628.99 
 
 LIBRARY 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS 
 
 fp 2LX, t / 
 
 Univ.of 111. Libra r; 
 1734 
 
 
 THE 
 
 SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE, 
 
 » # 
 
 NEWPORT, R. I. 
 
 * <• 
 
 PROPOSITION OF THE 
 
 DRAINAGE CONSTRUCTING COMPANY, 
 
 Submitted November 2d, 1880. 
 
 . 18S0. 
 
 DAVIS & PITMAN, STEAM JOB PRINTERS, 
 
 NEWPORT, R. I. 
 
LIBRARY 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY Of ILLINOIS 
 
NEWPORT, R.l. 
 
 Map showing 
 
 Sewers, Pumping Stations, Flush-Tanks, Etc., 
 Proposed to be furnished 
 by 
 
 The Drainage Construction Company 
 
 To Accompany Proposition 
 to the 
 
 MAYOR / COMMON COUNCIL 
 November 1880 
 
 N 
 
 Ini Heuo 
 
o 
 
 r> 
 
 
 PROPOSITION. 
 
 si 
 
 J*> 
 
 The Drainage Construction Company, a chartered 
 corporation of the State of Massachusetts, proposes to con- 
 struct in the City of Newport the sewers shown on the 
 accompanying plan, (with sub-soil drains, house-connec- 
 tion branches, flush-tanks, fresh-air inlets and all other 
 necessary appurtenances as carried out in the sewerage of 
 Memphis,) within the space of one year, for the sum of one 
 hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($150,000). 
 
 This Proposition is explained more in detail in the accom- 
 panying documents, and is subject to the acceptance of the 
 City until the 31st day of December, 1880. 
 
 For the Company, 
 
 [signed.] ROBERT B. POTTER, 
 
 President. 
 
 r.y. L i 
 
 £ COMPANY. ) 
 
 Boston, Nov. ist, 1880. 
 
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 S5S7S0 
 
CONDITIONS. 
 
 The whole system to be carried out in accordance with 
 the work done in Memphis unless modifications are mutu- 
 ally agreed upon. 
 
 The lateral sewers to be 6 inches in diameter and the main 
 outlet to be 15 inches in diameter, with intermediate sizes 
 for the submains. 
 
 Fresh air inlets not to exceed 70 in number. 
 
 Flush tanks as shown on the map, by circles at the heads 
 of the lines. (118 in number.) 
 
 A house connection drain to be continued from the sewer 
 to the outer line of the sidewalk opposite every house or 
 vacant lot along both sides of the streets to be sewered, 
 their number not to exceed 2000. 
 
 A pump-well, or sump, to be constructed at each of the 
 two points indicated, of at least 1500 cubic feet capacity, to 
 be connected with the main sewer by cast iron force mains 
 with leaded joints. 
 
 Tile drains of suitable size to be laid in all sewer trenches, 
 including the main line as far as the junction of Thames 
 and Farewell Streets. 
 
 If the contract is signed before January 1st, 1881, the 
 work to be entirely completed before January 1st, 1882. 
 
 No trenches to be open on Thames Street, Spring Street, 
 Touro Street, or Bellevue Avenue between June 1st and 
 October 1st. 
 
 For monthly payments the work to be estimated at the 
 following rates : 
 
4 
 
 6 inch sewers per foot, 
 
 $ .92 
 
 8 “ “ 
 
 1. 12 
 
 10 44 “ 
 
 1.46 
 
 12 44 44 
 
 1.60 
 
 15 
 
 2.65 
 
 House connections each, 
 
 5.00 
 
 Flush Tanks each, 
 
 30.00 
 
 Fresh air inlets each, 
 
 40.00 
 
 The work to be measured at the end of each month ; 80 
 per cent, of the amount due according to the above schedule 
 to be paid in cash to the Company before the ioth day of 
 the succeeding month ; and 20 per cent, to be retained until 
 the completion of the work. 
 
 On the completion of the work the balance due on the 
 contract, — being the difference between the amount paid 
 and $150,000, — to be paid in cash within 30 days. 
 
 If desired the company will agree to pay a forfeit of $50 
 per day for every day’s delay beyond the date of comple- 
 tion specified, on condition that it is to receive $50 per day 
 for every day after the completion of the work and before 
 the time of completion specified in the contract. 
 
 The total lengths of sewers of the different sizes, as 
 nearly as they can be measured on the map, are : 
 
 6 inch, 
 
 87,600 lineal feet. 
 
 8 inch, . * . 
 
 5,550 “ 
 
 10 inch, 
 
 3,600 44 44 
 
 .12 inch, 
 
 2,750 44 
 
 15 inch, 
 
 . . . 11,100 4 4 4 4 
 
 The meaning of the 
 
 contract is that all sewers are to be 
 
 extended so far as may be necessary to receive a house 
 connection drain from each house or house lot within the 
 district — whether more or less than the above. 
 
 The city is to furnish right of way free of cost, and to 
 allow the new Perry St. sewer to be taken as a part of the 
 system. 
 
Author., 
 (Surname first) 
 
 Title *2^ 
 
 Da^ o-t 7b; \l 
 
 •^O^o z-\ 
 
 C. o st 
 . 0-0 
 
 C.Wr<jc4 ^ 
 
 V iLsv\llST~A--Q — 
 
 Edition. 
 
 Place 
 
 Date of pub 
 
 To be charged to 
 
 Recommended by 
 
 fund. 
 
 Approved by. 
 
 Univ. of 111. Lib. When this book has been received and cataloged this card, if filled out by 
 
 the department, will be returned to the person “recommending,” or, if no one is 
 specified, then the one “approving” the book order for his information. 
 
ARGUMENT. 
 
 The acceptance of the Company’s proposition of course 
 involves an abandonment of the plan prepared by Capt. 
 Cotton, with the approval of Mr. Chesborough, which has 
 been recommended by the Committee on Streets and High- 
 ways. 
 
 Not to weary the Council and the public with a long 
 discussion as to the relative merits of large and small sewers, 
 attention is called to the following editorial of the London 
 Local Government Chronicle , which sets forth the opinion 
 of the best Sanitary Engineers of Great Britain. It is suffi- 
 cient to say that Robert Rawlinson, Esq., C. B. Engineer to 
 the Local Government Board of England is generally ac- 
 cepted as the leading authority of the world in sanitary en- 
 gineering. His opinion as quoted below can be supported if 
 necessary by arguments of the most convincing character. 
 
 "There are two main causes which, more than any others, 
 have prevented sewerage schemes from being carried out in 
 this country, and have rendered them unpopular or mis- 
 chievous where they have been carried out. The first has 
 been their great expense, and the second the impossibility 
 of satisfactorily disposing of the great volume of sewage 
 which finds its way into the sewers, especially after rain. 
 It seems by no means improbable that both these difficulties 
 may be surmounted, in the majority of cases, by means of a 
 simple, efficient and inexpensive system of sewerage, if the 
 principle is followed, which was described in a paper on the 
 "Sewerage of Memphis,” which was read by Mr. Rogers 
 Field at the late Sanitary Congress, and the contents of 
 which are given in detail in another column. 
 
6 
 
 "The principle is by no means a new one one. It was 
 advocated many years since by Mr. Rawlinson, C. B., the 
 Chief Engineering Inspector of the Local Government 
 Board ; and judging from his remarks on the paper in ques- 
 tion, it is one to which he still adheres, and which has been 
 satisfactorily adopted in some towns in this country. It 
 may also be assumed that it is one approved of by Mr. 
 Field, whose authority on such matters is second to none ; 
 and, although it was disapproved of at a meeting of sani- 
 tary engineers held many years since, it is a significant fact 
 that not one of the eminent engineers present at the Con- 
 gress appears to have had a word to say against it. It 
 would, perhaps, be difficult to determine how far this result 
 was due to the consideration that the principle can be more 
 efficaciously carried out now by means of modern appliances, 
 such as the automatic flush tank, 120 of which are in con- 
 stant operation at Memphis, and how far it was owing to 
 the defects of the system more generally adopted having now 
 become too ajofarent to be defended. The advantages of 
 the principle are, however, so obvious, that whatever may 
 be the opinion of the engineering profession with respect to 
 it, it will need a very strong case to show that it is wrong. 
 
 "Its main characteristic is the substitution of very small 
 sewers, varying from six inches to fifteen inches in diameter, 
 for the reception of sewage only, in place of the usual large 
 storm water sewers, varying in size from twelve inches in 
 diameter to seven feet. The saving of cost thus accom- 
 plished in construction of the sewers may, ol course, be 
 enormous where the length of the sewers is great; and the 
 volume of sewage to be treated at the outfall is proportion- 
 ately diminished. Moreover, the sewage is comparatively 
 undiluted, and reduced in bulk without injury to its more 
 valuable constituents. It is, according to Mr. Rawlinson, a 
 mistake to provide sewers for the reception of the rainfall. 
 "If an engineer,” he says, "goes into a town and makes a 
 rule-of-three sum as to what should be done to take away 
 the rainfall he makes an egregious mistake. The surface 
 water should not go into the sewers, but flow over the 
 surface.” If this is the case, it is manifest that London and 
 Paris and the majority of our large towns have been sew- 
 ered on a principle which is radically wrong ; and the 
 
7 
 
 sooner that principle is abandoned in the construction of 
 new sewerage systems the better. It cannot well be main- 
 tained that the new system, though suitable for small, 
 cannot be conveniently adopted for large towns, for Mem- 
 phis has a population of 40,000 ; and it is in contemplation 
 to sewer Washington on the same plan.* 
 
 "In short, it seems clear that a sufficient case has been 
 made out to cause any sanitary authority which is frof os- 
 in g to ado jot a system of large storm water sezuers , to joausc , 
 and enquire whether small sewers for the reception of 
 sewage only, carefully laid, and periodically flushed by 
 means of proper flush tanks, would not be better and 
 cheaper, and at the same time healthier. The large sewers 
 in dry seasons are only too likely to become sewers of 
 deposit ; to leak and give off offensive odors ; whereas, the 
 smaller ones, if properly laid and regularly flushed, may 
 be kept equally clean the whole year round. It may be open 
 to considerable doubt whether all the details of the Mem- 
 phis sewerage are satisfactory, and especially whether it is 
 desirable, as has been done there, to discard the use of 
 man-holes. But this question can in no way affect the 
 main principle of the scheme, which now that it has been 
 found a success, and now that it has been publicly sup- 
 ported by two such authorities as Mr. Rawlinson and Mr. 
 Field, certainly deserves and will probably receive, a fair 
 trial on the part of the Local Boards and corporations who 
 are for the first time taking in hand the sewerage of their 
 districts.'” 
 
 The plan for large sewers now under consideration is 
 open to all the objections obtaining in the case of large sew- 
 ers everywhere. 
 
 Aside from the sanitary defects of such sewers it should 
 be a controlling objection in Newport that they are enor- 
 mously expensive. Capt. Cotton estimates the cost of 
 his outlet sewers only, which will serve for the drainage of 
 houses only on Thames St. and Washington Square, at 
 $130,880. He says with reference to the branch sewers 
 
 * This is at least premature. 
 
8 
 
 needed for the completion of his plan, only that in the 
 aggregate they must be "very expensive.” It would prob- 
 ably not be too much to estimate their cost, by the time the 
 work is completed over the area covered by the company’s 
 proposition at $350,000, making a total of $480,000. 
 
 In addition to this, three years’ time would be required 
 for the construction of the mains, only, and the work of 
 sewering the city would probably be extended over a period 
 of ten years. 
 
 The tunnel proposed by Capt. Cotton to take the drain- 
 age of the eastern slope would cost, according to his 
 estimate, $43,500. It would be necessary to add to this at 
 least $1,500 for the expensive deep shafts required to admit 
 tributary sewers according to his description, making a total 
 of $45,000. The interest on this sum at 5 per cent, per 
 annum would be $2,250. As an illustration of the extrava- 
 gance of this proposed work it may be said that the whole 
 area to be sewered by that tunnel is about 371 acres. On 
 this area there are now 53 houses. Supposing the whole 
 to be built up with a house to each half acre there would be 
 743 houses containing a population, at 7 1-2 persons to the 
 house, of 5.565. The sewage produced by this population 
 would not exceed 185,500 gallons per day, or 1,067 pounds 
 per minute. To force this over the hill into the main sewer 
 would require a lift of 35 feet, or a constant expenditure of 
 one and one tenth horse power. The construction of a suit- 
 able sump to receive this sewage and of a force main and a 
 compressed-air ejector to lift it, — which would not be needed 
 for a very long time to come, — would not exceed $5,000. 
 The cost of 1. 1 horse power working, continuously for a 
 year would not exceed $100, and the interest on $5,000 at 
 5 per cent, would be $250, making a total of $350 against 
 a total of $2,250 — or an annual saving of $1,900. 
 
 The same financial argument holds good against the 
 whole of the large sewer system. Aside from its very 
 
9 
 
 serious sanitary disadvantages, it would be inordinately 
 expensive and would entail a constant heavy charge on the 
 community for interest. 
 
 As to the system covered by this proposition it is only 
 necessary to refer to its very extensive application and very 
 thorough trial in the City of Memphis. 
 
 Concerning this we submit the following letters from Dr. 
 D. T. Porter, the President of the Legislation Council and 
 chief executive officer of that city ; Maj. J. H. Humphreys, 
 the engineer in charge of the work, and Maj. W. PI. H. 
 Benvaurd, U. S. Engineer, long.resident in ■ Memphis and 
 an interested observer of the working of the new sewers : 
 
 Memphis, Tenn., Oct. 22, 1880. 
 
 To his Honor the Mayor and City Council of Newport, 
 
 R. /. 
 
 Gentlemen : — We have been requested to give you our 
 opinion of the system of sewers adopted by and in use in 
 this city. 
 
 The first pipe was laid in January last and the sewers 
 have been in use since March or April. 
 
 I have watched the working of these sewers very closelv 
 and I don’t think I can suggest any improvement on the 
 plan ; they seem to have given entire satisfaction and are, 
 so far as I have been able to discover, entirely free from 
 sewer gas, which we think one of the most important 
 requisites of perfect sewers. 1 
 
 Before this system was presented to me, I had never 
 investigated any but larger sewers, and I was slow to adopt 
 it; but now, if I had an opportunity to increase the 6 inch 
 
IO 
 
 pipe to 8 inch pipe, I would not do so, believing the 6 inch 
 to be ample in size for short laterals. 
 
 Of course the flush tanks make this system a success. 
 They should be kept in order and we have found very little 
 trouble in doing so. 
 
 If you contemplate sewering your city I would advise you 
 by all means to adopt this plan, or to send an agent here to 
 see their working before accepting any other. We will 
 take great pleasure in showing your agent the entire work- 
 ing of the system. 
 
 Very Respectfully, 
 
 [signed.] D. T. PORTER, President. 
 
 Attest : 
 
 [signed.] C. L. PULLEN, Sect’y. 
 
 Memphis, Tenn., Oct. 19, 1880. 
 Mayor and Common Council , City of Newport , R. /. 
 
 Gentlemen : — I have been asked for an opinion as to 
 the efficiency of the Memphis system of sewerage. 
 
 The first pipes were laid here last January and to this 
 date there has not been a single failure in any sew r er either 
 from obstructions or otherwise. It has answered the pur- 
 pose for which it was constructed (removal of house sewage) 
 so completely that all opposition to it has ceased and all 
 classes of people are connecting with it as rapidly as the 
 plumbers can do the work. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 [signed.] J. H. HUMPHREYS, 
 
 Engineer in charge of Sewers. 
 
II 
 
 U. S. Engineer Office, ^ 
 
 Memphis, Tenn., > 
 
 October 19th, 1880. 9 
 
 To the Mayor and Common Council , City of Newport, 
 
 R. L 
 
 Having been requested to give my opinion in regard to 
 the system of sewerage adopted for the city of Memphis, I 
 desire to state that I have closely observed the work from 
 its very inception and have made frequent inspections in 
 order to observe the workings of the different parts. While 
 the entire work has not been completed — though nearly so 
 — I am perfectly satisfied that the success of the system is 
 assured. The sizes of the pipes adopted and their arrange- 
 ment are amply sufficient to carry off all the flow, and the 
 addition of the flush tanks assures at all times a freedom 
 from accumulated matter. Every thing works admirably. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 [signed.] W. H. H. BENYAURD, 
 
 Major Engineers. 
 
 This testimony can be reinforced by any amount of 
 evidence that may be desired. There cannot be the least 
 question of the success of the system there, nor of the 
 certainty of its success here. It is the cleanest, the cheapest 
 and the most regular in its working of all the systems of 
 sewerage yet devised. 
 
 Aside from its great economy, it is a marked advantage of 
 the Memphis system that it can be applied in so short a 
 time, and the work finished once for all. As the laying of 
 the sewers progresses the necessary house drains would be 
 
12 
 
 constructed at the same time and the street returned to its 
 useful condition. Thereafter, when houses are to be 
 connected, instead of breaking up the pavement for that 
 purpose it will be necessary only to cross the sidewalk to 
 the indicated point to find the head of the proper connection 
 pipe. 
 
 The Company’s proposition, therefore, puts it within the 
 power of the City (jovernment to complete its entire 
 sewerage work so far as the district shown is concerned 
 within a single year, and to pay for it without entailing any 
 extravagant charge upon the community. 
 
DESCRIPTION OP THE PLAN. 
 
 By Geo. E. Waring, Jr., Consulting Engineer. 
 
 THE OUTLET. 
 
 Captain Cotton adopted the west side of Goat Island as 
 the most desirable point for an outlet. At the same time, 
 he in no wise objected to my original suggestion in favor 
 of the west side of Coaster’s Harbor Island. I have again 
 considered the whole subject and I adhere to my former 
 opinion. Inverted siphons and submerged pipes are always 
 a more or less hazardous reliance, and they should be 
 resorted to only in cases of real necessity. It is quite likely 
 that the economy of this outlet, in view of the great size of 
 Capt. Cotton’s main sewer would furnish a sufficient argu- 
 ment in its favor if the storm water system were to be 
 adopted, but where the main is only 15 inches in diameter 
 there can be no question as to the greater economy of the 
 outlet at Coaster’s Harbor Island. I think also that there 
 is no doubt that the dispersion of the effluent matter would 
 be much more complete at that point. 
 
 Then, too, when a town is sewered by the Memphis plan, 
 everything being washed to the outlet by the action of the 
 flush-tanks, as often as once in twelve hours if desired, 
 nothing whatever remaining to decompose in the sewers, 
 the effluent is so entirely different from that of ordinary 
 sewers that the question of disposal is very much less 
 important. Probably nine tenths of the solid matter dis- 
 charged by the 15 inch main sewer would be consumed by 
 fishes within an hour of its delivery. 
 
H 
 
 THE MAIN AND SUB-MAIN SEWERS. 
 
 The main sewer of the proposed system begins in Spring 
 Street, at the foot of Perry Street ; follows Spring Street 
 to the alley back of the State House ; passes the north end 
 of the State House and follows Farewell Street to Walnut 
 Street; follows Walnut Street to the Old Colony R. R., 
 and the east side of the railroad to a point where its grade 
 will carry it sufficiently below the road bed, when it crosses 
 the track and runs along the west side of the railroad to the 
 Malbone brook, and thence, about on the course indicated, 
 to the point of outlet. This sewer is entered by one sub- 
 main on Warner Street, one on Tanner Street, one on 
 Broadway, one on Touro Street, and one on Church Street. 
 The connection of the laterals with these sub-mains is 
 shown on the map. Another main starts at the south 
 end of Thames Street, and runs to the sump at the foot of 
 Brewer Street. Another main starts on Thames Street 
 near the City Hall and runs southerly to the same sump. 
 These two mains drain the territory between Spring Street 
 and Thames Street, from Mary Street to Dixon Street. 
 Also Spring Street from Perry Street to Webster Street, 
 and Bellevue Avenue and the cross streets as showm. 
 The sump near the pond at Bridge Street drains the whole 
 district north of Washington Square and west of the main 
 sewer as shown. 
 
 PUMPING. 
 
 It is absolutely necessary to the proper drainage of the 
 lower parts of Newport, that the sewage be lifted by 
 mechanical power, into the elevated main sewer. For this 
 purpose tbe sump at the foot of Brewer Street is connected 
 with the Spring Street sewer by an iron force main laid in 
 Brewer Street. The Bridge Street sump is connected in 
 like manner by an iron force main leading to the crossing 
 of Walnut Street and the Old Colony Railroad. 
 
i5 
 
 The power required to do this lifting will not exceed, in 
 constant work, two and one half horse power. It would 
 not be worth while to erect steam pumps and to provide 
 attendants for such trifling duty. 
 
 The work can probably be most economically done by 
 the use of automatic compressed air ejectors, such as are 
 used in England ; or by a use of a modification of the 
 Pulsometer, which is in use in this country, the steam or 
 compressed air being furnished by contract by some estab- 
 lishment in the city where steam power is used. In view 
 of the uncertainty as to the best course to be pursued in 
 this matter, the pumping apparatus has not been provided 
 for in the estimate. The Company will engage that the 
 apparatus and appurtenances shall not cost more than 
 $5,000, and will furnish it at actual cost. 
 
 DETAILS. 
 
 The details of the work are to be in all essential particu- 
 lars the same here as in Memphis. These are described 
 with sufficient accuracy in an account of that work in the 
 New York Herald of Aug. 26th, a copy of which is submit- 
 ted herewith. They are more minutely set forth, and are 
 illustrated by diagrams, in the paper read by Mr. Rogers 
 Field before the Sanitary Institute of Great Britain, a copy 
 of which will be submitted in a short time. 
 
 GENERAL. 
 
 The plan proposed excludes that part of the city which 
 may be drained into the Middleton Avenue sewer. Until 
 the rest of the city is properly provided for, it would be 
 unwise to incur expense in this section. 
 
 The Perry Street sewer may safely be accepted as a part 
 of the new system. The other existing sewers cannot be so 
 accepted. They may continue to act for the removal of 
 storm water so long as the city is willing to tolerate the foul 
 odor of their catch-basins. When these shall be abated, 
 these sewers will still do some good as subsoil drains. 
 
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 : $ 5 * 
 
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