The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-06-14
VENTILATION or VAULT
is NECESSARY TO PREVENT CITY
RECORDS FURTHER DAMAGE.
Proposition to Make Charges for Fire
Service Beyond City Lirits-Sew-
ersge Punpo OVerhauled

In view of the present damp condition of
lhe former treasurers vault In the old
market building, It is suggested that the
door he left oren FOR several hours eacn
AaF' under guard Of competent watch
man, and that the documents aud volumes
he cleaned and put In as good shape as
possible. Some ventilation must he at once
secured or further damage VIII be done
IN rms connection, Il is singular coincl.
uehcc mat complaints should be made ut
galveston OF the damp condition of the
Guy treasurers vault in that city stimuli
iaheouSy with the publication here. Az.
cnorts to yentiiate it have proved abortiye
FIRE DEPARTMENT SERVICE.
II Is being remarked that the Houston
hrc department frequently makes runs out
side Of the city limits and In case of
o''Fms from several OF the large manufac
lAlHs plants the department responds. II
p.UgettS Wltnin the city limits is threat.
rnru ny outside fires this may be ncces
S"lN pfecautlop, but II II Is only the nron
crS OF independent corporations without
me city limits, Sit is suggested by one of
thr city administration that the citv's nro
lection should not be given witnout a pprc
arranged schedule of charges. For Instance
me answering of an alarm whether the de'
uar lmeht Is called upon for work or rot
costs the city a fixed sum and shouid he
Iairly compensated II Department mn.
paratus is employed in extinguishinE hrt :
d" Vu"ise covering cost of operation and
Mtat ana tear of material should be made.
IL should DC borne In mind that while inc
department apparatus is engaged In lauda.
ne work without the city limits propprty
inside is loft unprotected. Tbe same
SnIahHr SAM that II the suburbs wished
Cly ure protection they should become a
part OF the city and contribute TO the cost
OF department maintenance
THE Pumps TESTED.
For The brst time since the new admins
tration took possession of city AFFAIRS. the
sewerage pumps were put in successful
operation IN he presence of an aldermanic
committee. The huge tank was filled with
water from White Oak bayou, which oper-
alton took fifteen minutes. Then the pow.
erinl pumps were applied and the vast vol.
nme OF water was pumped through the
lo'on feet Of twenty four.inch pipe to the
inter beds. II Rook only ten minutes for
the pumps to empty the tank. How much
of 1t reached the hltcr beds will be known
Wheh the man on duty at the farther cnd
OF inc 9ipe makes his report. 1t is known |
1uut mere are leaks In this pipe, but the !
eAt'n' can not he determined until further |
""n numerous tests can be made,
Al sewage now passes Into the bayou
~ MllHm street through the relief outlet
from the Milan street and Commerce ave. |
nue. sewers. The sewage of the Washing. |
,uu avenue system flows into White OAK |
station 'f'9
Il VIII he impossible to test the workings |
Ht inc S'phons for two or three weeks yet |
~ VIII he only few days before the |
MH9m street twin cIghtecnnch pipes ARE |
MADE light and the flow into the receiving
hasin at Washington avenue can he tested !
nuI nntll the siphons three eighteenlnch !
plpeSl uhder White Oak bayou are tested |
as July as those az Milan street no sewage !
VIII he allowed TO run into the tank ar |
the pumping station.
me two cighteen.inch pipes OF the Milan (
street siPhon empty into a receiving basin 4
which also receives the sewage from the
tNeutN-tcurlnch sewer on Washington ave. I
nue. FROM this basin the outlet Is forty
s lMS ineh brick sewer running TO the
SPuNhS RI the bottom of Ciirard street |
mere three eighteen.ineh pipes receive the !
uiScharge from the forty two-lnch sewer |
ihtSe plpts are connected with a series or |
waves through which an eighteenIncn I
flushing pipe from the bayou forces a
stream OF tmore or less clear water TO
tutther dlhte the sewage as IL passes into 1
the receiving tank, fourth outlet being
provided SO that the full stream OF water
may dlSch9rse into the tank its supply or
fresh water II all the sewage slphons are
disconnected. This is what was done yes
The city engineer and Engineer Holden
OF tue pumping station found the ma
ehlhery ruSted, steam connections leaky,
NANeS empty OF packing and the pumps
absolutely refused TO work. With an ey,
renditure OF much Ingenuity, labor ana
money the difficulties have been overcome.
New footvalves. primers and various other
Ruulttons were found necessary, and .ne
whole plant has been oyerhaued. The con
denser was placed perpendlcularly Instead
or horizontally, as shown by the drawings
or the constructing engineer MIR. Potter,
The water Yesterday was forced through
the "hy-path' aud not through the con-
denSer and perfect working of the pumping
was secured.
One serious omission In the planning was
the neglect 10 provide an automatic check
valve "a arrest the dow IN case a e&eik
should occur az the remote end Of the pipe.
inch pipe was hllcd with sewage. As there
is head Of about twelve fcet. this whslc