The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-20
The CITY'SSEWAGE OUTLET.
Aldermen Listen TO Capt. Purses Paper
on The BilbO Canal.

A Continuation OF the Bolton Street
Sewer the Natural Outlet for the City
Sewage. According to lis Views.
An Interesting Array Of Facts and
Figures Presented-Capt. Purse Jumps
on the Old Theories of River Contami-
nation and Sewer Gas.
cant. D. G. Purse read his paper upon
sewage and the BiIbo canal in particular.
giving reasons why the canal should be
closed, before a meeting Of the committee
Of the whole OF council yesterday after
noon.
The paper was lengthy and exhaustive
document and Capt. Purse treated his
,ubject in an interesting and intelligent
manner. He showed by conclusive figures
that by converting the BiIbO canal into a
closed sewer and changing the direction
somewhat. in order to give "a better grade
and simplify the work of construction, at
the same time shortening the distance
this sewer could be made an outlet for the
entire present sewerage system of the
city, and a great deal more which might
be added hereafter. He had figures show
ing that such an outlet could drain not
only the city proper, but the suburbs as
far south as Tatemville and Dittmers-
Vile
He did not allude to the subject Of house
drainage, but merely confined himself
TO showing that the natural and most feas-
ible outlet for all the sewage of the city
was by way of a sewer constructed from
the terminus of the present Bolton street
sewer running toward the Savannah river
in a northeasterly direction for 1850 feet
10 the present junction of the Perry street
sewer with the Bilbo canal
The route proposed for the sewer is as
follows: Along Bolton street to the in
tersecttOn of Harmon street, along Har-
mon street to and across Wheaton street
through the third street of Smiths sub
division to the intersection with the canal
Of the Perry street sewer The cost of
CONSTRUCTING sewer sufficient
for .,o such sue IT. purposes he estimated
larger sewer from the point last named
TO the river was estimated a $4,000.
capt. Purse did not consider that there
was any immediate necessity for the lat
Ter work, however, as there is hardly any
one nVlng along this portion % the canal.
and it is not likely that it win ever be
built up as residence section.
The engineers estimates submitted
were made by Mr.. Percy Sugden Maps
prepared by Mr.. Sugden were also dis
trlouted, showing the present route of
that canal, the route proposed for the
sewer with the grades and construction
al different points.
Probaoly the most interesting part of
the paper was that in which the author
showed the availability and capacitv of
tne savannah river as q remover of city
sewage. During the dry period last sum-
mer Capt. Purse had samples of the
water taken from BilbO canal at different
points ior every hour of the day and
night Ihese samples were analysed by
MT =. II. tlnney, and Il summary of the
results was furnished the committee. The
analysis of water taken from the mouth
Bolton 81 r-sa mo
poruon OF solid matter of j in go.
capt Purse showed by comparison with
stansues obtained from the authorities
OF me leading cities of this country and
Of Europe that this diluton of solid mat
yer AT the Bolton street sewer is far
ses from man which 2 sPStsiS Of the
eDffinsq, and that the leading
sut J3,rti considered that when
NE danger point has been passed. Capt
fuise showed that when this sewage
water reached the river and mingled
with the water there the dilution was
authorities showing that with such a
stream as the savannah river it is inn
poured into it from the city should nave
any effect upon the health of the inhabi-
ldnls. According to his figures the Sa-
Ndnnah river is capable of receiving and
carrying away the sewage from a city
o. OF .i'olOQO people with safety to the in
A'o|hcN up Dy lheSe HSufeS capt. Purse
proceeded TO give some hard raps to the
sanltarians who have declared that to
empty the citys sewage into the river
IN the neighborhood of the city would
convert it into a nauseating pestilentiaI.
atn-breeding stream. Capt. Purse got
III ms work on the sanitarians again
when ne stated upon what he declared to
De the best authorities in Europe and
ms country that the much dreaded
sewer gas of which so much has been
heard in the last ten or fifteen years. is
Du&DelF foundation
TACT. he had special translations from
from the German which he had had
MADE here, quoting Fencke and other
9adlng sanitary authorities to the effect
InaJ there is no such thing as sewer gas,
and that the air in q. we'll ARA nged sewer
house.
The whole idea of Capt. Purses address
was 10 show that the cheapest and best
outlet which the city can obtain for it's
sewerage is by the continuation of the
bollon street sewer to the river by means
q lhe BilbO canal. Ee closed his address
with the request to the aldermen that they
budget
The aldermen were evidently favorably
impressed with what they had heard.
Alderman Charlton said that Commits
sloner BeckWlth of the sanitary board had
ueen engaged for sometime in securing
through the government reports upon the
sewerage and house drainage systems of
me principal cities OF. the world. There re-
ports are obtained through the consuls
stationed at the various cities. They will
he printed for the information of sani-
larians and municipal authorities
throughout the country. Mr.. Beckwith
mas been promised proof sheets in ad-
vance of these statistics. The matter is
already in the hands of the government
printer Mr.. Carlton said, and the proof
sheets are expected to arrive in Savan-
nah very shortly.
NEWS OF THE SHIPS.