Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1904-05-21
DISPOSAL
DR.. BRACKEN EXPLAINS THE
SEPTIC TANK.

Club, He Says that the Board
J Will no Longer Permit Sewage to
Lontaminate Rivers. and Lakes--
The Septic Tank flakes Sewage
SO Clear and Pure it can be Drunk.
Mr.. Fl. NJ. Bracken, secretary of the
state board of health, spent Wednes-
day afternoon and evening in Morris.
In the afternoon, he drove to the
Indian school in order to advise on
the question ofsewage disposal there,
and then later looked over the city in
order to talk to the Commercial CLUB
in the evening:
The. gathering in the Commercial
Club rooms in the evening included
besides the club members, the mem.
bers of the city council and the most
of the business men,
DR.. Bracken was introduced by W.
II. Colyer. He first spoke Of the pro
blem Of sewage disposal, how here
tofore cities in this state had been
allowed to Gontaminate lakes and
str cams with sewage, but that as the
state became more thickly settled,
this could no longer be permitted.
Cities in England and in the eastern
part of this country had been work
ing over the problem, but nothing
more satisfactory than filter beds
were found until the "septic tank"
was invented. This method was
first tried in 1896 in Manchester,
England, and at small city in Ill
inois. Since then, they have been
put in in many places in the East,
and in the neighboring states of Iowa
and Wisconsin, this system is en-
ploved at Ames, and at Madison,
Waukesha, and half dozen other
cities in Wisconsin. Plans are al
ready made for the Anoka Hospital,
and will be installed this summer.
The description of the septic tank
itself was given by DR.. Bracken
muck as explained in The Tribune a
few weeks ago. 1t is simply con-
crete or brick tank large enough to
hold a days sewage. AS the sewage
enters this tank, the solid portion is
attacked by bccteria, which cen
vert it into liquids and gases. By
the formation of gases on the surface
of the solid mater, the latter alter
nately rises and sinks as it travels |
thru the tank. When all is decom-
posed but the mineral matter, this
sinks to the bottom of the tank, and
must be cleaned out once year or
once in two years. Over the surface
of the water in the tank, thick scum
forms, but there is little offensive
oder about the tank. The clear
water which is drawn off at the far
Their end of the tank is slightly dis
colored, and has slight odor, but
could under some circumstances be
emptied directly into river. It is
better, however. that the fluid should
run from the tank into another cham
Der from which it is discharged per-
LOGICALLY upon filter beds, made by
laying drain tile in sand bed.
In discussing the practical features
of the plan, DR.. Bracken said that
the tank and filter beds at Anoka
would cost $500. He cited the cost
in other towns, and estimated that
the cost of such a tank here would
s urely not exceed $1,000.
Storm water cannot be allowed in
a sewer equipped with a septic tank
because it would flood the tank.
But cellars can be drained into such
a system, and any other water ad
mitted which is not too unsteady in
it's flow.
The water as it finally comes from
the filter beds is purer than river
water, 80 pure in fact that one may
drink it. Morris could allow the sew
age after being purified to flow into
Crystal Lake, and could also by a
surface drainage run storm water
into the lake. AMI thus increase the
beauty of that body of water
DIR. Bracken was asked many ques-
lions by those present, and the sys- ::
;em was thus thoroly explained. He
:urther said that any city that did
not provide for sewage publication
could be compelled to do so by the