The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-03-06

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age, but is stiIl free to choose and
adopt the best.
Sanitary engineering is prOgre--
sive science and has made immense
strides in the last two decades.
/ presume there are many large
cities that would be glad TO occupy
our position of freedom TO choose, but
they are in a sense handicapped by
the expensive system to which they
are already committed.
Take the city of Paris, for instance.
In that vast metropolis the system in
use, is the result of growth from and
adaptation of works and methods that
are heirloOms from the hoary past,
with a result that is anything but
satisfactory.
Says Mr.. Waring, ("Sewerage and
land drainage" p. 900 and 222) 'Much
has been said and written about the
majestic sewers of Paris. Viewed
solely as underground cOnduits of well
constructed masonry the main sewers
of this city are indeed majestic, and
all of the recent work has been ex
ecuted with rare skill Concerning
the lateral sewers, especially those OF
old construction the same cannot be
sail. The main "cOlIecteur" under
the Rue de RivOli, which 10 the source
of the impressions that the casual
traveller brings away concerning
these works, is periodically cleansed
and whitewashe0, and on certain
DAYS, when everything is in order, it
is entered by few favored visitors.
I have never seen this sewer, but L
have walked for some miles through
other important sewers of Paris, Wad
ing nearly to my knees in sluggish
filth, and then bringing away d some
what different impression from that
made on the "favored visitors"
The knowledge thus gained has
been supplemented by official reports
and by conversations with engineer
of the city since then, aud esp cially
by the discussions of the Sanitary
Commission that was charged with
the formulating of recommendations
for tue improvement of the general
sanitary condition of the city of Paris.
Ny conclusion is that the only lesson
to be learned from these sewers is q
caution against the repetition of
similar works elsewhere.
AS sewers, they perform in very
slight degree the duty which [ have
been taught to regard as a most inn
portaut one. While they remove
rain water aud a large volume of
water derived from the cOpious wash
ing of the surface of the streets, they
are in relatively few cases connected
in any manner with the fOuler drains
of houses. The cesspUol system is
still substantially universal, and the
wastes of water closets, etc, are al
most entirely stored in them, with
the general result of making Paris far
from cleanly or healthy.
The Sanitary Com mission have re-
commended extensive improvements
anu notifications of the sewer sys
tenn, which have not yet been put in
to execution, and which, when fully
carried out, will still leave much to
be desired"
The sewerage of London, which,
like that of Paris, is the combined
system, Is also the growth of genera
lions. "It Includes" says Mr.. War
ing, ian enormous amount of old
work much of it very bad" The in
tercepttug sewers which faux each
side of the Thames and conduct the
immense volume of sewage to Barking
and Crossness, about twelve miles
below London Bridge, together with
the pumping and discharging works
alone represent an Investment or
about $50, 100000.
Yet the outcome of the system Is
no better than in Paris. The situation
in THESE cities may be compared to
tatiou which has built up plant
at al enormous expense and too late
wakes up to the fact that it Is not
satisfactory, not economical; to con-
tinue with the same plant Involves
great waste, and to throw away and
try again is a matter of enormous eX
pense.
The Separate system of Sewerage.
lat The prime feature of this sys-
tenn Is that rain and storm water are
excluded from the sewer pipes intend
ed for the transportation OF sewerage
proper.
This method avoid, first, the embar-
rass ment which is seen to arise from
the entrance of earth, sand and coarse
rubbish into the sewer pipes, ana
the obstruction, or stOppages, RESULT
ing therefrom. a.,
1t would follow of course from the
introduction of the separate system
that definite provision would nave Lo
be made for the removal OF SURFACE
anu storm water, these being denied
admission to the sewer pipes OF the
separate system.
Authorities on the subject assure
US, however, that the problem Oh
making separate provision for TINS
waste water is attended with less OH
ficulty than when it is poured into the
same conduits with sewage proper
If proper attention is given to paw
ing AMI putting into solid condition
the cutters of our streets these may
without dptrimeut be relied upon TO
carry off large part of the storm
water in the future as they have In
the past.
There eau be no doubt however that
short sewers for storm water WAL De
needed here and there.
This is an enormous gain.
I'd. AS result OF this excursion o'
storm water and the waste of the
streets il has been found possible to