Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-26
WORK ON A SEW Err
WILL BE LARGEST STRUCTURE OF
KIND IN WORLD.
Work in Progress Now Very Interest
ing-Started Twenty
Years Ago.

The work of constructing the Eastern
branch outlet for the Boundary sewer is
almost completed. and 1t is only question
of a few weeks or months when the old
section of the great sewer, which was
built twenty years ago. will be connected
with the new part which will make the
whole structure the largest sewer In the
world. The work that Is now going on at
18th and streets northeast, where the
connection with the old sewer is to be
made. is probably the most interesting of
the entire construction. The Boundary
sewer. as it is called, was constructed
about twenty years ago, and its outlet was
on a commons that stretched for acres to
the Eastern branch of the Potomac. Two
years ago. under authority from Congress,
the Commissioners let contract for the
continuance of the sewer to the brink of
the river and this work was Immediately
undertaken. the beginning being made at
the river and the work being carried back
to the mouth of the old structure After
a year so of work the man holding the
contract died and the works were idle for
short time. when Mr.. Arthur Cowsill, a
local builder, took charge of the construc-
ton and started to work. Mr.. Cowsill mas
been engaged on the work about year
now. and his task is almost completed
There remains but about two hundred and
fifty feet of the sewer to build, and pro-
gress was made at the rate of about forty
feet per week up to the present time. Now
however. the most difficult part of the
Job is coming and it is probable that such
rapid progress will not be possible.
Drains Above Florida Avenue.
The sewer drains all that portion of the
District lying north of Florida avenue and
east of Tth street west. For over twenty
years the sewage that has come from this
section has flown out of the mouth of the
big structure and into the commons on
which it emptied The constant addition
of water from the mouth of the sewer mas
loosened the earth. and a pond of no small
dimensions has been formed right at the
sewers mouth. This point has a Depth
at some points of from ten to fourteen
feet. and the bottom is of soft mud, Of
fering very poor foundation. The con
slant accession of water since the building
of the first part OF the sewer has prevent
ed any change in the conditions except for
the worse, and now that the time has
come to span this pond with masonry ana
complete the work of two decades ago, the
engineers find themselves face to face with
a problem of no mean proportions me
sewer is a structure of some little weight.
1t is the largest sewer In the world. with
an inside diameter of % feet q inches, ana
walls over 6 feet thick, all of solid brick
and cement. The work of carrying such a
structure through the soft mud at the bot
tom of the pond has begun and is now in
its most interesting stage.
Massive Concrete Foundation.
After consultation with the Engineer
Commissioner of the District the superin-
tendent of sewers and the engineers IN
charge of the works, Mr.. Cowsil has de-
cided to construct massive concrete foun-
dation, thirty-eight feet broad, across the
entire length of the pond. This foundation
viii sink through the soft mud on the bot
tom of the pond and find a firm foundation
for itself on the clay and gravel beneath.
On top of this foundation will be erected
the sewer arches. In order to lay the
foundation properly ii will be necessary to
drain the pond. and this must be done with
out interrupting the flow of the sewer. To
accomplish this the contractor has con-
Structed a dam across the mouth of the
sewer and has diverted the outflow from
the sewer to the side, carrying it away in
hume, to distance far removed from
the present course il takes to reach the
river. The water will then be pumped from
the pond with steam pumps, and the
foundation will be laid. This foundation
will be of concrete, reinforced with steel
rails and beams at frequent intervals.
Brick and Cement.
The sewer proper is built of brick and
cement. 1t is constructed according to what
is known as the French type, and includes
a wide arch and a deep drain in the center
of the bottom, the arch spanning the drain
and leaving a wide space on either side.
By means of this drain all water and other
liquid matter can flow through the drain al
all times. while such heavy matter as would
be likely 10 clog up the sewer and prevent
the flow OF the water can be caught in the
big arChed chamber. The sewer is so large
that two of the biggest types of passenger
locomotives could pass through it side by
side without touching the sides or top Its
construction is known as the twelve-ring
construction, meaning that the arch is
made of twelve brick. end on end with a
hlling OF concrete. The sides and bottom
are lined with vitrifed brick and the drain
with glazed brick. When the sewage
pumping station is finished at the foot of
New Jersey avenue connection will be made
with the mouth of the new sewer and the
outflow will be pumped down the Potomac