The record-union., 1894-09-19


each, requiring one-half gallon of water
per minute, or 1900 gallons in twenty
four hours.
1hls water is to be supplied by the city,
aIso the cost of tapping the city mains
ahd furnishing service pipes, etc. 1t is
Weli-known fact that our City Water
works is strained TO the full limit of
SAFETY for present domestic purposes.
No designs for a pumping plant are
submitted. Ii is proposed 10 locate the
plant OF Fourth street, between K and S.
ana 10 pump over the levee through two
90 diameter riveted pipes. The main
point to know is how to handle the sew
age after 1t reaches the pumping station.
This is entirely left to conjecture, and we
consider it a fatal omission.
We note the city cannot use the tract
mentioned as sewage lake. The city
cannot use the Seventeenth-street ditch
as the courts have decided against il. Mr..
Miller evidently thought the ditch would
give relief in time of flood, not realizing
1t is below low water mark in the river.
Another serious defect is that the portion
of the city east of Seventeenth street can
not be properly severed; that is. to give
the sewers sufficient pitch necessary to
connect laterals for house drainage aud
keep the sewers three feet or over below
the street.
In very extensive and elaborate re-
port the chief point in which the citizens
OF this city are concerned, has been
passed over, and wherein consists the
chief difficulties which confronts US have
IN singular manner escaped solution.
we further notice that the grades are
worked out In some isolated places, and
not over the new proposed system as we
should like to see them, so that we might
be sure OF the perfect operation of the
plan.
XVa ooll ot4ao+;on 90 .Lo lo,,- ,,rioos
given as estimates for the work; also, that
no allowance has been made for land that
Will require TO be used for the main dis
charges into the river through the block
on Front street, f and S.
This plan is the only one submitted
which makes mention of house connec-
tions with the sewers. He says much
difference of opinion exists on this point,
but it is pleasing To note that what III his
judgment is best and very highly recon-
mended, is just what is the practice in our
city to-day and covered by city ordi-
nance.
EARNEST M'CULLoUGH's PLAN.
The plans of Mr.. Mccullough are de-
signed for separate system independent
OF storm water aud surface drainage. lie
has outlined an entire new system, treat
ing only of house drainage based on the
amount of water pumped by the City
Water Works. The city is divided into
sanitary districts. All the sewers in each
district deliver their sewage at one COM
mon point, each district having a system
OF its own with one main sewer, and all
the mains discharge into a larger one,
which carries the sewage to the pumps.
The present system, as at present used,
is entirely abandoned for sewage pur-
poses. Mr.. Mccullough in his report
says: 1.-The endeayor has been to devise a
perfect system OF sewers, and therefore
no attention has been paid to com bine
any OF the present sewers with the sys-
tenn, but may be cleaned out and used
Tor storm conduits." In the lower por-
ton OF the city combined system is sug
gested for carrying the storm water and
sewage together. Again it is advised to
keep them apart till the sump is reached,
and that the City Engineer can provide
for these conduitS when the people Of
any locality complain Of surface water
troubling them. What our city needs is
relief from the accumulation OF this storm
water, yet by this system it is proposed
to be left TO local complaint and the dis
elimination of the City Engineer.
AS no attempt has been made to utilize
or combine any part of our present sys-
tenn, we are i'll doubt if due attention has
been paid TO the location and running of
this proposed new system to the grades
OF our present sewers, thus in a measure
destroying our present sewers even for
storm drainage purposes.
1t Is recon meadeQ that all sewers be
placed in The streets, the laterals in the
alleys, and this matter lit is suggested)
can be lett TO The Judgment OF the people
owning the property TO be served.
Flush tanks are to De placed at every
dead end and the discharge regulated as
found best. Sometimes discharge once
a week is sufficient, and sometimes it
xH-ill ha ~ H.
There seems to be little uniformity in the
application of these tlushers. We note
that ntty-gallon discharge into the
sewers once week, as suggested, is
about equal to one or two persons taking
bath in single block once week on
the line of the laterals, as they will use as
much water as the flushing recon-
mended.
For the purpose of ventilation, it is
recommended that four-inch pipe be
run 10 the roof of the houses on the
corners OF the street. The system is
called separate system, yet it is recon-
mended that the accumulation from all
sources be pumped into a stand pipe and
over the Ievee, with pumping station To-
Gated at Fifth and Y streets.
The cost of the system as outlined,
without any pumping station or head
works, is placed at 1899, 925 9O to this
must be added sum sufficient to convey
water from the city main to the flushing
tanks, etc.
The plans and specifications of Mr..
Mccullough are well got upand very elab-
orate, yet he seems to overlook the real
difficulty confronting the city, viz, a
suitable disposition OF the sewage after
arriving at the pumping station, and
leaving the storm water to take care OF
itself until complained of by the citizens
as a source OF nuisance.
f. BALLS PLAN.
Mr.. Ball presents plans for a separate
system of sewers for the city. Existing
sewers to be retained for the collection OF
rain water only, and new sewer service
added in districts not yet drained, The
existing pumping station to remain
as at present aud more power to be
added as the area drained is increased
This, says Mr.. Ball, disposes of the uues-
ton of rain fall. The plan, like Mir. Nc
Cullough's, proposes to keep the house
waste and storm water separate till the
station is reached and then to pump
them both into the river. Recommends
the extensive use OF flush tanks using
sixty gallons OF water every twelve
hours. The city is divided into twenty
districts, with pumping station in each
district. a central electric power station
at sixteenth, q and Il streets, air COM
pressor station a. Eighth and streets
his system, as recommended, is the
''Shone separate system" To overcome
the hat grades OF the city, he has located
twenty pumping stations, which with
the complicated system will require con-
siderable attention, especially when we
consider the tact that sewers are often
the recepticle Tor tomato cans, dead cats,
socks and puppy dogs. So much SO is
this the tact tnat one set of specifications
gives an elaborate report on the specific
gravity of each one. No provision is
made tor the care of rain water or sip
age, and yet fourteen and one half million
gallons capacity is rather large for house
drainage alone.
No cesspool works are planned and no