New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-01

fields. where It would be offensive but is emptied
into trenches and covered with fresh earth' one
Of the best Of disinfectants. A drive across
sowave farm 10 not UNPLEASANT The fields are
under the most intensive cultivation imaginable,
being ploughed and narrowed four or hVe t'mes
year, and the crops. mainly cabbages' mangei
wurzel and italian rye grass. are most luNu'ian''
Tho sewage of birmingham Is OF the most or
| fens,ve character. owing to the large number OF
| manufactures and chemical and metal WORKS
| in which great quantities Of acids are used; ana
the problem Of purifying and utilizing 1t has been
| heset with difficulties which have been mastered
| ono nv one What has been successfully accom-
plished in birmingham can be repeated win
! greater facility by any large town when desires
a thoroughly scientific solution II the drainage
question.
THE SALTLEY SEWAGE SYSTEM
The sa,t,ev svstem Is very simple. Connected
with the sewer outlets are two Hme-niNers'
which are alternately IN operation. The lime Is
Stacked and converted into milk OF lime from
| ten 10 eleven tons being used every twenty-four
hours The sewage mixed with lime, when
tends 10 promote precipitation and to neutralize
the acids passes into tank with two bays.
There are three OF these tanks. each 39Ox9o 1eet'
two being in use at once while the third Is UNDER
going thorough cleaning. In the bay nearest
the sewer outlet there is deposit OF sond siuuse
which s removed by steam crane loaueu lh'o
boats or cars and either sold to farmers as d
cheap fertilizer or disposed OF on the lyDurh
and Saltley farms In the further bay OF the
tank there is liquid mud, which is hfted oy pas
ket dredges to a high staging. whence IL Is 'rahs
ported by half-mile Of troughing over large
area. Men on the stages are employed IN push
ing the mud along the trough and large gangs
are in the fields either covering 1t with fresh
| earth distributing It In the trenches between
rows of cabbages or beets. From the tank
there is a rapid flow OF liquid sewage. and this
is conducted by open conduit to the Tyburn farm
and regulated and distributed by means OF valves
and irrigation trenches The main products or
the farm cabbages fodder-teets and Italian
| grass. with which cows and horses fed.
| About $50 cows are MIXED every day, and the
milk is considered the best to be had in Birming-
| ham. The cows are fed almost entirely from the
| products Of the sewage farm.
This farm IL under the most scientific manage
ment. but SO far from being profitable, costs
| between $50 900 and $4,000 a year This Is ex-
| elusive of the interest charges upon the invest
| ment and the sinking fund payments which
| amount together to $50 000 The farming opera
| tons expensive because a large force OF
| men has TO be employed in removing the sludge,
in distributing the liquid mud and in constantly
poughing the land. About 200 men are on the
farm during the winter and between 800 and
$50 men during the summer.
IMPROBABLE BUT ECONOMICAL.
Improbable as the farming operations may be
when the accounts for the year balanced. ii
is a most economical method of disposing Of the
sewage of a great district with population of
100000 With the deficit added to the permanent
charges, the system costs between 100000 and
$l65,0OO year. according TO T. +. Grove, the
under-manager of the farm who has made a
close study OF the economics of sewage farming;
but that IS moderate sum for the service rem
dered. The farm is under excellent management,
the cattle in the stalls sleek and fat. the ir
rgation system is admirably devised and exc
cuted and every detail Of the intricate problem
has been worked out with panstaking care.
The sewage farm is Indispensable to Birming
ham since there is no stream with current strong
enough to carry out to sea the polluted waste of
a great city.
The same system Of precipitation works has
been adopted by Glasgow, Manchester, Leicester
and many other towns. 1t is supplemented by
series OF furnaces In which garbage and the
refuse OF the ashpans are burned. In Birming
ham there IS a nightly collection from these pans,
together with the ashes, and forty or more fur
naces are used for the consumption OF the refuse.
The ashes are sifted and cheap fuel is sold to
poor families. From the furnaces are obtained
products which are either sold for fertilizer
used for coarse mortar or dumped on low land
which needs TO be filled in
STORY TO MAKE AMERICANS BLUSH
Returning to the Town Clerks analysis of the
public debt, find that the cost of the drainage
works. sewage farm and various street improve
ments, outside of Corporation-st., has been 49,
296 40, in addition to s3l .O65.240 expended for
tramways, waterworks. gas plant. Libraries. art
galleries and cemeteries. Indeed, the entire debt
Of S39.30S,075 has been mainly contracted In
most comprehensive series of public works and
investments and never has there been breath
of scandal from beginning to end. The Council
House, the Victoria Courts and many other pub
lie structures have been erected; the franchises
of rich private corporations have been purchased
real estate transactions OF tremendous magni-
tude have been carried out In the heart Of the
town and in the suburbs: the drainage system
has been revolutionized, new parks have been
opened and a majority Of the streets paved in
the most substantial way, and never at any
stage of this progressive policy. which has Gre
ated for Birmingham the reputation Of being the
est-governed city in England, has there been
any faint OF jobbery or corruption. Every public
work has been well planned and honestly and
economically carried TO completion.
Candid Americans. with humiliating reminis
cences of their experience with municipal
contractors and plunderng rings Of politicians
will readily admit that this is the highest tribute
that can be paid to the civic virtues of Birmng-
ham. l. y. L.