The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1908-07-31
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age with a river into which to empty
it's sewage, which is of such charac-
ter that it purifies itself without arti-
fetal assistance. The sewage prob
lem is, say engineers, one of the sim.
plest with which st. Louis has to deal,
for it practically solves itself. There.
fore it is all the more remarkable that
that city should be able to boast of
the largest sewer in existence. In
most instances great difficulties to be
overcome give rise to great results,
but here is a case of a great result
without the stimulus of great diff
Guilty, and the city should take all the
more credit for it's enterprise on that
account.
The sewer question is a wonderfully
interesting one from other standpoints
than that of sanitation. Though sup
posed to be absolutely modern sub
ject, it is one of the most ancient OF
as the time of Solomon. The Oldest
sewer in the world was built by King
Solomon and extended from within
the walls of Jerusalem to point out
side the walls, where the waste which
it carried was used to fertilize the
vineyards and gardens of the farmers
of the immediate neighborhood. Ac-
cording to recent discoveries made in
the vicinity, it is believed that this
sewer, which was tunnel ~ feet in
diameter, built of masonry, was aban'
doned because spring which supplied
water to a portion of the city was di
verted from it's course when the sewer
was constructed. The pool Of
Bethesda, the healing waters of which
were eagerly sought by the i'll and in
finn in Biblical times, is believed to
be the inside terminus of this old sew
er. and the troubling of the waters"
which was the signal for those who
watched to descend into the pool is
supposed to be due to the periodical
bubbling of the spring beneath.
In ancient Rome sewers were con-
sidered of as much Importance as
aqueducts. The Oldest sewers, or
cloacae, were built by Tarquinius
Priscus, about 200 B. c., while the lar
gest, the Cloaca Maxima, was in use
26 centuries, and was only abandoned
within the last ten years. The Cloaca
Maxima was ten feet six inches wide
and IA feet high in the interior, with a
solid masonry wall on all sides. The
intercepting sewers were open chan
nels five feet wide, and are described
as large enough for loaded hay cart
to drive through without difficulty.
IN ancient Rome only the streets and
the public buildings were connected
with the sewers, and householders had,
therefore, to carry waste water and
garbage into the street and throw it
into the open sewers. In recent years
the municipality of Rome has installed
a fine modern sewer system, and the
abundant supply of water which the
aqueducts of the ancient Romans
have provided renders the flushing of
the sewers an easy matter, and gives
the city one of the most satisfactory
drainage systems in Europe.
When the United States consul at
Marseilles wrote to the mayor of the
city for permission to make investiga-
tons with regard to the disposal of
garbage, sewage and other city waste,
for his government, he was answered
in this wise:
Garbage is one of the finest dishes
of the place. Well cooked and nicely
prepared, as they do it in the country,
it is something exquisite"
AS an example of Gallicizing of the
American" language, this is gem.
AS a hint to American sanitary Of
ficers, it is more, it is sublime. With
it's new garbage reduction plant and
it's splendid new sewers, st. Louis bids
fair to soon dispose of its offensive ref.
use so effectively that the people of
the city will be like the mayor of Mar
settles, unable to distinguish between
the thing, garbage, and another thing
the name of which it resembles, Gag
bage, and in another quarter of CEN
fury may make the same reply if asked
the same question.
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