The Iola register., 1901-12-13

different parts OF the country and ex-
plain the new method. lola is the
first town west of the Mississippi to
take up the new system.
The plan is simple and as one man
said when it was explained to him, il
"looks too good to be true" The
sewer system will be constructed Just
like any other sewer system. The
basins are only means of disposing
of the sewage. Tanks are constructed
in the ground at such a level that the
sewage from the mains can flow freely
int. them Across the tops of the
tanks cross walls are built which do
not reach to the bottom. The extra
flow of water can thus pass out, while
the solid parts of the sewage, floating
on top, are caught between the divid-
ing walls. A fungus growth is splanted
in these collections OF filth and the
fungus eats and disintegrates the sol
i'd bodies, Transforming them into a
harmless, almost odorless fluid SO
rapid is the work of this fungus that 1t
destroys the sewage as fast as it ac-
eummulates in the tops of the basins
and the liquid resulting from the des-
truction passes out below.
In addition to the effectiveness of
this system is the small cost of con-
structing and of operating. Thetanks
keep up their work night and day.
No engineer is needed, and the only
use for pumping plant would be to
guard against back flow in the time
of high water. The cost of the septic
tanks would be less than 1900 it is
estimated and the expenses of caring
for them but nominal Only once in a
long time do the basins have to be
cleaned.
MIR. Terrent, engineer Burns and
Prof f. o. Marvin agree that the sys-
tenn is effective. The lay of thel land
here is adapted to it, and the city
council will probably at tonight $
meeting take active steps toward
adopting and putting into use this
modern system.
In his report made in this paper
some time ago Prof. Marvin, of the
State University, thus spoke of the
effectiveness of the septic basins:
use is made of several species OF
bacteria, which are simple, very
small, low forms of plant life, that at
tack the organic matter, break up all
organic solids and turn it all into
the harmless mineral form Of intro
gen. The septic tank is basin
through which the sewage is continu-
ously flowing. q In this are found con-
ditions favorable to the rapid growth
and development of vast numbers of
those bacteria that first attack the
solid organic matter, break it up and
put it into solution. Paper. faces.
vegetable and animal refuse all dis
appear with only a very slight deposit
on the bottom of mineral substance or
highly resistant organic matter The
eGfiuent from this tank is free from
solids but strongly foul and impure
and needs further treatment by the
filters. There are simply beds OF
sand, gravel, clinker or other coarse
material about four feet thick through
which the tank eiliuent slowly passes.
These are usually made lin groups OF
threes, so that one may be filling, one
empty ing and one resting. These are
used internationally because the
bacteria cultivated. and used there to
still further change the organic mat
ter to its stable mineralized form re.
quire oxygen, which is furnished from
t..e air drawn into a bed during its
resting period"
The system seems in every way
efficient, being cheap, suited to this
town, and effective. There will besno
odor from the basins and the outflow
into the stream which receives itswil
. be odorless and harmless. 1t is in
line with Iola's up-to-date methods OF
business that she should adopt the
latest. most modern and satisfactory
discovery in sewer construction.
After the plan is adopted the coun'
Gil expects to push construction a
once.
ADOPTED THE SYSTEM
The city attorney reported on the
erroneous assessment of lot 3, BLOCK
9, and the council ordered that a re
bate receipt be given the county treas
urer for the item OF sidewalk instruc
tion.
Tie police judges report on the ap
plication of Fitzgerald to get Out o.
jail was read, but no action taken
He has been in jail two weeks TO
soliciting money on the street while
drunk. He wants out to go to work
The Public Improvement conmitte
reDOrted on the condition of the DeS