Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-29
WORK ON BIG SEWER
LAYING PIPE AT OUTLET NEAR
POWDER MAGAZINE.
Divers Duties and the Precautions
Against Accidents-Thirty Skilled
Laborers Employed

The work OF laying the sewer pipes at
the outlet of the big sewer from this city
into the river near the United States naval
powder magazine has been in progress sew
eral weeks and during the past week sew
eral sections of the pipe have been placed in
position and connected up.
The pipes are it is stated. laid IN a deem
trench In the bottom OF the river, thirty
feet under water at the channel where the
sewer will discharge. Two large scows
with derrick-like arrangement between
them, are used In the work of laying the
pipe In position The scows are taken 70
the Eastern branch. where tho sewer pipe
Is stored. and three sections of 1t are
coupled together and suspended in sings
between the scows The scows and the
suspended pipe are then taken to the out
let site and moored over the spot where
the pipe is to be placed.
The pipe is next lowered into position
and Capt. Warner and the other divers go
down and make the joints tight, and do
other work under water that may be
necessary to keep the big sewer perma-
nently In position. While the divers are
under water ten or twelve men are kept
steadily employed in working the pumps
that supply the air and a constant watch
Is Kept over the signal lines that connect
the divers with the boats above them 50
that they can be brought to the surface
at the first indication of anything amss
under water.
request has been made that steam.
boats In passing the site of the sewer out
let, where the work is being done shall
siacken speed in order to avoid as far as
possible, the making of any waves that
might break the air pipe of the diving out
Mt or cause an accident that would result
| in injury to the workmeE With few ex-
ceptions this request is being complied with
| by the steamboat masters.
Months Required to Complete.
1t Is stated that several months will be
| required to cetnplete the work of laying
the sewer outlet pipe but that 1t will be
| done long before the sewer from the East
| ern branch to the point of outlet is complet-
! ed Capt. WaErer, the diver who has charge
| OF the laying OF the sewer pipes at the
| outlet, successfully placed the pipes which
| extend across the Eastern branch in posi-
| ton in the bottom of that stream He Is
an expert In that class of work and II is
| said receives large remuneration for the
| work.
In order to keep the pipes in place after
| they are laid in the bed of the river. con-
| crete, made of Portland cement and broken
| stone and gravel, Is used This is mixed on
scow located above the point where the
| divers work, and is sent down to them in
| bags. On the bottom of the river twenty
Feet under water, the diver takes the bags
empties the contents around the pipe. and
| PACKS 1t in hard. This concrete soon hard
ems under water and becomes as firm as
| solid rock. and will hold the pipe in place
for all time 1t is conceded. unless man shall
| wish TO disodge Ii at some future day.
large force of men is employed by Mr.
| Warner in the work of laying these outlet
! pipes. Five divers are kept under water
the greater portion of each day. and five or
more pumps, each manned by two men, are
| kept going constantly to furnish the men
| under the water with air. Then there are
| men whose duty it Is to look after the air
l yafrl o.
and the greatest vigilance is constantly ex-
ercised to see that no accident occurs, and
1 there has been none.
Skilled Men Needed.
Thirty or more iaborers are employed in
| the handling of the pipes as they are being
| connected together, and in the mixing OF
| the concrete. putting 1t In bags, and sending
| II down to the diver as wanted The placing
| of the pipes requires, 1t is stated, consider
able skill. and the men have all been train
| ed in the work since 1t was started over
month ago. About ninety feet of the outlet
| has been laid in position up to this time.
and the work. hampered as it is by existing
conditions is necessarily slow. The exca-
| vations for the big sewer, which will con-
| meet the pipe line across the Eastern branch
| with pipes now being laid at the sewer out
| let, have been dug along the river shore
| about half the distance required, and it is
| declared 1t will be late in the fall. if not
| next spring, before the land work will reach
the outlet.
But little idea is had in the city of the
stupendous amount of work required by the
plans for the disposal of the sewerage OF
| the city. Besides the building of the big
sewage disposal station on the shores of the
Eastern branch, and the installing of many
big pumps and the engines. the sewer had
to be conveyed across the Eastern branch,
and Is now being run about three miles
through the lower end of the District to the
river shore near the naval powder maya
zine. When this work is completed. 1t Is
said Washington will have fine a dis
posal system as is to be found anywhere
In this country or in Europe.