Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1912-01-06

Many have been deferred from hav-
Ing bathrooms, etc, because of lack of
a way to dispose OF the sewage. A
few have water systems installed, and
the waste has been run into streams
or old-fashioned cesspools, which are
dangerous things unless very far re-
moved from the water supply. A
proper cesspool is the best and cheap
est method of disposing OF the
sewage from the farm home. Do not
be scared out because some scientific
fellow has called what you want an
anaerobic tank or a septic tank. 1t is
really nothing NUT a plain, ordinary
cesspool that does not cess" writes
DR. E. M Santee of New York in the
New England Homestead. Anyone
who is able to pile one stone above
another can make one. 1t is tank
made tight, so the liquids are held I'M
til the fecsl matter is converted into
liquids or gases by the growth OF
bacteria that all fecal matter contains.
1t should be large enough to hold
all Of the sewage that accumulates In
day from the home. 1t should be
made longer than wide. One should
never be made less than six feet long
by three feet deep and three feet
wide. This is large enough for fam
lily OF six grown people. Add one
foot to the length for each additional
person The secret of success lies In
the way that the sewage goes in and
how the clear water comes out. The
top OF the tank should be below the
level OF the point where the sewer
pipe leaves the cellar AS the inlet
pipe enters one end OF the tank, 1t
should have an elbow that turns down
to within Is inches of the bottom.
This pipe should be four inches in
diameter and have tight joints. The
fall in it should be not less than one
fourth inch to the foot.
The outlet pipe should dip down, SO
that the inner end is IL inches below
the top Of the tank, and the outer end
should be only about one inch below
the top OF the tank. This tank may
be located anywhere outside OF the
cellar wall where the fall may be had
The water from 1t has to be run into
a loose-jointed pipe about eight feet
long for each person in the family
unless the soil be heavy clay, wher
the length should be doubled. II
should be laid in ditch IL inches
deep. This pipe should at least be
three inches in diameter, and larger
is better; 1t should have a fall oil
about 1892 of an inch to the foot. and
may be located anywhere the soil is
loose A vegetable garden or a lawr
is ideal for it. 1t should be connect
ed with the overflow pipe by tight
jointed sewer pipe that has fall o.
not less than 1-16 inch to the foot
The tank, when finished, should b,
tightly covered, without ventilation
When It is working right there will
be a green scum on the surface of the
LIQUIDS. It does not freeze in winter
because heat is generated in the de
composition, and the water that II
constantly being emptied into 1t is fal
above the freezing point. This sys
tenn is not an experiment; It has beef
successfully used for many years.
Provide a load OF field stone, no
too large, a load OF gravel. not to,
coarse, FIVE sacks of cement and
box the right length for the family
three feet wide and three feet long
with no bottom, and tile according t
the distance away from the house
Dig a pit at least four feet deep, fou
q, Oh
longer than the box. The depth shoul'
vary according to length of fall be
tween the house and the dispose