The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-07-16
ROMANO STREET
SEWER MUST BE
OPENED AGAIN
CITY COMMISSIONERS ISSUE
SUCH AN ORDER, BUT HOPE
TO REMEDY CONDITIONS.

OA GdcG ROI1dnd SJI00C mas DIOkeH
in several places and that to relieve |
the pressure it was necessary to cut |
the sewer at the Eight avenue inter-
section, permitting all sewage to flow
into the low land there, the city COM
missioners yesterday instructed the |
City Engineer Thornton to open the
sewer outlet. This was closed ten
days ago in order to ascertain if it
was the sewage from this outlet which
was communicating the waters of
Bayou Texar. 1t was learned that
this was the cause, but under existing
conditions the commissioners find il. |
impossible to keep the outlet closed
for the remaining sewer cannot carry
off the sewage at high tide.
However, the commissioners hope
soon to remedy the existing conditions
and then the old sewer will be perma-
nently closed and Bayview park can
be reopened. They are bending every
energy in this direction and have re-
quested City Engineer Thornton to
secure dredge, if possible, and use
it in correcting certain faults with the
sewer.
After receiving communications
from the city engineer, explaining the
existing conditions and one from City
Physician Mobiles, the commissioners
yesterday afternoon passed the fol-
lowing resolution:
"Be it resolved; That the report of
the city engineer, dated July 18th,
1915, on the condition of the sewer
on Romano street be received and
filed; further that he be ordered to
continue his investigations with a
view to recommending remedy for
these conditions; and further that he
be ordered to remove the obstruction
placed in this sewer and the sewage
be allowed to discharge as usual un-
til other provision can be made for
same"
ENGINEERS STATEMENT.
City Engineer Thornton's letter to
the commissioners, explaining the sit
uacion, follows:
Honorable Board of City Commission
ers, City of Pensacola, Florida,
City.
Gentlemen:-on the 1st inst, as di-
rected by your honorable body, at the
request of the committee in charge
of Bayview park, l closed the out
fall sewer on Romano street, at Tenth
avenue, to allow interested parties to
make certain meteorological examina-
tions of the water of the bay near the
mouth of Bayou Texar, and near
Bayview park, to determine what in
fiuence, if any, this sewer had on
the nature of the water of the bayou
in the vicinity of Bayview park.
You will recall that ! advised before
the sewer was closed, that such an
arrangement must be considered
temporary only for the reason that
the conditions which this stoppage
would create could not be allowed to
persist for more than 10 days or two
weeks without causing injury to the
sewerage system in that part of town
as well as creating highly unsaniL
tary condition.
j During the night of the 18th inst,
the pressure caused by this stoppage,
and by the rain, reached a point high
er than the line could sustain and
seventeen joints blew out between
Eighth and Tenth avenue.
1 AS these openings allowed the sew
age to flow over the street and ada
cent property it was necessary to
provide immediate temporary relief
This | obtained by cutting an opening
in the pipe at Eight avenue of suffi-
cient size to relieve the pressure, re-
pairing the joints and allowing the
sewage to flow into the swamp near
Eight avenue and Romano street. OF
course this created highly objection
able condition which should be rem
edied at once.
| To permanently abandon Romano
outfall, it would be necessary to thor.
oughly clean out the "A inch cast iror
pipe at the foot of Ninth avenue that
carries the sewage 5000 feet into the
bay.
This cleaning would of course no
alter the action of the pipe nor perm
; anently correct the defect in this out
fall, namely; an insufficient differ
ence in the pressure between the sew
age in the pipe and the water in the
bay to cause a flow rapid enough II
, prevent precipitation of the sedimen
usually held in suspension in mort
rapid flow, and it would gradual!
partially fill up by sedimentation, a
it has been doing since it has beef
in operation. This outfall has neve,
: properly performed the functions TO
which it was designed and on accoun
of the sluggish flow, the pipe ha
been gradually filing with sediment
This unsatisfactory condition has al
ways existed, but of course it is grad
ually getting worse.
To clean it, it would be necessary t
! pump it out thoroughly. This opera
ton would have to be repeated ever
two or three years.
2 Up to date have not been able t
] find a dredge in local waters of sui
l a