The record-union., 1894-04-02
SEWERAGE QUESTION DISCUSSED.
Engineer Newbury Explains His Dis
posaI and Flushing Plan.
He Claims the Present System Can be
Made to Do Good Service for
Some Years Yet.

City Trustees, the Board of Health and
the committee OF citizens appointed a
year or more ago by the City Trustees to
investigate the condition of the sewerage
system. All the members Of the Board
of Trustees were also present. likewise
Engineers Mullaney and Boyd, Super
intendent of Streets Murray and others.
Chairman Pennish of the committee pre-
sided.
President Lawton explained the pur-
poses of the meeting. He said 1t was pro-
posed by the City Trustees to improve
the sewerage system of the city-not to
build a new system at this time, only
portion of one; in other words, to pro-
vide an outlet for the present system and
some improvements thereto. He called
on +. Z. ewbury, who had been inves-
tigating the system, TO address those pres
ent on the subject.
Mr.. Newbury addressed the meeting at
considerable length, explaining his plan
as follows:
RELIEF FOR SEWAGE.
"There is no subject which more nearly
concerns the dwelIers in our large cities
than the proper disposal OF their sew
age; their healthfulneSS and Well being
are Immediately dependent thereon, and
in the matter of perfecting our sanitary
arrangements il can truly be said that
God helps those who help themselves
Having been appointed to work out
plan for the amelIoration of the city OF
Sacramento, l have pleasure in making
few statements in ADVANCE of any general
report regarding what L conceive to be
the best and cheapest method OF conduct
ing from The city the whole OF the sewage,
sipage from the river and rainfall; and so
that each lot fronting on the street may
have its proper and necessary sewer ac-
commodation, and also that the heaviest
rainfall may be speedily conducted away
from the homes and business places of
the citizens. These are the advantages
obtainable in most of the large cities OF
our country at this time.
1.-The city of Sacramento occupies Pc
culiar position, being surrounded by
great leVees raised over twenty feet above
a great portion of the land inclosed
thereby. For great portion of the year
the water line of the river is above the
greater part OF the streets of the city. The
problem must, therefore, be solved by
using power to pump the accumulated
drainage into the river. The present site
of the pumping works is too far removed
from the city proper; the natural fall of
the surface of the ground Is so slight that
sewage proper viii not run there, and
the whole city is liable TO be flooded be-
fore relief could be obtained from the
carrying capabilities of The sewers and
waterways now developed.
at is proposed to establish the main
line of drainage on 5 street; the bottom
of the main interceptor being seven feet
three inches above city base (that is, the
zero OF the river gauge on X street., it is
six inches below the thirty-inch sewer at
Sixth and ) streets; also, to extend this
main artery from the river to twenty
fifth street along the same level grade.
Nearly the whole of the sewage and rain
fall could be made to flow into this chan
mel and thence directly into the river.
The sipage, which is considerable at high
water in the river, is collected at a large
clstern at the pumping station and is
pumped directly into the river.
'The pumping station Will be estab-
HShed on the north side OF > street, be-
tween Fifth and Sixth streets; from this
point to the river. distant :, 10 feet. it is
proposed to lay two steel tubes or con-
duits thirtysix inches in diameter:
through these tubes the whole of the
drainage, ETC., will be forced by powerful
steam engines. These tubes are laid
upon bed of concrete nine inches thick,
having base of eight feet six inches,
and are surrounded with nine inches of
concrete, enveloping both pipes in a sin
gle mass. When the river is low but little
power will be required, and then only
one tube will be used.
The main interceptor or collecting
sewer will extend easterly to Seventeenth
street, 4, 900 feet in length and forty-eight
inches in diameter, being also steel
tube similarly set in croncete base five
feet six inches, having manhole and
sewer connections at each street crossing;
eighteen inches diameter stone pipes on
the north and twelve inches diameter
stone pipes on the south. The bottom of
this sewer will be one foot six inches be-
low the bottom of the large brick sewer
now terminating at Seventeenth and S
streets. This main interceptor has a
level grade throughout, but strong flow
is maintained toward the pumping sta
ton, caused by one or more pumps draw
ing theretrom and discharging into the
thirty -six-inch pipes before mentioned.
The present system of sewers will then
be made to do duty for all they are worth,
and in time will be aided by new sewers
along the adjoining streets.
1.-The important duty of flushing the
sewers will devolve upon the engines at
the pumping station; a l2-inch main will
be laid up Sixth street to l street, thence
branching west makes connection with
each sewer along the numbered streets,
and from Sixth street to and along the
railroad embankment easterly, making
similar connections and arranged so that
100000 gallons each day during ten hours
shall be let into each sewer. The duty
required of the engines for this purpose
raising the water, then pumping it into
the river, will be equal to one-horse
power for each sewer, equal to from
twenty to thirty pounds of coal per diem
for each sewer.
Under these conditions the city of
Sacramento would have the cleanest sew
ers in the State of California. Subse-
quentIy the main lnterceptor would be
extended from Seventeenth to Twenty
fifth streets $500 feet at the same level
grade, insuring perfect drainage for the
whole eastern half of the city at very rea-
sonable cost, as the pumping plant will
be able to meet all the demands the duty
of the engines being equal to 4O,000, 900
gallons raised twenty feet high per twen-
Ly-four hours.
1.-The mean quantity Of water per diem
pumped into the city last year was
4,500,000 gallons, equal to $50 gallons per
individual per diem, the largest supply
per head OF any city in the Union.
''The position chosen for the pumping
station is very favorable, as by putting in
a switch in the railroad track on r street
the coal can be easily and cheaply de-
livered.
''The sipage collected over the large
tract of l30 acres between Third, Y, Ninth
and s streets will be collected along level
drains laid at six feet above base along
the south side of S street and north side
of street, also on Third, Sixth and
Ninth streets. passing through a culvert
across Sixth street to a sump at the pump
ing station twenty feet in diameter and
twenty feet deep. The. sump is used for
the condensation of steam from the en-
gines, but when the tract south of S is
drained, water for condensation and
flushing purposes will be drawn from the
river through the spare S6-inch pipe.
-------------------