Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-15
SEWERS AND HUMAN LIFE.
Superintendent Mcoomb's Strong Plea
for More Money.

|
for More Money.
He Urges That the Plan of the Board
of Experts BE Carried Out-Mafn
Sewers Required Right Away.
The superintendent of sewers TODAY sub
mitted to the Engineer Commissioner the
annual report Of the operations of his de-
partment during the last fiscal year. to-
gether with several important recommended
tons and an estimate of the amount of
money required to carry the business
| of his Office during the next fiscal year.
| After giving a detailed statement OF work
done under different items of appropriation
| the report says:
An appropriation for the construction of
| relief sewers is included in the apropria-
| ton for the current fiscal year. For a
continuation of this work $4,000 is esti-
mated as the amount that may profitably
be expended during the fiscal year 1895.
These sewers are required to supplement
existing sewers which are of insufficient
capacity and not capable of performing
the duty required.
l will again urge the consideration of the
subject of the Improvement Of the present
method of sewage disposal. The James
Greek canal. Tiber sewer nth street canal.
| B-street sewer and Rock creek, still re-
main as elongated cesspools into which
the greater portion of the sewage of the
| city is discharged, there TO decompose with
| offence and injury to the health of the city.
The works proposed in the report of the
Board OF sanitary engineers in 1880 should
be promptly commenced ON a liberal scale
with funds available to complete the sys-
TEN as soon as possible. With the improve
ment resulting from a proper system of
sewage disposal Including the lowering of
tor irai tr. ~
tons proposed), a material reduction in the
death rate may be expected. But for our
defective sewer system. there seems 10 be
no reason why the death rate should exceed
20 per LOCO, instead of %.
Life-Savfng work.
| If by the proposed works the dea tn rate
| should be lowered to that figure the num-
Der of lives and relative number of cases
of serious illness saved to the community
would be quite large
II the work is delayed by inaction or in
sufficient appropriations the number OF
lives sacrificed will attain proportions of
considerable magnitude. Four million dol
lars should be provided for this work. which
parts of the project will do lutte toward
improving the existing conditions The
parts are so related to each other that all
must be constructed in order that each may
perform its proper duty.
Main Sewers Needed.
For the expansion of the system within
the city and to serve the rapidly growing
suburbs large expenditures for main sewers
are required. The following are suggested
as being required in the proximate future
and which are included in the estimates for
the fiscal year 1895.
Main sewer on 1-2 street between Maine
and Maryland avenues and extending
through square 3D." being an extension of
sewers under contract now and required
for The efficient drainage of the locality
traXprSG0- E.XtenSi0n In
serve growing sections of the city are re-
quired as follows:
In l. street northeast between Cd and
6th streets. L street northeast between
North Capitol street and Delaware avenue.
18th street southeast between ! and d
streets, Georgia avenue southeast between
lith and 18th streets
The sewers in 18th street southeast and
in 9th street southeast should be extended
TO 4eep water In the Anacostia river to
remove the unsantary conditions at their
present points of discharge. A sewer is
18th street and Anacostia river in order
effected.
The Sherman avenue sewer is required TO
afford sewerage to a locality for which
urgent demand is made by the health off,
Ger. The Linden street sewer provides for
the completion of a line of sewers now IN
der construction which is required for sur
face drainage of the upper. portion of lie
Droit Park. The Bladensburg road sewer
Is required to complete the line of sewers
under contract through part OF Long
Meadows" The sewers in 18th street ex-
tended and in Lincoln avenue are required
for the service Of Improving suburbs.
The Rock creek intercepting sewer a con-
siderable portion OF which has been COM
pleted should be extended from its present
upper terminus to Piney branch. to provide
for the reception of sewage. thereby pre-
venting the fouling of Rock creek.
The completion of the sewer in lexington
valley between Florida avenue and T street
and its extension northward to Brook,and
nrnNi1NG q COY of bet
suburb. The extension to deep water of the
Munroe street sewer is required. because of
| AnacosNa
main sewer is required in Kenesaw ave-
nue. between Rock creek and 18th street
| for the service of a large section of Mount
| Pleasant. For the service of Belair sewers
are proposed discharging into Rock creek
| by way of Massachusetts avenue extended.
For "Petworth' n sewer system has been
Observation-Disclosures into Piney branch near
| 14th street the storm water collected: sew
age to be discharged into the Piney branch
sewer, thence into Rock creek intercepting
sewer An extension Of the above system
ed. The extension of the sewer in street
through Flagler Place to the reservoir is
required In order that the streets of the
| The construction of main sewer ;n the
valley of Foundry branch within the lines
| of Grassland avenue will be required. both
| for the sewerage of the valley and to per-
| nit the Improvement OF this avenue. which
VIII AFFORD convenient means of communi-
cation between Canal read and Tenleytown
Contemporaneous observations of RAIN
| fall and sewer discharges have been con-
tinued. Valuable material is being collected
| and collated in this department Of INQUIRY
| Two thousand five hundred dollars is re-
| quired for the prosecution of this work
during the fiscal year 1855
The right of way for the construction Of
the Anacostla main sewer was secured
For 1885 $4,000 is estimated as the amount
| required, COMBINATIONS being necessary
| in order that the sewers for Bladenshurr
| road. Belair. Petworth. Brightwooi lark
| and Brookland may be constructed
Estimates for the Sewer Division.
Mr.. McComb makes estimates. including
| the 100000 called for by the project of
| the board OF sanitary engineers amount
ing in all to s5,S92,077. OF this s4.sl5 is for
employees. "
Alexander Nitchelrs Fortune Gone.
The petition of Miss Martha Mitchell
widow of the late Alexander Mitchell. for
an orfer on her son, Senator John I