The morning times., 1896-07-26
SEWERS RUINED BY ROOTS
Masses Of Tendrils Obstruct
the Flow In Many Places.
NO WAY TO AVOID IT
Joints In the Pipes Leave Openings
Through which They Creep and
Grow-Imperfect Work DisclOsed
by the Investigations Of the De-
partment.

| The employees of the District engineer
department, in their search for iDpedi-
ments to the flow of sewage through the
| conduits, report that the greatest trouble
arises from the growth OF tree roots.
| Many sewers, which would otherwise re-
main serviceable for years are SO damaged
from this cause that they have to be re-
placed at great cost.
Not long ago "a section of ever pipe was
taken out, which wus completely closed
by a mass OF roots that had extended their
ramifications for distance, ,of thirty feet
| or more. sstr
A single root, the officers say, will
creep through a crevice an eighth OF an
inch wide or less, and when once inside
will grow and accumulate its tendrils
Indefinitely until finally the flow Of sewage
stops, and an Investigation has to be made.
Pipes ten inches in diameter have been
completely choked by this process.
As entrances for these roots are found
at intervals OF about ten feet in all pipe
sewers, the damage done in many sections
is very great, and the Commissioners are
now confronted with the necessity of i'm
mediately replacing many sewers in almost
every section of the city.
HARD TO AVOID THEM.
The frequency OF these distractions is
accounted for by Assistant Commissioner
Beach by the statement that, owing to the
width of the streets and the expensivepave-
ments, 1t has been necessary to place most
OF the pipe sewers in the sidewalks, where
they are nearest to and most exposed to
the action OF the tree roots.
This condition of affairs, he also says,
renders necessary In sewers now built
a degree OF perfection that would be ex-
travagance In most cities. When they
are at all exposed, the roots will penetrate
by natural progression, and entail sec
ond item of expense almost as much In
the aggregate as it would cost to lay
new sewer, for while the roots are cut
out when found and removed. the relief
is but temporary. In a comparatively
short time the work has to be done over.
A singular fact is also developed in
these explorations in respect to the char
acter OF q large part OF the contract
work of past years.
The larger part OF the old sewers, for
example, are SO crooked that the investi-
cations can only be extended few feet
from the maDhole, and the obetructions
cannot be removed without removing the
pipe and replacing it.
sLIPsHOD WORK.
Some OF them are described as having
been carelessly Jointed, the pipe having
been laid in the bottom OF the trench with
out regard to whether or not 1t occupied
its proper position. Others lack proper
gradient OF the bottom of the trench, the
grade having been tested at intervals Of
one hundred feet and guessed at for the
intervening space.
1t is stated, also, that many sewers
were built wholly at the convenience OF
the contractor, and where an obstacle,
such as a boulder or stump, wasencountered
in course OF construction, the sewer was
laid around 1t OF over it, many sections
resembling a rail fence on undulatiDg
ground.
In concluding an observation upon this
point, Capt. Beach said:
"This work was all done by contract,
and as the District had but one inspector
to each section OF the city, who was sup
posed 10 loo after all operations Of
building, street paving and sewers in his
section, it is not surprising that con-
tractors could do work pretty much As
they pleased. 1t may be a matter of con
graduation that but one sewer, that on
the east side of Twenty-first street north
west, between N and o streets, was paid
for and never found"