The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-09
DELAYS IN HOUSE DRAINAGE.
WATER SAND 4 HARD PROBLEM TO
DEAL WITH.

Has Mnde the Progress on CASTOR
street Very SIow-EIsevheFe the
work Is Progressing Rapidly an6
a Large Portion of the system WIN
soon Re in Readiness for Use.
Compulsory Connection Not to lie
Required This summer, But Per-
mission to Connect May lie Given
in Some Cases.
The house drainage work on Castor
street. which the city desired TO push as
rapidly as possible, has proved the most
difficult portion of the work Obstruc-
tons of various kinds were met with from
the moment the line was started from
East Broad street, and as a consequence
progress has been very slow. It is moi ex-
peoted now that the Castor street sewer
will be carried further than Bull street this
season.
To reach Castor street 1t was necessary
to go through Davis street from East
Broad, This is narrow street anyway,
but the difficulty was greatly increased by
the fact that water main runs through
the street al a depth of about six feet.
The water main was just over the line OF
the sewer trench and though every pre-
caution was exercised to keep it in place
several breaks occurred. deluging the
trench and greatly interfering with the
work.
After the line reached Castor street
proper and the trench machine was put
to work it was thought that rapid pro-
gress would be made, but the contrary
has been the case. Much TO the surprise
Of the engineers not on'y was a great deal
of water met with but an apparently in
exhaustible bed of what is called water
sand" This water sand combines the
undesirable qualities, from an engineering
standpoint, of both water and qucksand.
Considerable quicksand was met with on
East Broad street. and but little difficult
~ was met with in keeping it out of
the trenches by using straw to stuff the
crevices between the sheet piling.
This remedy has proved valueiess in
dealing with the water sand. 1t pours
through the interstices of the straw, and
the workmen declare that it will run
through pinhole by the bucketful. 1t is
as fluid as water and as shifty and eva
sive as quicksand and altogether, has
proved most troublesome problem. When
1t Is considered that the CASTOR street
trench is very narrow one. and that 1t
Is carried to a depth of II to IS feet the
difficulties of the work can be better I'M
derstood. II has been found necessary on
account of this sand to make the excava-
ton by layers, driving a separate row OF
piling with each layer. Even then the
workmen have difficulty in getting in the
pipe ahead of the sand which has no
more regard for board walls than so much
water. The treacherous nature of the
sand is shown by the fact that along "a
portion of the street the piling has sunk
TO a depth of two or three feet below
the surface, causing the soil to give way
as far as the curb line.
The slow progress of the work has kept
the trench machine stretched across Hab-
ersham street longer than was anticipat-
ed, making 1t necessary for the street
railway 20 transfer passengers at this
point. The Inconvenience will be even
greater when the machine reaches Aber-
corn street
Elsewhere than on CASTOR street the
house drainage work is making very sat
.sfactory progress. Flush tanks are be
ing put in at the heads of the lateral
sewers and il is expected to have prac-
tically the entire eastern and south side
sections complete and in readiness for
use by May /, with the exception of such
minor work as will not conflict with the
ordinance against upturning the soil. 1t
IS unders TODD, however, that It is not
proposed to make connection with the
new system compulsory upon the proper
ty owners until fall, because of sanitary
ana other reasons. Property owners on
the south side who al present have no
sewerage connections win be permitted
to make connections and so viii probably
parties making new improvements else
where along the completed portion of the
system. The terms of the ordinance reg
ulating this matter are now being con-
sidered by the House Drainage Committee.
The large outlet sewer on the Gordon
wharf was slightly damaged by the heavy
freShet which poured over II several
weeks ago, while the work was still
fresh. An examination by Engineer
Chapman and Director of Public Works
Gadsden showed that no serious damage
had been done. though IL was decided
that II would be well to brace the sewer
with iron rods. 1t is believed that when
the cement sets the sewer will be in no
further danger from freshets.