The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-02-17
SYDNEY's SCENT BOTTLE.
A Monumental Outlet for a City's
Sewer Gases.

exists in Sydney, Australia. The shaft
itself is not of an unusual sort, but,
while it is unique ornament to the
community in which it stands, it is also
the most precious and the least under
stood of all structures in the great
southern city. e.. :. T.
This odd spire has no inscription upon
it. It is as plain as mon olith, with, a
plinth and a slightly elevated pedestal.
Facetious people who are not: versed
in sewerage and sewer gas call it the
"scentbotte." Strangers scan it, strain
at its unlettered faces, carry their vi
sion up its plain sides to the pinnacle,
which stands about $50 feet above the
street level, and wonder what notable
person or event it commentaries.
Three-fourths of the people of Sydney
have not the remotest idea of what this
modified Neopatra's needle. represents.
This "scent bottle" commentaries
sewer gas, and it stands as monument
to the people who are not killed by that
vile subterranean agency.
AS it has no other name, :"scent bot
tle' will serve with which to designate
it here, since the nickname somewhat
symbolizes it's business. This lonely
column stands on Elizabeth street in
a small circle against Hyde park.
Around it are Gordon of low, round
headed posts at short distances and
chained to each other by strong traces
upon which the park 1oafer and small
boys lounge. None of these thousands
of people ever think that the tall spire
in the unique circle is the safest .frie nd
they and the city have Take it away,
close the 1s-foot square hole, and in less
than "a hours the whole country about
would be strewn with wreckage and the
air filled with foul, poisonous gases:
Remove it and leave the hole open, then
in less than day the lower city would
be unfit for habitation. The great
sewers of the city have their vent here.
They come. down with their filth and
deadly gases, throw the latter of
through this shaft, join the main sewer
and carry the remaining sewage on
over the high bluffs of :Hawkesbury
sandstone to the sea.
The "scent bottle" sits over this meet
ing of the waters and draws off the foul
gases from the burdened pipes below.
1t is hollow, of course, and has an open.
ing at the top which is not perceptible
to the eye upon the ground. Through
it's great throat the underground city
breathes and all the sewers of the city
are relieved. The ''bottle," being near
~ 200 feet high, rises above any inhab.
tied house in the city, and the rushing
sewers giving the gas a forced draft
shoot it many feet above the top of
this great gray chimney, whence this
dangerous aeriform fluid is carried
away, so that il. never reaches human
being. This perpendicular gas sewer
was built before 1880. It feeds the ele-
ments daily with enough foul stuff to
kill good-sized city or to blow Glib
raltar into atoms. Since it's construc-
ton at their junction. there has not
been one explosion along the long line
of ramified sewers which converge
toward this point. The scent bottle"
is not an eyesore. Its business is so dis
gused that it is an object of beauty,
and it is readily mistaken for a real
monument. Indeed, it is the biggest,
most conspicuous and picturesque of
all the notable monuments j: in: New
South Wales, of which Sydney is the
capital. Hyde park is the loveliest por-
ton of the heart of this beautiful city
OF 100000 people, and this huge pillar
at one OF it's chief gateways is in keep
ing with the other extravaganza with
which wealth. and proAigate govern
ment have eneircledsand adorned this
superb park. The Sydney '*scent bot
tie is not an expensive structure. 1t
is suggested to other cities in other
parts Of the world as vertical lungs for
the. safety Of sewers and the nervous
populace who tramp thereon in thepur.
suit. Of other things.-Chicago Inter
Ocean. &.5t..v,..~'- - -. - = &