CONQUEST OF SEWAGE DANGERS 13 



some other disinfectant thrown in lavishly, though it often seemed 

 unnecessary, so well did the system work in connection with our house 

 plumbing, which, as well as the cesspool, was thoroughly back-aired, 

 and stood perfectly the peppermint medicine poured down the 

 throated pipes to ascertain sewer gas conditions. This was done every 

 six months, the day we paid the bank interest on the mortgage. The 

 connecting pipe was iron instead of tile. 



Years afterward in a Sound front cottage we installed the same 

 style of cement tank with a two-inch overflow pipe extending well into 

 the Sound, and controlled by a gate-valve. Once a week, at night on 

 the outgoing tide, opening the valve for an hour emptied the water 

 sewage tank, and the other compartment was cleaned in the winter, 

 as on the hill. This system proved simple, safe, sane, sanitary and 

 successful. 



Conquest of Sewage Danger. 



From the time when our English ancestors hibernated like bears in 

 a round neolithic pennpit, and later when king and churl alike dug 

 open sewers in the floors of their dwellings, unto the dawn of modern 

 conveniences when insanitary plumbing forced deadly sewer gas into 

 the blood, men, like ripened grain, have fallen unnecessarily by the 

 million before the steel of the "grim reaper." Yet through all these 

 years of self destruction, at man's elbow, but tongue tied, stood the 

 twin servitors, aerobic and anaerobic, minute organisms, anxious to 

 purify his home, throttle burning fevers and lengthen his life. Har- 

 nessed for the first time in the nineteenth century, they are doing 

 systematic yeoman service. As absolute darkness is an essential in 

 the work of the anaerobic microbe, while he transmutes fetid matter 

 into the gaseous state, cesspools must be about six feet deep, yet with 

 suitable air vent. Preliminary disintegrating surface work is per- 

 formed by the oxygenic aerobic, that floats on the surface and passes 

 down to his partner for final disposal all refuse. 



We put these twin servitors to work in the bacteria-septic-tanks 

 afterward installed in one of our country places and they purified 

 sewage in about twenty-four hours. The apparatus consisted of 

 three siphon connected tanks sewage tank, weir tank, and disin- 

 fecting tank. The air vent was a small well braced galvanized iron 

 pipe flag pole open at the top, giving an exceptional draught. 



The installation of two main line speaking tubes ended our list 

 of changes. Years afterward we realized that "striving to better, oft 

 we mar," and while sugar-loaf-tower and aggressive excrescence 

 here and impudent protruberance there gave greater convenience, the 

 rural restfulness of the old farm house had vanished. Better a bed 

 of ashes and a Phoenix-risen new house. From destruction of the 

 old generally springs a newer and better construction. 



