was very meagre at the time
when tho first plans were asked for, and
the city engineer was instructed to make
surveys of such areas that was neces-
sary for pre- pairing designs contemp plating
the relief from immediate troubles.
Based upon this information plan
was prepared having the following main
features: An intercepting sewer was
proposed to run from Trout run, near
the ice house, seutherly to the Roanoke
river, and was made large enough to
carry for number of years the sewage,
in addition to the stormwater from the
district above it to the Roanoke river.
Tnis district comprised practically all
of the territory which was then build.
ing up TO the west a I'd southwest Of the
city The most rapidly growing part of
the city was thus provided with an out
fall sawnr Nv inIn1cnntinn tho alarm.