The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-22

An important communication from
Joseph p. Phillips, city engineer and
A. b. Cunning, street commissioner,
in reference to the Fourth district main
sewer was received by councils Thurs
day night. For want of space it could
not be published in fun in connection
with The Tribune's report of the meet
ings Of councils. The communication
which was referred to the joint streets
ard bridges committee, was, in part,
as follows:
Scranton, Pa, Jan. 90 1895
Gentlemen of Councils: In answer to
your request to examine and report on
the Fourth district main sewer, we de-
sire to state that we have made n thor
ough examination of said sewer, from the
outlet at the Lackawanna river to the
inlet on Poplar street near Johnson's
mines, and beg leave to make the fol-
lowing report. We find considerable dirt
or debris in the sewer, located at diff
ferent places: for the first one hundred
and sixty Q6W feet from the outlet the
sediment is two 90 feet thick in places.
this is caused partly on account of the
culvert under the Delaware and Hudson
This is caused partly on account of the
sewer proper and to the fact that the
flow of the river at low water is on the
west side of the river bed, thus leaving
a bar between the outlet and the flow in
the river especially after all heavy floods.
This blockage at the outlet reduces the
discharging capacity of the sewer about
one fourth ca.
From a point under the Dickson boiler
works to point under Pine street. there
is quite a little sediment; this is due
to a slight sag in tho bottom, but this
is not a serious obstruction
FLOW IS RETARDED.
At Washington avenue there is also
several cubic yards of stones and debris
of all kinds. thus rctarding the flow of
the sewerage at that point. All this sed-
iment or debris should be cleaned out
There are several places where the rip
rap or bottom has been washed out and
should be repaired to prevent further
damage.
The arch at point short distance
west of Washington avenue is slightly
damaged and requires repairing. There
has been some forty holes broken into the
masonry tarch and sidewalks) of this
sewer by private parties for the purpose
of sewcring; none of those holes have
been properly walled around the sewer
pipes (sOme of which extend into the
sewer about IS inches), thus leaving the
masonry in a ragged condition. these
should be fixed. To prevent the accumu-
lation of sediment, etc, at the outlet the
sewer proper should be extended about
50 or 90 feet, and the flow of water in
the river diverted from the west to the
east side of the river bed, so that the
water would, at all times, flow by and
wash the filth from the outlet.
The old arch culvert under Washing
ton avenue is eight feet wide while the
sewer above and below is but four feet
wide. The extra width here is a detri-
ment and retards the flow of sewerage
hence sediment and debris always accu.
mulates at this point This should be
narrowed to correspond in width with
the sewer proper.
To prevent Inconvenience and damages
caused by floods at Washington avenue
and Phelps street, we would recommend
that three direct connections be made
with the sewer at Washington avenue
as recommended by the city engineer tC
your honorable bodies in the following
communication, dated Jan. s. 1897:
COMMUNICATION OF A YEAR AGO
Gentlemen of Councils: In answer to 6
resolution of your honorable bodies di
recting the city engineer to investigate
the cause of the flooding, during and fol
lowing showers, of the street and side
walks on Washington avenue, near the
Fourth district main sewer, | beg to re-
port as follows | find water shed ly
ing east of said avenue of about l6
acres, improved and unimproved, all sew
cred. There are built on this water sheC
scme AZ basins. should any or all OF
these be blocked, some or all of the wat
er that should be received by them flow!
down to the point mentioned on Wash
ington avenue, and on account of tn,
inability of the present arrangements a
that point to convey the enormous flow
into the sewer, hence the cause of tn,
flooding. Some of the basins mentioned
are covered with from two to three fee
of dirt, others especially through the oper
fields cannot receive any, or their pro
portionate share of the flow for tn,
reason that there are no cutters to con
vey the water to them
| would recommend as a partial rem
edy that the two basins now built OF
Washington avenue, near the said mair
sewer, be made direct connections by
taking out the traps; also that the Pal
mer trap on the west side of said ave
nue., over the sewer, be taken out anC
a large direct connection be made OF
east side of the avenue. All of thes,
improvements can be made for a sun
not to exceed $780, and should be ATTENDED
to at once.
| walked through the main sewer from
Johnson's breaker to the river, and from
my experience / assure you that ther,
will not be any obnoxious stencil car
ried out to the street on account O.
these improvements.
As a further remedy property owner,
should be compelled to pave the gutter!
in front of their respective proportion.
as soon as possible, thus assisting tt
convey the water into the basins anC
also prevent washing so much dirt int
and blocking up the basins at every
storm. Very respectfully
Joseph p. Phillips,
City Engineer.