The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-16


But to return to our present nronos,,,or
we md that there are three loeationS
aVaiiaDle Tor the construction OF the CEN
tral pumping station, namely: parins q
Cortes property, near the Missouri Kan
sas and Texas depot. the old aour nil
properly at the corner OF Third and Rail-
road streets, and the McGowen foundry
property on Railroad street, between Thru
ana fourtn. The estimate is based upon
we most expensive of these sites, but al
THIS time, the precise determination Of the
best location is not essential to the true
conception OF the scheme as a whole The
nuildlngs are designed to be neat and at
tractlve and TO be credit to the neiebhor
MOOD In which they are located The hn,Id
ings and the machinery therein are annie
capacious TO handle sewage many times
IN excess of the present flow. From an
examination Of the plan. It Will he seen
mat practically the entire city and much
OF the territory outside of the city can
ne led by gravity to the central pumninp
station When we get beyond the limits
OF the district which flows by gravity IN
the pumping station we begin series Of
pumping districts. as shown. in which the
sewage Is all conveyed to a central tank
wnere automatic electric pumps are in
stalled, which derive their power from the
main central station transmitted over wire
The sewage is lifted from these tanks and
forced INTO the nearest gravity sewer.
ihose sub pumping districts will perhaps
NOT nave to be constructed for long time
with the exception OF the one which drains
tne territory in the southwest portion of
the city, known as the Fair View add
tlon. which Is built up and is greatly In
need OF sewerage facilities The size OF
these sub-pumpng districts, as shown on
the plan is merely tentative as we have
not had time to determine positively their
economic proportions. This however, In
no way interferes with the general plan of
sewers design.
In the design of the piping system proper
have succeeded in utilizing practically all
OF the existing sanitary sewers and some
OF the private sewers can be used to good
advantage.
me scheme, as designed, removes all
sewage from the bayou, and while it gives
sewerage facilities TO the entire city |
would recommend the construction of only
as many of the main sewers at this time
as is necessary to intercept the sewage now
flowing into the bayou, excepting, OF
course. In special cases.
Referring again to the pumping station.
the plans and estimates contemplate a
perfectly up-to-date plant, with the most
economical machinery and contrivances to
secure the greatest efficiency, and at the
least annual expense for operation. There
is no possibility that the construction OF
this pumping station at the point selected
can become nuisance to the surrounding
property, as the sewage is never exposed
to view. 1t discharges into a pump we'll
and is instantly forced through an air-tght
and water-tight cast iron force main and
led away FIVE miles from the city and
spread over twenty acres of prepared sand
oh ,rrbfp oh hn
and comes out from the bottom pure and
limpid Nor does the matter intercepted
by the sand beds become offensive, because
when this is exposed to the air, and the
sun (the former always present In large
quantities in the sand) the impurities are
actually burned up and destroyed. These
filter beds are no experiment. but have
been in successful operation in this country
and in Europe.
While the government demands that
the sewage be removed from the bayou, Il
is we'll to give a more pointed reason why
| it should be removed. Since my engage
ment some months ago, l have made exam
| nations and close observation OF what be-
comes of the sewage of the city which is
discharged into the bayou. | find from
actual tests made that 80 per cent of all
the sewage is still in 1t and is located be-
tween the juncture of White Oak bayou
and the International and Great Northern
bridge 1t is imprisoned there. When we
think that only small percentage Of the
people are now using sewers. we can con
ceive of the foulness of the bayou in time
to come, II all the people used 1t as a place
of deposit for their sewage.
Houston Is very healthy town, natur-
ally so on account of its proximity to the
| gulf and its elevation. The evil effects
which may come from the bayou, trus
| they never will, will not come gradually
and thus give the necessary warning, bu
1 must come as an epidemic, as thief in the
night. The consequences of such a catas'
! trophe would be wide reaching, and it:
damage financially would be ncalculable.
| The removal OF the sewage from the
bayou will obviate all source OF danger from
this cause and considering the importance
of the question to every citizen Of Houston
! the estimated cost of $780, 900 can not b.
| considered an eXtravagant figure. We art
| paying hundreds of thousands of dollars
/ 1or paving and beliye it a profitable invest
ment. The Importance OF removing tn,
sewage from the bayou in sanitary man
ner will prove an Infinitely more profitable
/ investment than paving,
Tho estimated cost of $3.50, 000 includes
the construction of all sewers and appur
tenances necessary TO concentrate the sew
age OF the city at one point the construe
ton of the central power station, with tn
necessary engines, pumps, boilers, con
deusers, economzers, electrical equipment
Tor transmitting power to the snh-pump
I ing stations the construction OF the on
SUB pumping station now required in TN
Southwestern part of the city togetne
! with the necessary wiring therefor, /
further includes the construction of $500
feet of "A inch cast iron force main, 4
conduct the sewage to point beyond IN
! city where land can be secured at reason
able figures. II includes all cost for pre-
pairing intermittent Altration beds and tn
purchase OF sufficient land to properly pur
ify the sewage
1t is safe to say that with these improve
ments constructed and plan prepared 10
the ultimate extension OF the system for
radius of four miles around the city, tina
the continued healthfulness OF the city
Houston is secured beyond the possiolllt
OF doubt Respectfully submitted,
Alexander Potter.
Referred to sewer committee.
The sewer committee reported favorabl
upon Engineer Potter's plans and recon
mendations and recommended that step
be taken to Immediately advertise
election to authorize the issuance of $500
600 in bends for the purpose Adopted.
The annual report of the chief OF poilc
! was submitted.
T-4a.-