244 



The Country House 



A tank at West Hampton Beach, Long Island, that harmonises with the other buildings. 

 Many tanks are ugly and out of place. This one "belongs." It supplies both house and 

 farm with water. Frank E. Wallis, architect 



composite type (see Fig. 45). It frequently happens that the source of excessive 

 moisture is in a hill of clay, shedding its surface water so as to collect in some 

 hollow. In this case the drain should extend across the shed at its base, thus pre- 

 venting its surface 

 collection below. 



The dangers 

 attending the ordi- 

 nary slovenly ways 

 of private sewerage 

 disposal are not to 

 be underestimated. 

 They are frequently 

 responsible for much 

 ill health, and often 

 death. Even the 

 ordinary accepted 

 methods of disposal 

 are bad, they being 

 another*exemplifica- 

 tion of the old say- 

 ing, "Out of sight, 

 out of mind." 



The great dif- 

 ficulties arising from this question are numerous and very frequently require ex- 

 pert attention, which is often foiled owing to natural insurmountable conditions. 

 We have already spoken of its evil influence on the water supply, but, even pro- 

 vided that that be removed by the introduction of public service, the problem is 

 still complex. Although the importance of public service is early realised, the 

 great evils arising from lack of public disposal do not seem to be appreciated 

 by the public at large. You can get money for new streets and new sidewalks, 

 but the public sewerage system, which is of vastly more importance, arouses no 

 enthusiasm whatever. 



The great question in the disposal of sewage is how it may be handled so as 

 not to become a nuisance to someone. It is not only important that the estate 

 to which the sewage belongs shall not suffer ill effects, but that the neighbours 

 shall be in like manner protected from it. 



The principal things to be remembered and avoided are stagnation and decay. 

 Waste matter left to itself to collect, and away from the cleansing, oxidising 

 effect of the atmosphere, the purifying action of plant life and the neutralising 

 influence of the top soil, becomes a dangerous nuisance. The chief end to be 

 attained is the destruction of all impure qualities through the agency of natural 

 sources as far as possible. 



Liquids and solids should be kept apart as far as may be practical, with a view 

 to the ease of their disposal. The liquids thould be used to irrigate the vegetable 

 garden, lawn, grapevines, fruit trees, etc., or they may be carried through one or 

 more tile drains under the soil to 50 feet or more away from the house and then 



