Year: 1879

Colonel George L. Warng. Dr.. the well known
writer aad sanitary engineer. of this city. who
has been investigating the sanitary condition OF
Memphis. and whose system of sewerage has
been adopted by that city, was waited upon
to-day by HERALD correspondent to inquire in rea-
ton to the measures proposed for the prevention Of
yellow fever. and learned from him the following
facts:-The sanitary survey of Memphis undertaken
by the National Board Of Health at the request
of the local government was conducted by .
commission consisting of DR.. j. S. Billings. vice
president Of the Board: DR.. R. g. Mitchell. a men,
Der of the Board; DR.. Charles +. Folsom. secretary
of the Massachusetts State Board of Health Colonel
George E. Waring. Jr.. sanitary engineer. and Major
W. II. II. Benyaurd. of the United States Engineer
Corps. consulting engineer. In conjunction
with the above named gentlemen q house to house
inspection is being made under the direction Of DR..
W. +. Reilly OF Chicago. with corps of expert as
sistants and chemical examination of well and cis-
tern water by DR.. smart, United States Army. The
whole examination has been much more complete
aud thorough than any ever undertaken in this
country or i'll any place of the size Europe.
Memphis has now no sewers. and privy vaults are
universal. In the thickly built part OF the city
these vaults generally in the cellar and very
foul. The public water supply is unsatisfactory
that it is farely used for drinking purposes the
which were found to be seriously contaminated.
The ground about the houses. especially Of the
poorer classes. is generally fouled with kitchen





city.


PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES


The recommendations of the National Board of
Health follows First, the appointment OF .
competent sanitary authority. independent of poll
abolition privy and cesspoos the part Of
the city to be severed and the substitution OF
wholesome IN the more taissiy n.y.. settled
o be better than any other macadsmizins
out the thickly settled part of the city of the
system Of sewers recommended by Colonel Waring
through the lower part Of the city 20 have the high
water OF the Mississippi excluded by DAM furnished
with valve gate and steam pump; a continuous
strip OF land along both sides of the bayou to be
taken for public park to secure the purity Of the
valley. the sides OF which are to be shaped and
to be discharged by street cutters to gutter rum
ming on the high ground at each side OF the bayou
During high Of the Mississippi the Bayou Vail
ley will be filled with storm water. the surplus es-
Gaping over the dam, and what remains will be i'm.
mediately pumped out.


ARRANGEMENTS FOE SEWERS.


The system Of sewage adopted is briefly as fols
lows-The sewers are not to be of smaller diameter
than six inches because in the opinion of Colonel
Waring it will not be safe to have smaller size than
fourinch for house drains and 1t IS necessary that
the sewer should be large enough to remove what
ever may be delivered by them. smaller Pipe than
six inches would be less readily ventilated than
would be desirable. 1t not considered necessary
to adopt smaller radius than three inches to
q cleansing Of the channel by copious flushing. The
to be increased in size is made neces-
sary by the dng of the sewer half full OF water at
the time OF the greatest flow. The use of sewer
wasteful. for the reason that, because when
sufficient ventilating capacity is secured.
the ventilation becomes less complete the
size increases. leaving large volume OF contained
influences to be acted upon by changes
Of temperature and Of volume Of flow inside OF the
tscted against the least intrusion Of cement which
would create roughness which would be liable to
socumuiate oostr1csions. Inc upper END Of each
tank, which is supposed to have sufficient capa-
city to daily and thorough cleansing OF So
much OF the conduit from its limited dow would
be liable to deposit solid matter by the way suf-
cient number Of manholes to be built. which
will be covered with iron gratings for the pur-
pose OF admitting air for ventilation. aud IL tho
directions given arc adhered to 1t will not be
necessary to clean them out the use Of the hush
tank being safeguard against the accommodation Of
deposit The manhoes VIII be placed at intervals or
not less than 1000 feet. Great care will be
taken to have the sewers properly and systemat-
ically ventiated and every householder will be COM
PEELED to make his connection without trap and to
continue hls soil pipe to point above the roof Of
his house. or. in other words. the owner of the
house is TO furnish an uninterrupted ventilating
channel four inches In diameter, through its entire
lcngth. This plan, however, the Colonel says, is di
recty the of the system OF connection that
street wash sewers. these being foui and volume
OF the air contained in them Is too great
to be ventilated properly in .s that man.
gases to make 1t safe to discharge 1t through houcs
drains and soil pipes. With the system OF small
pipes the flushing will be SO constant and COM
plete and the amount Of ventilation furnished SO
great that gas will exist in any part Of
traps and pipes Of the houses will be rectifed, d.
and removed by tho circulation of air through
the latter All house connections with the sewers
to be arranged through inets pointing in the
direction OF the how, and these nets to be fun
ne-shaped in order that their fow may be delivered
at. the bottom OF the sewer. By this arrangement
they will withdraw the air from its crown or, in
other words the vertce diameter OF the inlet at it's
point Of junction will be the same rs the diameter OF
the sewer All changes of direction to be ON
gradual curves and by this arrangement the fall
from the head Of each branch to the outlet would be
continuous. SO far rs circumstances will allow the
drains will be brought together and will finally dis
charge through one or two main outlets. The out
admission of fresh. pure air. and, if open, its mouth
will be protected against the direct action OF the
wind.


COST OF THE WORK


This system, 1t should be understood. is radically
different from that usually adopted by engineers.
The members of the commission however. believed
that in all essential particulars 1t Is better adapted
for the purpose for which 1t is intended than any
other which has been brought to their attention. II
is cleaner ana more thoroughly and scientifically
ventilated. and. it viii be seen. obyiates .ne
and sewers. It discharges all that is delivered
the point of outlet outside OF the city before It is
possible for decomposition to take place. II the dis
charge is of domestic sewage only Its solid matter
will be consumed by fishes IL delivered into water
aquatic vegetation. The removal of storm water
will be o very simple matter and will not require
any extensive engineering work. as Is the case In st.
Louis. through deep channels especially IL it is
moved. Is proposed. as far practicable. by
surface cutters, in certain by conduits
ranged near the surface. The removal of house
waste to provide for the drainage of the subsoil will
be through soil water drains laid in the trench
with the plan OF made in 1868 by
Mr.. Hermany. of Louisville and Mr.. Chesbrough, OF
Chicago, who is now engaged in making plan for
this city. This system would cost $500000 for
twenty-four miles of sewer. This plan aud Colonel
Warnings were fully considered by the commission.
ana tho latter's unanimously adopted. The
fata1 vgth nf ths hpo f,vtv
aud of subsoil drains over one hundred miles. II
viii cost $2500 The sewers to be placed In
the alleys in the Of the houses. subsol drains
to be laid in the trenches and in addition
to this separate subsou drain. six feet deep will
be laid under each gutter Of the streets. 1t Is
the opinion OF Colonel Waring that tho average cost
of pumping for water works Is about nine cents per
foot OF elevation for each million gallons
raised, and this basis the cost OF
raising tho sewage of town containing