El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-05-20
SEWER PUMPING
PLANT GIVEN
INSPECTION
City Officials Visit Plant,
Find Park Site, Discuss
Flood Protection.

For several weeks the pumping plant
in WOodlawn addition, erected for the
purpose Of preventing the sewers from
becoming clogged by reason of the
rivers rise, has been in operation. Yet,
until Thursday afternoon, the mayor
and city council did not know how it
was operated and some of them did not
even know its exact location, but-nOw
they are educated.
Sewer commissioner J. W. HadIock
loaded them into two automobiles
Thursday afternoon and took them to
the plant, which is located just west of
Washington park, 532 feet from the
river bank.
The pump is enclosed in a frame shed
and man is there both day and night
to watch it. All of Ell Paso's old sewers
were built on the gravity system and
they empty into this point. Thence the
pump hoists the water a distance of 10
or 10 feet to the top of a concrete reser-
voir about Is feet in diameter 1t flows
to the bottom and by the force of the
inrushing tide, is swept down through
a graVitated IS inch concrete sewer pipe
to the old river. $50 feet. OF this pipe
line all but 80 feet is constructed of
concrete sewer pipe manufactured by
the city. The joints are fastened to-
gether by a Welding of oakum so that
they may be taken apart if necessary.
Provision for n Rise.
At a point 80 feet from the mouth OF
the sewer, Hadlock has constructed q
wooden box pipe which carries the
water and other sewage the full dis
tance into the river. He did this because
he felt that the river might rise above
the banks and then he could remove
this box and still have the outlet at
sufficient height TO flow into the fast
current.
The mayor and the aldermen ex-
pressed themselves as being thoroughly
satisfied with the work.
Mr.. Hadlock stated that people are in
the habit Of throwing rags and other
things into the sewer and each day it IS
necessary to open the pipe at the en-
articles so that the water and other
sewage viii be unobstructed-
Would Curb River.
TT is high time that the United
States government got to work and took
some action to safeguard Dur interests
along here by fixing the river bank"
said mayor Robinson Thursday after
noon at the pumping plant. I'VE can
see. what has been done on the other
side of the river and how the water is
washing away our banks This year, at
least $50 acres have been washed away
by reason Of the fact that we have no
protection or at least had none until we
came out here and at the suggestion of
engineer T. H. Todd, put in wing dams
that have helped to remarkable ex-
tent. On the Mexican SIDE willows have
been planted all along the river bank
and the protection given by this means
IS evident"
Finds Park Site.
What an ideal place for a park,
real uptodate place for people to enjoy
themselves" said alderman Clayton
Thursday afternoon, while on the way
to the pumping plant. He was referring
to that section known as Woodlawn just
west OF Washington park, where there
are many green trees and where canals
could be constructed for the purpose of
boating. '"The land is rich and the |
foliage would become almost tropical !
with proper care and attention. I think, |
Mr.. Robinson. We should have a park |
here"