The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-11-19
THE SEWERAGE SYSTEM.
Committee Sent to Washington In
vestigates Septic Tanks and Will
Report to Council.

Dr.. James Mcintosh. Of the board Of
commissioners, public works. and DR..
; Jao:nes n. Glider. Of the board Of
health. went 20 ,Wa*'::n !;"n last
week. at the instance Of city council,
| to look into the matter Of improved
sewerage systems and to secure lnfor-
nation which council may use look
ing towards remedving defects in
'New5erryis pre-ent sewerage system.
Nh. L. ". Floyd was seen after his
return to Newberry. and was asked
! to give an interview to The Herald
and News, covering MS trip to Wash
iae'tnn. and the information which
! the committee had secured, and the
recommendation which the commit
! tee would make to council. DR.. Gid
er went on to New York from WASH
ington to see his daughter and DR..
Mcintosh went over to Baltimore to
visit his brother. Mr.. Floyd return
ing 20 Newberry Oh Friday.
Newberry's sewerage system was
installed several years ago, and since
its installation, practically, there has
been trouble with the septic tanks.
One of the tanks was built in West
End, beyond the Newberry Cotton
Mills. and the other in East End,
near the Mollohon Mill. Since their
construction it has been urged, and
with force, that they have been de-
trimental to, the health Of the COM
munities in which they were located.
the presumption being, either tha.
the whole theory Of the sewerage
was wrong, or that the septic tanks
were improperly constructed. At fire.
quent intervals-so frequent as to be
almost continuous-both tanks have
emitted odorous gases which must be
deleterious to the health Of those liv-
ing in the neignborhood, and the pro-
tests became so persistent that some
| action by council was imperative.
The matter was taken up by coun-
ell, and it was decided to send COM
rnittee to Washington to look into
the matter and to report to council.
It was rot known whether the
whole theory Of the system was de-
fective, or whether the defect was IN
the construction of the septic tanks.
TT was certain that there was de-
feet somewhere, and that remedy
was imperative.
The land on which the septic tank
in West End was built was given by
the Newberry Cotton Mills: subse-
| ouently the Newberly Cotton Mills
have advanced the sum Of $4,000 for
improving the tank, and no practical
results have been accomplished. The
same odors, deleterious to health,
have continued, and it was demanded
on the part Of those living nearby,
that the sewerage be carried out OF
town to the river. The $4,000 given
bv the Newbery Cotton Mills is to
! be returned to the mill in water fur
nished.
Il was after these experiments and
these protests that the city council
took action and sent a committee
| TO Washington to look into the mat
te..
Nj. Floyd, in speaking Of the trip
Of the committee to Washington, said
that the committee, when 1t reached
Washington, first called on the War
Department, where they saw Mr.. L.
H. H Humphreys, civil engineer, sup
ervisiag engineer of the Quartermas-
ter Generals office, who, the commit
tee had been Informed, could give
them the best information as to
whether or not septic tanks we're be-
yond the experimental stage. Mr..
Humphreys, Mr.. Floyd said, gave
:hem blue prints and what lnforma-
tioia he could give. and from them
! the committee learned that septic
tanks had gone beyond an experiment
tai stage, and if given the proper at
sention would be satisfactory. Mr..
Humphreys said that the proper at
tention after construction was an I'M
portant matter-in fact, that atten-
ton afer construction was as import
ant as proper construction. Mr.. Hum
plrevs said there we're two successful
methods of disposing Of sewerage:
One was to give a large area for Ill
tering. an acre or more; this was not
practicable, he said, in thlckly settle
communities. The septic tank meth