The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1910-05-06
SYSTEM OF SEWERAGE.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen
Decide the Issue.

--~@----J A~@N
Board and Mayor and Aldermen in ses.
sion last Tuesday night. The question
has been under discussion for some time
and some investigations have been made.
A few years ago it was brought up and
investigations made by the board while
Mr.. Walker was Mayor, but dropped
again for reasons, one of which was
that the people of the city generally
were not interested in the matter, or did
not manifest the proper interest. The
question came up again as the result OF
a general demand over the city for some
means Of draining the cutters or bitches
alongside OF the residences, through
which house drainage was carried.
As a general result one of the largest
citizens meetings ever held here was at
the City Hall two weeks ago. At that
meeting resolution was passed author
izing the Board of Mayor and Alder
men to contract for system OF sewer
age with discretionary powers. The
board met Tuesday night in regular ses-
sion and entered upon the merits of the
sewerage proposition. Mr. jerks, a well
known civil engineer, who has been en-
gagged in this line of work in a number
OF Southern cities, was present and, upon
request, presented his views upon such a
plan or plans applicable to our demands.
Mr.. jerks began by saying that he was
aware OF the fact that our people were
somewhat divided upon the character of
sewerage needed here. He stated also
that the history of sewerage showed
that authorities had been divided upon
the question, but that many things re-
lating to sewerage had been solved in
late improvements and methods. He
dwelt upon the means which had been
adopted to eliminate sewer gas, one of
the greatest obstacles in sewerage, and
one which had always operated against
the perfection of sewerage systems. He
spoke OF the various methods of treat
,u ,,s that question and of that method
least effected by 1t. Mr.. jerks entered
into the technical points somewhat and
brought out very clearly the principles
involved in the construction and oper-
alton of sewerage.
Finally he came to the, point which
concerned us most--the kind of system
we needed. In the present construction
Of sewerage there are now practically
two systems only. One is combined
storm and sanitary sewerage and the
other sanitary sewerage alone. The lat
ter is very much cheaper and a great
deal more practical for towns like Union
City. Sanitary sewerage, as stated, in
cludes the house waste from sinks and
bath tubs, etc., and drainage from clos
cts, consisting of fluids and solids, other
wise excrement. 1t includes also drain
age from manufactures. All this COM
prises sanitary sewerage. Storm and
sanitary sewerage combined means to
include rainfall and general overflow |
from storms, and to construct this kind |
of sewerage would require almost I'M
limited means. The cost would be prac-
tically prohibitive, and he would not
care to undertake job OF such magni-
tude here for the reason that he did not
believe it was wanted. The independent
sanitary system therefore he recon-
mended for Union City, with mains
running to general septic tank. Re-
garding the septic tank Mr.. jerks stated
that he had tested thoroughly those he
had installed, and that they were equal
in every respect to the requirements for
which they were intended. He stated
that he had been able TO dissolve such
solids as sole leather, old shoes, ETC..
and destroyed all the substances, in
Guiding bacteria. The septic tank had
the running streams as car
tiers of sewage, and this method of dis
posing of sewage is now approved and
in general use.
When Mr.. jerks had finished mem
bers of the board asked various ques-
tons, among others the probable cost
of the sanitary system applied to Union
City. He said that no accurate figures
could be given, but he believed since
looking over the grounds that sanitary
sewerage could be constructed in Union
City for 81, 800 to 80, 700 per mile. In
GLIDING septic tank it would cost from
81, $50 to 81, 900 per mile.
A motion was made by DIR. Blanton
that the board 60 on record in favor OF
the system Of sanitary sewerage out
lined by Mr.. jerks, and the motion
carried, and committee appointed to
confer with and make contract for same. ii