Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1909-01-28

tank in order to break the force OF
the water and if on a steep grade
other provision must be made in
order that the water may enter the
tank as easy as possible to avoid
disturbing the bacteria and to keep
from breaking the scume.
This is the greatest importance,
if the bacteria properly perform
their work of distribution they
must be absolutely undisturbed.
This is one reason why any single
compartment receptacle cannot be
anything but failure.
Fifth-A septic tank must have
three compartments, one the grit
chamber, next the settling chamber
aud last the outlet chamber. This
last chamber must have an auto
matte siphon, thereby combining the
sewage long enough in the tank to
enable the bacteria to thoroughly
liquify all substances, turning them
into what is known as ammonia
compound. Where one is unable
to get the automatic siphon q good
and cheap tank can be made of
several pieces Of salt glazed vitri-
fed thing, or what is better, cement
thing rendered water proof by
certain process used in it's man u
facture. Thing like this is set up
in twos and tandem to the soil pipe
from the house. The sewage enter
ing the first compartment through
the top, thence down and out
through the bottom into the next
to thing, through the top again in
to the next set, and through the
bottom of which may be the final
outlet extending on the outside
until it will have a grade to dispose
of the contents.
A tank built on this principle say
Of 6 inch thing "a inch diameter
having an area of 200 gallons it
will be seen that the sewage enter
ing the first compartment by it's
circuitous route will not reach the
final outlet until 200 gallons haye
entered the tank, and as it only re-
quires from 3 to hours for the
bacteria to transform solids into
liquids it gives ample time to puri-
fly all the sewage before leaving the
tank. If these principals are fol-
lowed there will be no odor or any
thing to give offense to anyone. and
furthermore, it will need no care.
The bacteria working all the time
will take care of all that enters,
and according to r. M. Starbuck,
one Of the foremost sanitary en-.
gineers in the United States, even
such hard substances as bones and
leather will be formed into liquid.
To further assure the council of
Grangeville and all those interested
in the septic tank problems as be.
ing success it will be only neces-
sary to take a trip to the Chemawa
Indian School, state institution
near Salem, where all the sewage
from this large establishment has
been taken care of by septic tank
for years, yet the writer knows oil
other tanks that are not giving sat.
isfaction but these tanks were put
in and labeled septic tank but in
reality are not even good teaching
cess pools.
1t would be unfortunate if the
publication of such items as the
Grangeville incident should affec,
the use Of this useful appliance
Scientifically constructed it solves
a problem confronting localities
without sewers, and even where
there are sewers it purifies sewage
before it reaches it's final outlet
The idea formerly was to run {
sewer to the nearest running
streams, without regard to thos'
living further down the stream whit
must use the contaminated water
The use of the tank also cheapenl
sewer construction, for with chemi
cally pure sewage an ordinary loos'
jointed cement or clay thing would
answer. F. FL. MILLER.
$50