The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, August 08, 1900, Image 7
SEWERAGE.
What Civil Engineer Wilson Has
to Say About the Matter.
fo THE HON. MAYOI?, AND CITY
COUNCIL, SUMTER, ?S. C.
GEXTiaviv;-At your request I
?ame here a week ago to look *bver
The ground and make ii preliminary
report on the subject ol' sewerage. I
have made such an examination as is
possible without surveys, and have
arrived at the opinion that a system
of sewerage is perfectly practicable.
Before proceeding: with my report
pardon me for introducing some re?
marks on the importance, or rather
necessity of sewerage. Ju the ab?
sorbing pursuit of business we have
not time to give much thought to
these matters, and often ignoro or
underestimate the dangers which
surround us. By long association,
too, we become inured to sights and
odors, which would be repulsive to a
stranger or to us if away from home.
Our own good health and strength,
?too, often convinces us that there is
nothing dangerous or unsanitary in
our surroundings, forgetting that
the victims are generally the weak,
the poor and the helpless, who have
not til ? means or the knowledge to
protect themselves against these un?
favorable conditions or the strength
to resist the attack of disease. For
this very reason the responsibility
for the public health rests all the
mere heavily upon us.
It is sometimes suggested that our
fathers got along well enough with?
out these so-called modern improve?
ments, and that what was good
enough for them is good enough for
ns. But the conditions then were
mite different from those of to-day.
The population of the towns was
small and scattered, and tiie pollu?
tion of soil, water and air had just
begun, and was comparatively mild.
It is row concentrated far beyond
the limit of safety. But as a matter
)f fact our fathers were not so well
off in thisirespect after all. Where
ever statistics have been kept they
show a steady decline in the death
rate, as progress has been made in
public sanitation. In the past forty
vears the death rate in Kngland has
been reduced 15%, saving 100,000
lives, and upwards of 2,000,000 eas
of illness. The death rate of London
has been reduced Z~% in the same
time. L nder the able administration
of the Massachusetts State Board of
Health for the past twenty years the
jeaths from typhoid fever per 100,000
have been reduced from 89 to 35, and
:n the city of Boston from to 32.
We areinclined to take comfort in
the fact that our total death rate is
little if any higher than that of other
cities. But this argument involves a
serious fallacy, for perhaps three
iourths of all the deaths are due to
causes which are still beyond our
control, such as old age, violence,
ionsumption. etc., and do not gener?
ally vary much in different towns,
so that the difference in the total
death rate is rarely very striking.
The true test of the sanitary con?
dition of a city is in the prevalence
of filth diseases. The best known
type of these diseases is typhoid
fever, and sanitarians have univers?
ally, adopted it as the measure of
comparison. Compared on this basis
most of our American cities have
little cause for congratulation; with
a few exceptions the typhoid death
rate among them ranges from Go to
264 per 100.000. In Paris it is 20,
Glasgow 20, Hamburg IS. London 17,
Amsterdam 16; Berlin 9, Vienna 7,
Dresden ?. Rotterdam ?, The
Hague 2.
Taking Berlin as an attainable
standard, these figures mean that
Sumter shouldhaveonly one typhoid
ieath in two years.
The very low typhoid rat?, in
European cities is of course clue to
improved works in all branches of
public sanitation, and cannot ail be
attributed to sewerage. Just how
much is due to that branch and how
much to clean streets and pure water
it is impossible to say. Jiu: certain
it is that sewerage plays an impor?
tant part. Prof. Mason has com?
pared the death rate in fifteen un
sewered cities i:i all parts of the
world with that of fifteen cities of
the same class bu* s< wered. and
found it 37". higher i:: the former
than the latter.
The prime requisite of health. laid
down thousands "t years ago. aie
pure food pure wat?'!', pur?; air, and
pure soil. With the firstof these the
Engineer as yet has little to do. You
already have a pur - pubih water
supply, iiut it is well to remember
:hat only 1..",'.?'.' o?" your people arc
drinking the city water: th'- other
5,000are drinking from shallow sui
face wells, which cannot tai! to be
already largely contaminated from
the numerous cess and pools and
vaults.
Tiier^ is a popular :mpr? thai
the rou! water flowing through the
ground from these iii:!: deposits is
purified in a short distance but that
theory is now entirely exploded, lt
is true that solid matter to some
extent strained out at. first, hut th*
dissolved organic matter and bacteria
pass into the drinking wells without
hindrance. The only purifying pru
iess is oxidation, and that does not
rake piac< to a:iy appreciable extent
In the subsoil. That thc two last
requisitesof health, pure air and a
pure soil ca a: n it \><? had without some
system <>: immediately and com?
pletely removing ali iii:;: to a safe
distance ts self-evident. Thedauger
of poisoning the air from city waste
arises mainly from ti;" putrefaction,
when its poisonous elements are
given oil in gaseous form.
A properly designed system of
sewers carries away and ultimately
dispenses of these wast'- before putri
Seation begins, but in any system ol'
depositing them, either temporarily,
or permanently, whether in vaults
or cess pools or movable receptacles,
putrefaction begins i:i a few hours.
Tho only danger from in<u>.- plumb?
ing, a danger so great as to have led
a distinguished writer twenty years
agoto say: "Modern conveniences
may fairly be said to be ti:'- bane of
modern society.*' J< the danger ?>f
putrid L'as<*> escaping through the
pipes into the house. With a good
system of sewerage properly <P ^?L'.*:
E?d traps aiTord amph protection
against this danger, but : o naps are
? safe against the pressuri of gas gen?
erated ir. a closed cesspool.
There is a widespread impression
that humar> excrement is ti:'- only
sennas or dangerous element of a
j city's waste. There could be no
greater delusion; water is often
I charged with elements of infection,
! and there is nothing more offensive
; than putrifyingkitehen wastes.
The late Col. Geo. E. Waring in
speaking of a former report of his
says: '.in common with the rest of
the world ar that time. T believed
that ioeal matter con ..tuted the
chief factor in the sewerage problem,
lt is hardly necessary for mc to say
that I tim now convinced that faecal
I matter may be regarded as almost
! trifling when compared wi:!! other
! wastes."*
liut sanitary works are expensive,
and taking an economic view <>nly.
the question is sometimes asked, do
they pay? Can one afford to save
the'typhoid victims? The answer is.
that confining ourselves to the same
economic view, we cannot afford to
do otherwise. It is estimated that
tho average human life is worth
$2.000 to the community. Assuming
merely for the sake of illustration
that you have six typhoid deaths
per year, you sulfer an annual loss
of $?2,000. But there are ten cases of
typhoid to one death, and the aver?
age duration of illness is 4;; days.
The value ol" the time lost from work
at $1.00 per day would amount to
s2.r>yi) for CU cases, and the doctors*
and nurses" hills and medicines will
not he less than $50 per case, making
$3,000 more, or a total annual tax
levied by this bingle preventible
disease of $17,580,which is equivalent
to a capital sum of more than s:s>u.
000. You can substitute your actual
typhoid deaths and figure the result
yourself. Xor does this take into
account the indirect loss io business
from occasional epidemics, and the
repelling of capital and industry and
immigration for the fear of them, --lt
cati readily be seen." says Prof.
Mason, --that public works which
could eliminate a reasonable fraction
of this great tax would pay for them?
selves in the course of a few years,
even though, they were originally
expensive.'"
The introduction of sewerage need
not involve any increase in the gen?
eral tax levy, the interest and cost of
operation may be met hy an annual
charge for the use of the service just
as water works revenues are raised,
so that those who are directly bene
fitted shall be taxed.
The first question to be considered
in approaching the problem here. is.
shall we have tiie combined system,
which provides for the removal of
rain and house drainage in the same
channel; or thc separate system
which handles house drainage only,
and leaves the question of rain water
as a distinct problem. The former is
much, more expensive at first, but
some day it will be necessary for yon
to provide for the removal of storm
water in closed drains, and if you
look that far ahead, it will be cheap?
er to do it now in a combined sys?
tem. You will be at once amply
repaid for the extra cost, in the im?
provement of the streets and lots.
The combined system is universally
used abroad, and in tl ie Iargei
American cities, while the separate
system is most popular among th?
smal olaces in this country, and it
has i ?ny able advocates who urge it
on other grounds than its cheapness
The relative advantages can only he
determined by actual surveys in each
particular case.
The next question is the ultimate
disposal of the sewerage. Th*
simplest, cheapest and most g?nerai
practice is to discharge the crud?:
sewerage directly i .nt o a flo wins
stream. The next is to first effect
tile purification by chemical pro?
cess, and expensive and unsatisfac?
tory operation. Another method h
purification by bacteriological treat
j ment, a system which is yet scarcely
j beyond th?; exp?rimentai sitige, bm
which offers great promise; and still
another, the success of which i:
amply demonstrated, is agricultura
. irrigation.
I have examined the country aboui
Sumter, and am informed that th*
stream of Green Swamp, is -1."' fee!
below the city, and can be reached
in a distance of a mile and a half
which affords sufficient gradient foi
an outfall sewer. ? believe that tin
I volume and velocity of tin's stream
are sufficient to dilute and convey
away the sewerage yon would dis?
charge imo it without offense or clan
i- to the few people living near it,
] ?' ir should ever happen in the futur?
that by reason of your growth, oj
more stringent state-laws, it should
b< come necessary to discontinue' the
use of the stream for that purpose, ti
j few acres of the low lands along th<
stream could be converted into s
sewerage farm, and you could dispos?
j of your sewerage in that way. The
: cost of preparing such a farm would
I be very little, and tier profit of it
I cultivation would give a handsome
return on the investment.
Of course without surveys it is im?
possible to do more than make a
j guess ar the probable cost ol' a sys
I tem of sewers, and it is perhaps un
j wise to attempt actual figures tit this
stage, and any that I give are t.
. be taken with extreme caution. I
j have assumed that twelve mik s ol
j mains, including the outfall, as suf
I iicent to meet your present needs.
; This will more than cover the dis
j trict now provided with water mains.
Built on the separate system it ought
to cost from $iO,U0O to $0<),0iX). I can
seo no reason why it. should exceed
tlie latter figure. '
Built <>n the combined system, not
even a guess will he attempted with?
out a survey.
I recommend that you have a cow
i p?ete survey made, and detailed
j plans, sp?cifications and estimates
; for a system covering the entire city.
Von can then hui!:! so much of i: at
; once as you may >.?.. iii. and extend
? it from tin:?- io ri?e- as finances mav
??.?rmi* or necessity demand.
My charge for complete profession
j al services, including surveys, plans,
i specifications and estimates for tue
sum of one thousand dollars, with
the understanding that tis the system
? is built ! am to superintend its con
I struction and am robe pail of
[ the actual cost less the S-l.UO*'' above
! mcniion*-.I.
Respectfully submitted.
Cu AS. ( '. W I I.sox. < '. Iv.
li?- Fooled thc Niirjjcoii.-.
.'.'I .:.<.;< r? i- '. l i!--:.i?-k ?hvmi?;?>n.o?' Vl'c?
. JelFers.-.-n. o , :iIr s?JT-T?: ~ ts r-- nfhs from
! ]',<. fit Fi - Vii;:, lie woy. i J <!,;. . :-.\ :? .-. .;;v
! operation ivas pcrfonne>l : \>v.t be-carcl l<It2?cii
; wiri: five h ises o'. Buckie?".- Arinca Suive, thc
! surest Pile cure <>:? carlo, ar.? the bes: Salve :..
J he world. 25 .eiirs a >x S??M bv V. V.
? ueLorme. Dru?gt?l 4
Cotton Growers
Asked to Combine.
j President Wilborn Issues a
Call to the Farmers.
i
! Following ibo lead of I be Georgia
? Cotton Planters' association, President
j Wilborn of ?ho South Carolina asstcia
! lion bas issued a call looking to a con
! vconon to bc beld in this city in Sep
! teinber following the formation of or
! ganizatioos by townships in tho several
i counties of the State- His call issued
yesterday afternoon reads as follows:
j To the Cotton Growers of South Caro
I lita:
1 have been urged to issue a call to
the cotton growers io South Carolina
fer united and intelligent action of tbe
growers of cotton and cotton seed
with bankers and gionert? with a view
j to marketing the cotton crop through
j a longer period cf time and obtaining
j correct statistical information upou
i which to base prices. I therefore call
upon thc cotton srowcrs to at once or?
ganize in each township and county
! -nd elect delegates to attend a State
I co ve;ticn to be called at an C3rly date
J in September, to be hereafter named.
! Other S-'ates are notv being organized
I - j
! I hereto attach the p^aD Z1 euggeeto-a
i at Mason, Ga , May 20 Let farmers
! ?0 to work at once organizing their
I counties J>cd report to me at Colombia,
j S C. J. C. Wilborn,
Pres Cotton Growers* Convention,
j The paper referred to in Mr Wil
j born's ' setting forth the plan of
I opera n adopted io Georgia reads ss
I ioilo- :
"The president, of the association
snail at once proceed in the most a
peditious and economical manner to
I perieot organization in every county
J throughout the c.ion belt cf the
i State : also to cali State conventioos ic
the other cotton growing States, for
prrfecting similar organizations to that
in this State Efforts shall be made to
es ablish a State bureau io each State,
j in addition to county organizations.
'.This association sha!! fix the price
at. a fair and reasonable figure, at which
the producers shall offer tbeir cotton
j and cotton seed for sale io the open
L markets next season If the mioi
? mum price is fixed cn middling grades
. at say 9 cents per pound at th?1, ports,
j this would fis the price at each local
j shipping point, less tbs rate cf fretgh?
? j to nearest port Bended ware-bouse*
' j to be established at ali local ma.-fceti
' I wherever required by the banks and
; I members of chis association. Ware
! j house receipts to be issued to the ctvc
, i ers of all cotton stored, and the same
t iosured if re:eipts are to be negotiated,
! j These warehouse receipts to be nego
k j c'ated at the nearest bank for CO or SC
\ j per cent, of thc value cf fach cotton ic
[ j ibe open markets at time they ar-: io ht
? j placed with the banbs as co?a'ers!
M security for money borrowed. Each
" i producer snail control tbe individual
. j sale of cotton, and. though a member ci
; j the association, if he desires to dlspo'e
- ; cf his cotton before the minimum price
fixed by the association is cflersd by the
1 buyers he snail be at perfect ?te.ty t:
! do so Tbe association is confident tba:
I a fair aod jase peke for co'ton ana cet
ton seed C?O b-2 fisted and maintained
t in tho opeo mark.:'? by t?e united cen
! cert of action on tbe part o' its mern
her*, bade i by financial aid from th?
banks, by- holding back the surplus il
the crop, which is to be marketed caer,
m JD th to meet the demand of the milli
in all parts cf ?be world
i "Gingers i) rojghtut the cotton bill
wi I be supplied with po?ta! cjrd?
j addressed to headquarters of tbe State
j bureau, with the rt quos* tba: c-act
? S'?tcrday night tee number of baicf
ginned th^r week will be forwarded
p]ar:y the fellowing week thc associe
lion will know just how many bahs o!
j COM on heve been prepared for market
I the past, week throughout the corroe
bc h of tee State, and at tbe ena of the
ginning season ?.ill be in possession ci
.<x--ct figur?e showing the amount ol
CD.ton made that season Tee secrc
ta ies of canty organizations will keep
tn clcse touch wi;h the prodecers, and
careful estimates made on existing crop
cenditioos will be sent weekly ro the
Sta'e bureau Throughout the year
information from such sources will be
obtained upon which thc price o?
(Ottcn and cotton seed can be fixed at a
f-ir figure
"The fund? needed for carrying on
the cfhVial work of the association
j ?hall be raised by c unry j-sses?ni?nt.
Tee mimimum ice tobe paid State or
! paaiz-ition by county organ:zition to
j be $50 for less than 100 members and
i he minimum of $100 for each coan'y
j organization of iUO members or more
j The annoil dues after toe first year to
j be half or these respective a moan rs
! from each county organization.
j "I? i-i deemed essential for ihe pur?
noo cf rapidly developing ti.is nitive
? ment to effect local organizations ia
! each county cf this State Thesn or
j ganizations snail be cireoted by an
? antive organizer ia each congressional
I district Such organizers shall be rc
! commended by the cwmbcrs from each
! congressional district com^osio" the
i . co
ex* cutt ve committee, and tbe appoint?
ment made by thc president The
president shall bo empowered to remove
from tf?oe ney I < : c* a i t-rgaDiz^r
nr.c properly performing his duties, an??
have hus t lace filled upon recommenda?
tion bv ti"*' executive committee in said
district The local organizer shall be
paid-dollars perdiera and traveling
expenses while in active discharge cf
tbeir duties.
Stye tUa?djmnn mb ?outl)ton,
' ----^------^-^-- " ~-----^--?-^
rai SUMTER WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's.iand Truth's." THE TRUE SOUTHRON. Established Jane ISfti
Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER. S. C.. WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 8, 1900. New Series-Vol. XX. Xo 2
?Mrs. L. Atkinson,
Fashionable
jMILLIHERY.
I ITe-w Sumner Goods and Novelties
Coming in S very "Wscifc.
i Steck of Flower3 ?od ?ii Trimmine .SiLoe
;ia:s Juli [,ow foi Souraer usf-.
i ?M .
? Daily additions of oesigci? ?n Tna-.rr!ir><:s
j kteo our Trimmed Kat Department continu
j ous'v >.itr*iuve. Tr.? outgoing rendel* *.-e
, i promptly replaced bj larer ide?9 cf cur OTTO
! designing f-nd C pif-? of tbe ???-it Uk's fhowa
in Nev/ York
1 j The satr*- exel naiveness cbiracte-riz^S ou:
exhibit of UNTRIMMED HATS which com?
prises choice selection- ri Straw Braid?, ;c
( i <vbi?e, black u?? ihe pastel ?h?j<iP?
? Prices tte i?^?-?t in city for equn! o/ji?tiP?.
Mrs. L. Atkinson,
1 j j CUTER, S G.
' j Muy 1 o
j FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF
! j SDITER,
i_
. i
i STATE, CITY AND COUNTY DE
! POSITORV.. SUMTER] S. C.
' j prtii C?pitai.S 75,G0r CO
! Sarp:S? ?cd PrcS's -.- - -? OOO 00
? S Addition??! L;-.':].-- cf Stock
j Loidt-r? :r? ?i'.-r:; cf :':.t-\T
' j r.ozs.. 75.010 00
1 I TO:R'. protection :c Ci?c=:.:cs. t:i73 COO 00
; ? Tra::ssc"? H Ge-ern! 3feCt:;r.;: 3U?:L-;?.
. i bp*c tittsct'.on 2-.-.;-r> :o co..' c::ocs.
Si VINGS DEF A RT*X EN T?
1 i
I Deposit* of Si ?'?d ?:p.?...?.rd; :fcc:ved. Ic
: ? teres: shooed a: rte rste r.r s : er Cv-;r.per
I ncr.oe cc?uicuuts?fceve S5 sut! rot ereeed
' . i :p SSC "'. nayab'e Q'ly, efl fir?: dava of
! ! J?:-u.:r<- Ar ri; Ju fr :?r.d ?crooer.
? ; ' ?. 'i '.VALLACK.
? L. 3. -"Aiii. s. Preiideot.
case:- r
I !
/r.r,"i"-/> sending a stet ch rind description ma"
"?n?clily ascertain ncr opinion fre? whether an
invention is .proba? ly patentable. Oommunica
: ions ^: rictly conl?den: ?;:!- I ?andbockon Patents
tea* i roe oldest ::L.-r:??-v for securing patents.
i'.:-.-i?;< taken throc'h Munn \ Co. receive
A handsomely i?!??p?rii?ed woek?r. Z-inrest cir?
culation '-i*4j:v t-r.u:iit:Cc journal. Terms. a
year . ?.'ur r*onths. tya.ll newsdealer?.
?V??NN & Oo.3S?S">=^ New York
Branch ortie-.-. 0?? F St? YTasfcracton. I>. C.
T ?>
eg ar*
I have on hand a lot of
Home-made Vinegar of very
j fine quality. The flavor is del
I icate. while the strength is
j equal to any to be had.
Will be sold at my residence
j for 40 cents per gallon.
i. OST KSK ft.
Digests what you eat.
j It art ificially digest? the food and aids j
I Nature in strengthening and recon- ?
j structiag the exhausted digestive or- ?
i guns, lt is the latest discovered digest- j
I ant and tonic. Zso other preparation j
? can approach it in efficiency, lt in- ?
stantly relieves and permanently cures j
Dyspepsia, Indigestion, Heartburn, j
Flatulence, Sour Stomach, Nausea,
Sick Headache Gastralgia.Crampsand
all other results of imperfect digestion, j
Price 50c. end $1. L;ir;r-size contains 2VS times
small size. Bock al : a i >< >u t d ypeps i : i mn iied ? ree .
Prepared ty E. C. DeiVITT &CO-. Chicago, i
SHEPHERD PiiPS m S?LE, i
We Soll the Wickless Blue Flame Oil Stove.
GO
to
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o
C9
Cd
X
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CO
LU
Why ? Simply because we advertise
no fake.
Wc give no auction bargains, but straight goods, full
values, at less than factory prices. We have had such
success unloading our goods that we will extend the
time until August 10 to supply your wants at low cash
prices. Everybody remarks about the bargains ob?
tained.
DOLLS poid for 10c, now 5c " DOLLS sold for 50c, now 25c
DOLLS sold for ?1, now 50c
Large Pictures, 20 x 24 sold for $1 50, now 99 cents
Decorated Piales, sold for 60c, now 35 cents
CO
Q Now customers, don't fail to take advantage of this
?sj golden opportunity. We are going to unload, some
og, body will gain by it,
g SO GET IN LINE.
g ? T. C. SC?FFE,
S Au2 8 The Universal Provider.
ca
GO
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QC
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S*
ss
Gr S, S* C.
SOUTHEE
STILL
ER HESORTS
There is but one Glenn Springs, and it has no equal on the
continent for the Stomach, Liver, Kidneys, Bowels and Bleed.
Hotel Open from June 1 to October h
Cuisine and Service Excellent.
I It is up-to-date and Everybody Goes There.
? .- ? ? ? ? ? ?
For water apply to For board apply to
Paui Simpson. Simpson & Simpson.
WATER FOB SILE BY 1)11. A. J. CHINA.
e.
/atenuan's
Jdeai pountain Pen,
Which is concocdcd to be tho beat
Fountain Pcm made, wu3 0r;?t sold in
Sumter bj Sve years apo. We in?
erve ticed ir sed at ?rsr, the sale was
slow-the positive, gntarao tee given with
each pn ;,uu their superior merit mads
them go after a snort time. We have
old butdreds of pens during the past
"ve veare and cr: still yelling them.
We bave a Ir.rgcr and more complote
seortment of these pens now than ever
efor.* and from the many ci--les of nibs
.?<. can suit al i pen-users.
V???Z?MAWS 2dASE5-ITS
MASK ABOUND TSE ^SLB
Liberty Sir??i*