422 Minneapolis Sewer System 



the practical extermination of this remarkable mammalian phase of 

 animal life. 



Whatever may be the cause, it is evident that the present exhibits 

 but a depauperate state of the past, so far as concerns the physical 

 and animal part of animate creation. The large, bizarre, and povver- 

 ful types of life have given place to smaller and quicker-moving types. 

 If rank, in the animal kingdom, were to be determined by the bulk 

 of the animal, we would be justified in concluding that there had betn 

 a retrogressive evolution. But, while the body has become smaller, 

 speaking of the average of mammalian life, there is reason to believe 

 that there has been an increase of average cephalic power, particularly 

 so far as regards man. The dominance of mind over matter has be- 

 come more pronounced. The real progress of evolution therefore has 

 not been retrograde, but ascensional. In place of brute force, there 

 has appeared a greater sway of psychic force. 



While therefore, from a physical standpoint, we may agree with 

 Wallace, that we occupy a stage in the history of the earth's animal 

 evolution, from which the largest and highest forms have just disap- 

 peared, we can affirm, it seems to me with equal assurance, that we 

 have entered upon a stage in animal development which is higher in 

 rank than any stage that has preceded the present, in proportion as 

 the predominance of mind is higher than the predominance of selfish 

 brute force. 



THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MINNEAPOLIS SEWER SYSTEM. 



By Andrew Rinker, City Engineer. 



The first sewer of the city of Minneapolis was begun June 15, 1871, 

 17 years after the founding and naming of the city. As I happened 

 to come to Minneapolis that day I saw the first brick laid in the first 

 sewer. 



As I was soon afterwards connected with the city engineering de- 

 partment and was appointed City Engineer in April, 1877, and have 

 continued in that position ever since, with the exception of the years 

 1892 to 1902, when I was in Montana, the sewer system has largely 

 grown under my direction and supervision. But I desire here to 

 acknowledge the faithful, able, and efficient work of my special 

 Sewer Engineers, Mr. W. D. VanDuzee from 1870 to 1894 and Mr. 

 Carl Ilstrup, from 1894 to the present time, to each of whom has 

 been built a lasting monument of the best fame in these foundation 

 civic improvements of a modern city. 



From a topographical survey of the original town of Minneapolis 

 the natural watershed into the Mississippi river was determined on 

 for sewer drainage on the gravity system. This gravity system has 

 been adhered to with an average ffow of 2% miles per hour, there 

 being as yet no pumping of our sewage. The division of the city's 



