The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1895-03-29

practical one for MorFistown to adopt 1t re.
quires'a SUFFICIENT area Of sandy or grayelly Soil
/ well under drained. The sewage must be ap.
piled internationally allowing sufficiently long
| lime to elapse between the applications so that
the Weter can slowly percolate through 1t and
SO that the pores can be thoroughly nlled with
air before the next application OF sewage. the
process OF publication Is one of oxidation by
which the organic matter is slowly transformed
into mineral compounds, namely into nitrateS.
IL Is accomplished through the aid OF bacteria
contained in the sewage and the principal con
ditiOn for their maintenance Is an ample supply
OF air distributed throughout the pores.
Effective publication requires sand, the grains
of which have certain size, and the application
OF fixed quantities Of sewage atreguiar Intervals
depending upon its character ana the size OF the
grains. Under favorable circumstances the Ell
fluent water or purified sewage is wholly free
from all the bacteria fginally contained there
in, as well as flom the organic matter.
II the sewage is rapidly delivered to the
grounds and properly distributed over them the
publication can be made as perfect in winter as
In summer. AM at no time need there be any
nuisance upon the territory thus used, Which
has been abundantly proven by long experience.
In England and near the cities OF Berlin and
Paris Sewage has been disposed of with excellent
results for many years and without any Objec-
ti0nable features. In our own country we have
recently had the same experience. 1t has been
proven, further, that there is no accumulation of
matter upon the surface Of the ground which will
cause It later to become offensive Or useless An
Intelligent superintendent With proper instruc-
lions can manage the works SO that with slight
repair they will permanently give good results
During my visit examined some OF the avail
able land and the character OF the soil, but was
not able 10 select any special parcel that would
be most suitable. Sandy soil was found in
abundance in the old moranes, but it will re,
quire more prolonged examination than was
able to glveit 10 ind the best land. am not
even sure whether such viii be found in the val
ieyS north and south of the city or whether arti-
ticial beds made OF material excayated in the
hills VIII be required. But am quite satisfied
that such beds are entirely feasible, and that
they can be made so at a reasonable expense.
TO be on the safe SIDE an estimate OF cost should
be made on the snpposition OF artificial beds.
until natural ground can be found requiring less
extensive preparation.
Regarding the area required with the average
character OF soil that saw in the valley and the
hills think it s safe to estimate that at least CO.,
600 gallons or the sewage OF a thousand persons
be daily Treated on acre. With some prelim-
mary treatment it lie possible to filter larger
amounts. While should advise the purchase of
ample land at the outset perhaps 20 acres it would
not be necessary at first to prepare more than or
acres as this may be all that would be required for
some time.
IIwas stated that the city was geographically
divided into two districts, northerly and south
ery one, but il was lett question whether they
should be treated Independently, or whether the
sewage OF the latter the smaller district, should be
united with that 81 the larger for a combined dis
posa
WAS Informed by some of your members that
the chances for separate treatment OF the south
ern district were not good on account of the alb
sence OF suitable material, AID 1t is probable also
for other reaaons that better results would be OBJ
tanned by concentrating attention ON only one dis
posa plan, aud of carrying the sewage OF the south
ern into the northern district. This can be done
in either o TWO ways, by gravity or by pumping.
A gravity discharge has been suggested by some
engineers IL requires circuitous route and a
the plan prepared by Mr.. f. ) Smith, a member Of
your Society. Examination Of the same reveals
the fact, that the sewage must be intercepted and
carried into the other district, at point consider
ably above the low ground, and that it therefore
does not permanently solve the problem, but
leaves greater difficulty to be met in the future
when enthusiastically the low ground will be utii-
lied The frat cost OF the gravity plan is naturally
greater than that which requires pumping, and
judging from the available, but as yet insufficient
information, for accurate conclusions, it seems as
Ii the cost would even exceed the capitalized sum
of a pumping project. This question should be
further examined into after surveys have been
made and other preliminary work is done. But at
present it appears to me that some method OF
pumping is to be preferred toa gravity discharge.
1t may be accomplished in either of three ways.
pumping station must be built at the lowest
point which it Is desirable tC sewer. Let us say at
James street and Foote'S pond. Were steam used
as power it would be necessary to have storage
tank for the accumulation of sewage during the
night, in order to have but one gang of men to at
tend to the works during the day time. But this
special attendance would be quite expensive in pro-
portion to the small quantity OF sewage that would
point. therefore could not recommend pumping
by steam.
There are two other way of lifling the sewage,
however which do not require SO much attend
ance, the sewage tank to hold the accumulation
of sewage. One method is the use of the so-called
Shone electors, which are automatically operated
by compressed air. BY means of simple arrange
ment the sewage can be forced to the top of the
ridge fast it reaches the ejector and then flow
by gravity to the disposal grounds. These eiec
tors were used to lift the sewage from the build
Al a.. u.
have proved satisfactory there and elsewhere under
proper conditions. The compressed air would have
to have TO be supplied from some part of the city
where compressors could be run day and night,
perhaps at the gas works where men are constantly
in attendance. The additional labor required 10
look after them would be very slight and merely
an occasional inspection of the electors has been
found entirely sufficient.
Another method Of lifting the sewage is by the
use Of pumps operated by electricity, supplied by
wire from suitable point in the city. Such
pumps though little used as yet seem to be adapt
ible to this case, and careful examination should
be made into their merits and relative costs as
compared with the Shone electors. In either case
the cost of maintenance would be comparatively
slight.
Having thus discussed the main points of the
sewerage system which could be recommended to
your city, and having fixed upon certain localities
to which the sewerage must be brought, namely.
the valley of the Whippany Rivsr in the northern
district and provisional site for pumping sta
ton in the southern district remains TO refer to
the general means of delivering the sewage to these
localities.
have examined, as well as the available time
permitted, the main lines for collecting the sewage
OF the city, as marked upon plan in the office of
Mr.. Smith. In the northern district believe
some of the lines could be improved by more rap
idly concentrating the sewage in the larger pipes,
bath for reasons OF economy and efficiency. For
instance, the sewage nom around the Park should
be taken down Water and Spring streets to the
collecting sewer coming from the western part of
the city, instead Of down Morris street In general
the alignment is good one and shows careful
study
In the southern district the pumping main might
possibly deliver mo sewer at the intersection of
Madison st. and Maple ave. The sewage could
then flow down Elm st. TO Morris st., and finally
to the collecting sewer coming from the eastern
pBrt OF the city.
In general, of course, the sewers will follow the
lowest lines upon which there be given suitable
grades. The sizes of the public sewers should
properly range from inches to "a inches in diam
eter, excepting on some steep slopes where 6 inch
pipes might perhaps be sufficient. All sewers
should be laid perfectly straight as to line and
grade between man holes, through which they may
be Inspected.
An estimate of cost, after hasty examination
only be general approximation, largely based up.
survey.
The sewers in the city are estimated to be about
twenty miles in length and would probably cost,
with man holes, Gush tanks aud other appurteR-
ances. not over 100000, excluding rights OF
way and property where the sewers cannot be laid
upon the public highways. Pumping machinery.
tOUether with air eOmnrpesere. mining and force