The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-21
EUROPE'S SYSTEMS.
The Consular Reports Made for the
Benefit Of Savannah.

tinental Europe and Of Great Britain.
The Disposal Of the Sewage ard the
Decrease in Mortality Where In
proved Systems Have Been Adopted.
The State Department Reports in Col
lector Beckwith's Office.
Collector of Customs Beckwith received
yesterday from the department of state
at Washington the consular reports from
the principal cities of Europe upon the
questions of sewerage and house drainage.
These reports were ordered by the state
department upon the request of Collector
Beckwith in behalf of the sanitary board
of Savannah. Mr.. Beckwith who has
given the subject of house drainage con-
siderable study realized that before the
sanitary board and the city council could
act intelligently upon this important sub
ject that it would be necessary for them
to have some ideas Of the systems of sew
erage in operation in the principal cities
of the world and with this idea in view
he addressed the following communication
to Secretary Gresham:
Savannah, Ca, July 6. 1S94.-Hon. w. Q.
Gresham, Secretary Of State, Washington.
D. c. Ny Dear Mr.. Secretary: As a
member of the sanitary board of the city
of Savannah am interesting myself in
the sewerage question, which is now up
permost in the minds of our city fathers.
1t is difficult to settle on the best system.
With apatriotc view of assisting my fell
low citizens, have, with the assistance of
DR.. Jos. Hill White, passed assistant sur
geOn United States Marine Hospital ser
vice, formulated certain questions which
/ do most heartily beg that you will have
submitted to the United States consuls at
Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Hamburg, London
and Glasgow. Please request that they
give their active attention to them, and
report to the state department not later
than Oct. !. 1894. Our annual budget is
made up early in December, and it is nee
essary to settle upon a plan and costs be-
fore that time. l am advised that these
answers can be readily obtained by the
United States consuls. Please urge upon
them to report as early as possible. am
desperately interested in this matter and
you will confer lasting benefit upon hui
manity and me if you will urge this at
once. Your friend and servant,
J. f. b. Beckwith.
Collector Beckwith received an imme-
uldlG IGptg lIOlu the secretary SAVING
that the department would issue circu-
lar based upon his interrogations in re-
gard to the sewerage question to the con-
sular officer in the principle cities of En-
rope The value of the Information asked
for was at once cOmprehended by the
secretary, and the following circular of
instruction was sent out July Is, to the
consuls:
1.-The subject of sewerage is one which
is receiving special attention in our larger
cities, and any Information showing the
a haar ID
leading cities of Europe would be of
great value. The subject has recently
been urged upon the department with
reference to the adoption of an i'm
proved system in the city of Savannah,
Il have therefore to request that as
soon as practicable you will report to
the department upon the general subject
of sewerage in your city; the special
character of the sewerage system in OPP
GRAFTON, whether it is new or old, and the
difficulties, if any. that have been over
come in the construction of such system;
also whether any change in the system
is contemplated and if So what?
The following list Of heterogeneous COW
ers the special points upon which informa-
ton is desired for the city of Savannah.
and which may be useful to other cities:
1. What is the character of the sewerage
system in use, and when was it put into
operation? In other words state whether
it is merely the ordinary system of sew
ers fushoSl with water, or some improved
system. If the latter, state the principle
on which it works. the name of the in
ventor, and any details likely to be of
interest. If there are separate systems for
storm water and house drainage describe
both.
2. What was the total cost of construct
ing the sewerage? Give also the cost
of the machinery in use, annual cost of
operating the system, the length of main
sewers, and material of which built
s.. What is the number of houses drained
and the method of drainage?
4. What is the number of laborers en-
ployed in the sewerage department, and
what are the wages paid them2
5. How is the sewage disposed of? Is
the solid matter separated from the fluid
and if so how. What is the cost of dis
posing of the sewage, and the revenue
if any, derived from its utilization? De-
tailed information on these points would
be especially valuable.
8. What deodorizers are used, and what
process of deodorizing is employed?
7. What percentage of decrease in the
death rate followed the adoption of the
system.
be able TO secure as to the sewage system
in your city, its workings, etc. and
whether in efficiency of mechansms, econ
omy and hygienic effects it meets the
public requirements.
The replies to this circular will be pub
hshed in the consular reports.
A letter from Chief Clerk Renick of the
state department was received by Mr.
Beckwith at the same time with the re-
ports. 1t stated that in compliance with
MI BeckWlth's request by telegraph he
sent in a separate package by mail the
series of reports upon sewerage obtained
from consular offices. The preparation of
these reports has just been completed
and in order to brook the delay of wait
ing for their publication by the depart
ment he transmitted the originals at
once, with the request that they be pre-
served and returned to the department at
the earliest convenience, in order thai
they may be printed in consular REPORTS
Reports We're received from consiIs in
Amsterdam, Berlin, Bordeaux, Bradford
bremen, Brussels Cardiff, Constantine.
pie Copenhagen, Dublin, Florence.
ktort-on-t he-Main, Glasgow, Ham
urg, Leeds, Liverpool Lyons, MarseiIles
Munich, Rome, St. Petersburg, Stettin'
Stockholm Trieste, and Vienna.
AS the reports received by Mr. Reck
with are originals and must be returned
to the state department intact he is veTZ,
careful Of them. He will have the reports
in his office in the custom house di1rfne
the remainder of the week, and viii hs
glad to have the members of the sanitar(J
board, the city council. physicians and
others interested in sanitary matters call
and examine them. The reports are very
voluminous, and it would require a GOOD
many hours to go through them ali 900N
Collector Beckwith aided a Morninz
News reporter yesterday in examinin9
the reports While many of them ar5
very interesting it is impossible to GIVE
anything more than the mara y,of,+c 80