The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-11-24
HONOLULU SEWER
Admirable System Being
Put in Place.
Description OF "a wo,k That w . be
OF Vast SANITARY Bsnvtit 10
Tn,s Cny.

iection with the system OF sewerage
the city can be better appreciated
fer visit to he reservoir and pump
ing site mt Kakaako.
The average person sees only gang
y men In the various streets OF the
city. engaged in cutting n trench with
many branches, and an occasional large
circular hole. and burying therein long
ines Of ironstone piping of diame;ers
ranging from eight ten and twelve
inches.
These pipes all have gradual slope
and increase in diameter as they APP
proach Punchbowl street. where they
connect with the main sewer This lat
.er, is twenty-four inches in diameter.
md is solid cement and concrete
pipe leading to concrete screen
house which receives all heavy matter
and in turn connects with the reservoir
proper by two strong and heavy iron
gates. which are operated by the use
of handwheels placed above ground.
The reservoir is a solid concrete and
cement faced pit, 100 feet square and
Is feet deep. Its walls, floor and root
are thirty-six inches thick and its roof
is supported by massive pillars, placed
eight feet apart. A thick coating OF
earth is spread over the roof and turi
is to cover everything from sight.
On the mauka and Waikiki corner
is the site for the pumps, and through
them the sewage is conveyed ava!
out to sea, a distance Of $500 feet from
the reservoir.
One of the most interesting portions
of the great work, is in the arrange
the first 1900 feet, the sewage is car
ried through ironstone piping, twen-
ty-iour inches in diameter, which con-
meets with wrought iron pipes of the
same diameter. encased in concrete for
| the remainder of the distance to the
mouth of discharge, which is just 100
feet below the surface of the water.
In reply to remark that the pipes,
as being laid throughout the city,
seemed small for the purpose. Mr. ].
II. Belser, who is experimenting tht
construction of the work, stated tina
1t has been found by experience, tina
small pipes were better than large ones
and pointed out that at the dead end
OF every sewer Is flush tank, which
contains 300 gallons OF water and works
automatically, discharges this quantity
OF water at stated periods and keeps
the pipes clear of distractions, and
again, al every 200 or 300 feet of pip
ing Is placed manhole, which may b.
used should the flush tanks fail, thougN
experience has proven their absolute
reliability in this direction. AS tnv
work progresses, branches are carried
from what may be termed the limbs o
the sewer, that is, the pipes through
The streets to the roadside and securely
lcapped, 50 that no difficulty may be eS.
perienced in connecting the housee
No bands are put In, but ut ever.
corner is placed a cistern. and w t1is
means the danger OF obstruction +.
min!mized.
The system for the present, embrace.
all the city area between the water
front and Beretania street and R'vel
and Alapai streets, although the KIM
street line will b. carried as Iar d,
Thomas square,
As 10 when the work VIII be com
pleted Mr.. Belser estimates the lengtl
OF time 10 finish the ground work 4
five months, and, reckoning on anothe
three months for the power mouse. cree
lion of machinery, etc, places the dat,
Of operation at between eight and min,
months from now. He considers tn,
Honolulu system about the best he ha
been engaged upon. His firm Is a
work upon two other contracts al III,
same time. and both in California. on,
at jacksonville, draining some iifteeI
miles OF property, and the other a. Rec
Bluff with total OF about eleven mile
Of pipe. Al three systems were de
lslgned by Herring, who Is considered
the ablest man In the States AT sucl
business,
II Is interesting To observe the miNe'
faces at work side by side In th'
\ trenches, Apsr.eans, British, Hawai-
ans, Gali>mns, Portuguese, Negroes
laps C.inese and representatives. o.
lmiapA, and the South Sea islands Al
sagN well and silently, for converse
Ion under tho circumstances Is some
what dlfhcult About eighty men ar
employed In lhe various sangs and Ih
contractors, Messra Vincent and liel
} isr speak highly 81 their work