Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-09-25
HOW TO ERECT A
GARBAGE PLANT
Many Cities without Works
For Proper Disposal.
SEWAGE QUESTION COMPLEX
Four Important Steps Should Be Taken
by Any Municipality Planning to I'm
prove Plant For Disposal or Method
OF Collection-Must Consider Local
Conditions.

'SFSS~ W SebhS
Of collection-Must Consider Local
Conditions.
,..+r.i "a y ~" .-.-rs--,. ave.
AS quite a number of cities are yet
without the best modern works for col
lectlng sewage and garbage, Rudolph
Herring, consulting engineer Of New
York city and president Of the Ameri-
can Public Health association, writes
Interestingly in the American City. He
says that still more cities are without a
satisfactory final disposal of these two
classes of waste and yet a greater
number, among them our largest cit
les, have both a disposal md a collec-
ton in quite an unsatisfactory condi-
ton.
Sewage and garbage problems must
both be considered from three aspects.
They have both some connection with
the dissemination Of disease, with the
establishment of nuisances and with
the pocketbook Of the taxpayer. They
must be satisfactorily solved from all
three aspects or the works will CORE
%spondingly be a failure.
The first step to take when attacking
either the sewage or garbage problem
is to make a study Of the existing local
conditions and works, SO as to be able
to advise a solution to protect health,
to avoid nuisance and to require an
expenditure that is comfortably within
the available means of the community.
The second step to be taken, both
with sewage and garbage problems, is
to make plans and estimates for cost
for collection and disposal according
to he best experiences of the day.
Such plans should Indicate the simplest
and most economical means of thor
oughly satisfying all the above three
requirements. 1t may be that the
local municipal authorities are sufi-
GENTLY experienced to prepare such
plans. If not, outside engineers hav-
ing such experience with the prob
lens should be employed. But it will
almost always be best to have local
officials associated with the study, be-
cause local conditions. some Of which
may not be fully apparent to the out
slider, may reveal solutions more eco
nomical or more satisfactory to the
community than without the local aid.
The third step to be taken. if the
plans are accepted and ordered to be
carried out. will be. the preparation Of
detailed contract drawings and speci-
fications for the execution of the work.
The specifications must be carefully
n skillfully prepared to avoid mis-
understandings and to get what was
intended by the adopted general de-
sign. 1t is best, Of course, if the same
engineers who made the original design
make also the contract drawings and
specifications, because, they best know
she original intentions. and the way of
carrying them out. If this is not
practicable. then there should at least
be an approval obtained from them.
The fourth step to be. taken is actual
execution of the work. This part Of
the undertaking is at least as impor-
tant as any other. 1t has happened that
good plans have been adopted. but
that their execution was so inferior,
both as regards materials used and
labor employed, that the works failed
in their purpose. Good supervision Of
the construction Of the works is essen
tial.
Besides the laying out of the works,
records should be kept and preserved
Of every part as it has finally been
built. 1t too often occurs that from the
lack Of such records subsequent hap
penings cannot be completely under
stood and that changes or extensions
become more expensive than would
otherwise be necessary We're the un-
derground conditions exactly known.
The last step to be taken in public
works Of the nature here considered is
that OF securing Il suitable organization
to maintain and operate them. The
operating staff must be competent and
faithful.
Sewers. if not well cleaned and ven
tilated: sewage disposal works. if not
kept in order and cleaned and not
properly and con%scientiously attended.
will all be liable to cause ,%nuisances
and perhaps also injury to health. The
greater the liability of creating null
sances the greater should be the care
exercised to prevent them.
Practically the same can be said re-
garding the garbage collecting wagons
and garbage disposal plants. The wag-
ons. if not daily cleaned and kept COW
cred when passing through the streets.
and the disposal plants. if not kept
~scrupulously clean and if not operated
with great care and skill. will also be
liable to u %nuiSances and unhealth-
full conditions.