The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-13

TO the solution of the problem in
question. Your excellency will re.
call the physical appearance of Glenn
son, its hills and valleys, and the
relative distances and positions of
the various buildings Taking the
college building as center, it will
be observed that the watershed Of
tho hill upon which it stands causes
part of the storm water to flow
north to the river, west to the bar
racks and south and east through a
gradually developed valley, round
and about the dairy and into the ra &.
vino on the east, north and southern
sides. On the northern edge of tho
ravine, in the valley, is located tho
dairy, building probably SO feet
square The site upon which it
stands had been a small pond which
had been filled in with debris of var
liable character organic and morgan
ic and had been partially tiled drain
cd. Between the dairy and the alb
rupt hills north there is a small
space in which two springs rise. Tho
larger spring was said to become
muddy after rain, and accordingly
it had been enclosed with brick on
three sides. The smaller spring, be-
side tho door of tho dairy, is includ-
cd in q casing of impervious mater
ial about two feet in length by one
foot in width. This spring somo-
times becomes milky and is used ex-
clusively in preparing the products
of the dairy. The day of our arriv-
al it rained heavily, and the next
morning we traced tho storm water
from the adjacent hills over and
around the imperfectly constructed
storm ditch, besides the spring and
upon the limited area occupied by
the dairy. On the surrounding hills
over which the storm water flows are
open privies to which no especial at
tention had been given, and tho con-
tents of which must be washed by
each recurring rain into the valley
and thence into the ravine.
Your committee, in continuance of
their duty, examined the barracks,
which they found defective in loca-
ton, in construction, in ventilation
and in it's system of sewerage. Mois-
ture is an essential element in the
process of organic decomposition in
the soil by which mysterious and
dangerous products arc evolved, heat
and moderate supply Of air being
necessary to this process. In the
construction of dwelling the sani-
tiarian adopts tho most efficient
means for excluding dampness from
the foundation walls and from the
basement floors, for protecting the
soil from impurities and to render it
dryer by underground drainage and
by opening the out flow. To prevent
the pollution of the ground air is OF
Importance, and it is to be accom-
plished by removing the source oi
contamination; by facilitating the
natural process Of puritication and
by relieving the overtaxod powers OF
the soil, by drainage and storation
In the second place protective
measures must be resorted to for ad.
ditional security. Be it remem
bored that cellars as usually con.
structod do not constitute a barriol
to the escape Of air from the sub
soil, and this is especially SO il
buildings which are heated artific
tally, in which case thore is super
added a suction force created by the
ascending raritied air. While it il
impossible to prevent the aoration O
ground air, it can by suitable devices
be diverted into other and less hurt
ful channels, and it's dangerous in
huenco minimized.
The foundation walls and tn.
basement flooring of the entire build
ing should rest upon bod Of imper
vious material, and should have .
ventilating chamber under the entire
surface Of the cellar floor separated
from the basement by an intervening
pavement. The chamber should b'
connected with chimney nuo t
} carry off the ground air which rise