Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-21

glneer these ancient meats and flth-laden
esteros exhibit no beauty. But il does not
require an extended magma ton to see this
valuable land converted into two historical
parks the nucleus of each being a protect
ed gate, and a central historical and scien-
the museum occupying the intermediate
portion. However, the treatment of this
question is problem for the Landscape
architect, and the solution will meet the
demands OF historical interests and of ad-
vanCed sanitation
The walled cfty-Intramuros-
forms small part of the city of Manila
proper, Is the only portion provided with
sewers. 1t has a system of loosely con-
structed rectangular drains for surface
water, with which the houses are connect
ed. While this system is reasonably sue
cessful for surface drainage 1T is a menace
to health on account Of the uses now made
Of 1t as a sewer system. The larger area
OF the city is without any system except
that furnished by the sluggish esteros,
which remind an old Chica goan of home
20. l. ingalls,, NJ. Am. Soc. c. E, under
the direction of the municipal board, has
just completed study of a sewer system.
and Desmond Fitzgerald of Brookline,
Mass, as a representative of the civil gov
eminent is critically examining the same
before the needed works of construction
are commenced. The problem presents
many difficulties. The surface OF the
ground ranges from two to ten feet above
high tide, which is about three feet above
low tide. The tropical rainfalls are almost
cloudbursts, and the underlying soil pre-
with subsoil water. However. the excep-
tional condition exists Of designing sewer
system for a city, the population of which
will soon be nearly half a million without
having the existence of an old system to
contend with. II Is expected that con-
struction work will start before another
year, and 1t is hoped that ultimately the
sanitary condition Of Manila will compare
favorably with that of any other tropical
city.
The Water Supply.
The present water supply of the city OF
Manila originated in the bequest OF Fran
cisco Carriedo Y Peredo, who died In l143
and beuueathed the sum of $1,000 to the
city of Manila for a water supply. This
sum was invested in various ways, and in
spite of the loss of most OF it at the time
of the English invasion, it had reached the
amount of $4,000 in 1867. This was deem
ed sufficient to begin the work, and the
necessary Investigations were intrusted to
the eminent Spanish civil engineer, Don
Geneva Palacio. Careful studies were made
of the available water supply, and the pan
finally adopted was for pumped supply
from the Mariquina river, at Santolan,
some seven miles east of the city, and
work was begun on this project in 1878.
The work comprises the pumping sta
ton at Santolan, with capacity of about
6 oO0, 900 gallons per day, which lis pumped
to an elevation of about ninety feet, and
thence flows by gravity through ma
sonry conduit and caSt-iron syphon 10
the distributing reservoir. This reservoir
consists of a double series of under
ground chambers excavated in the solid
rock, and has capacity of approximately
16 100000 gallons. From this reservoir
the water is distributed throughout the
city through q system of cast-lron pipes.
The system was completed and opened TO
the public use in July, 1852, and has been
In continuous operation since
Ever since the American occupation
the question of an increased supply has
been an important one and in February
of 1903 the municipal board placed the
question of an increased water supply In
the hands of ]. +. Case who has prepared
plans for the proposed work. This plan
comprises a gravity system of supply
from the head waters of the Mariquina
river, where a watershed of about 40
square miles of practically uninhabited
mountainous land exists. storage res
ervoir of about 1900, 900, 900 gallons
pacity Is to be constructed contained by
masonry dam some sixty feet in height.
From this storage reservoir the water
will be conducted through steel and
sorry conduit a distance OF about four
teen miles to filter beds, and after being
filtered the water will be stored in an
enlarged reservoir, which will occupy the
site OF the present reservoir, and will
have capacity of about 10000 900 gall
Ions. An entire new distribution system
Will be provided, and 1t is the intention
to supply not less than 81 ,0000 gallons
per day of filtered water to the city
These new works will cost about 81 0O0,-
600, and VIII neceSSitate nearly three
years FOR their construction. When COM
pleted 1t may be safely said that Manila
VIII have modern and complete system
or waterworks, and the supply from a
sanitary standpoint will be most excel