Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-16
LOCAL SEW AGE SYSTEM
DISCUSSION BEFORE WASHING.
TON SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS.
illustrated Addresses Showing Details
Of Construction Of Tiber and
Florida Avenue Conduits.

How the problem or carrying away the
sewage of the city of Washington and the
immense amount of storm water that comes
suddenly and threatens damage has been
met and the details of the engineering work
thus involved were described last evening
before the Washington Society of Engineers
by the two men who have been In general
charge of the work in the past few years,
Mr. D. E. McComb. superintendent OF sew
ers of the District. and Mr.. Asa E. Phillips,
assistant engineer of the District. BY nu-
merous pictures the work in detail was pre-
scented graphically before the members of
the society. Admiral c. w. Rae president
Of the society. presided.
Superintendent McComb first took up the
general subject of sewage disposal in the
District Several creeks running through
the District were the first drainage systems
here. the speaker said; but in 1882 the con-
struction of the Washington canal was be-
gun connecting the Potomac and Anacostia
rivers, from the Potomac river at Sd street.
west through ID street and Canal street to
the Eastern branch. Soon after that the
building of sewers and drains into that
canal was begun. But complaints of the
nithy condition of that canal were soon
heard, and In 1871 change in this main
drainage line was undertaken. The place
OF the canal was taken by two trunk canals
Mr.. McComb said. the B street sewer, run
ming on d street between 7th and nth
streets. ard the other located in Missouri
avenue. 3d street and Canal street. dis
charging through the James Creek canal
INTO the Anacostia river, with a northern
Dranch on Sd and Canal streets north of
missouri avenue. known as the Tfber sewer
Lateral sewers to these trunk lines were
later constructed.
Florida Avenue Sewer.
Later, to relieve the Tiber sewer as WASH
ihs'on grew to the northward, the Florida
avenue sewer was built extending along
that avenue from I'd street east to the Cold
spring run, near 18th and E streets north
east and still later another sewer. known
as the northeast boundary sewer was built
The turning of this sewage into the omen
creeks soon made them filthy. however. and
complaints were soon lodged against II nm
III bhe matter was taken IN nv the sanitor,,
engineers board, appointed by the Presi-
ueiit, VINO recommended interceDtinp sewarS
10, 10 convey practically all sewage to a pump
ing station at the foot of New Jersey ave-
nue. 1t was there to be raised discharges
mo an inverted syphon laid under the he'd
oI the Anacostia river to Poplar Point and
so mn tieIe carried by an underwater sewer
soine Instance down the river. where II was
70 ne discharged. That Is the general nian
Which Is now being carried out. and which
MI IN mas peen seen on many streets In the
city In the past five years 1o
Inc details of the execution NJ th, ~,
were discussed by Assistant Engineer Bill
iips- ABOUT the time that this work was
taken up, he said, seventeen years apo
came the flood, during which mart of PEI
sSiNaiiia avenue was covered by the Poto
mac mat emphasized the necessity for
pIptectihs the low area of the city found
" % ABOUT 9VO acres. from floods and pro-
aauias proper drainage for it. To meet the
soIluItiolls. dykes were proposed, one at N
street southeast and the other at r street
northwest. BY means of these dykes and
specially constructed sewers throueb the
area TINS section of the city is now we'll
fkn
ing on Pennsylvania avenue and The mau
ilcluulns the center of the business sec
ton OF the city. The total cost OF the i'm
proVements is $500. 900. of which 81 500 600
nas neei expended The total cost of strictly
engineering work for estimates and sur
EeSs' etc, mas been only $4,000.
Fatal Accidents Noted.
The speaker referred to the loss of two
lives In mysterious way several years ago
IN one of the new sewers Similar acct
dents have since occurred In similar work
in Milwaukee and In Boston. 1t was found
that the oxygen in the tunnel. recently filled
with drainage water. was nearly exhausted
and that human life could not exist in that
ar The ground air, carried in by the
drainage water. has little oxygen. and
therefore, when that air fills the sewer II
Is dangerous to human life
MT Phiillps exhibited many pictures show
ing the progress of work along the sewers
and along the pipe lines in the river. par
ticuiarly interesting were views of the new
sewage pumping station, which began with
the hrst developm ant and showed the
status.
1t was arranged that all members of the
society interested in this work shall have
an opportunity of visiting ii next Sunday
afternoon al O'Clock by meeting Mr. Nc
COMB at the new pumping station at the
lOol OI New jersey southeast