The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-03-04

sitting to absorb the moisture and
deodoriZe the whole mass. When
properly managed this method has
great advantages.
Experience proves that the same
earth may be used over and over
again without offense, and, if care
fully and intelligently carried out,
the result is highly satisfactory, and
the product when finally removed, Is
a dry and inoffen-ive fertilizer that
has certain economic value.
The rationale of the dry earth
method is to be explained by the fact
that the putrescible matter, from be-
ing thoroughly exposed to the air con-
tanned in the inteIsticeS between the
particles of dry earth undergo perfect
oxidation, and therefore decompOse
without offence.
In Germany dry peat-mOss is eX-
tensively used instead of dry earth for
this same purpose and meets with
great favor.
End. The Pail System. In this sys-
tenn the excreta are received in pals
or tubs, which are removed at inter
walls varying from one day to q week.
This system is used III many large
cities in Europe; but in spite of the
fact that it is advocated by eminent
authorities, / cannot recommend it for
trial in Honolulu.
Under the strictest regulations and
under the constant supervision and
inspection OF the health and police
authorities, it seems quite certain that
this system would very soon be voted
an intOlerable nuisance by every in
telligent person in this community.
[ only mention it to condemn it.
Grd. To obviate the necessity of the
l. in
paiI-system, Water-tight cess pools
are sometimes used They are made
of such size as to hold the accumula-
ton of considerable period. The
nuisance of emptying them is some
what abated by the use of what is
called an odOrless eXcavator.
This is nothing more than an air
tight tank mounted on wheels. The
contents of the cess-pool, when full,
are forced by atmospheric pressure, or
pumped into the tank and the whole
mass is then carted away with little,
if any, Oftense
A modification of this system is the
one generally used in this town OF
Honolulu.
For a number of years past there
has been growing sensitiveness in
the public mind in regard to. the pre-
vaIent method of dealing with house
hold waste and sewage, and a con-
viction has come to this community
that in this matter We are not doing
the right thing, that we are in fact
SHINING against the laws of health
and laying ourselves open to the en-
trance of disease.
Without being an alarmist, it seems
to me as a student of health prob
lens, that this conviction is based on
solid grounds, and that it is high time
to look into the matter, and to seek a
wise solution of this question.
For better understanding of the
matter, let US consider the situation
and see wherein our present method
is at fault, and how it may be
amended.
The town of Honolulu, with its
population of about 10000 souls, is
situated on asloping plain that ex-
tends from the leeWard side of the
foot hills of the KOnahuanui noun
tains to the sea. Below King street
the surface is nearly level aud but
few feet above high tide" (See
Especial Report on the Sewerage of
Honolulu" by q. F. Allardt, G. e.
1900
Even above King street, that is on
it's mauka side, brackish water is
often reached at a depth of not more
than three feet.
The soil on which the town stands
is generally porous alluvlum, or red
earth resting on an unduIating sub
stratum of black, volcanic sand, or on
an irregular coral reef, which often
protrudes above the surface at a
height sometimes of ten or. twelve
feet above tide-level. In some places
there exist pockets of alluvium which
Tn NNln
the alluvial surface rests on a close
tenacious red earth, that packs like
clay The coral formation, where il
exists, often, though not always,
abounds in seams and assures that
doubtless communicate with the ocean
and are subject more or less to tidal
action.
Now Honolulu has no sewers to
speak of, and the practice that has for
many years obtained is to plant vault
and cesspools wherever needed, de
pending upon their being occasional
ly pumped out by the odorless ex
cavatOr, or upon filtration through
the porous stratum of black sand or
coral.
The sides of these vaults are loosely
planked and their bottoms left open
so that both the underlying strata, of
whatever formation, and the sur
soil as well, soon becomes
saturated with putrescent fluids.
The idea has been that we could,
with fair degree of safety, depend on
the disinfecting power of earth, sand
and coral to act as an immense filter,
to purify our waste and sewage, or,
failing that, to pass them to the
ocean.
Now the function which earth per
forms as q disinfectsnt is almost en-
tirely mechanical. 1t accom- plishes
this end by virtue of being divided in
to small fragments, and because the
particles of the filth are brought in
contact with the oxygen of the air
that fills the interstices between these
Particles of glass or sand
would serve the purpose as well as
earth.
But the oxygen does not act direct
ly; it supports a multitude of minute
called bacteria, and these
are the agents that do the work Of pu