662 Transactions of the Amebic an Institute. 



This system is called " The Liernu Pneumatic Sewage System," 

 invented by Captain Charles S. Liernu, a Holland engineer. The 

 inventor proposes to remove the fecal matter expeditiously and 

 effectually, regularly every day from all buildings that it may be 

 brought in connection with — and to do this without any disturbance 

 to the parties using the system, and even without their knowledge. 

 As this is done by using air as a motive power, it has been called the 

 " pneumatic system." The plan is to divide the city into complexes 

 and subcomplexes. A subcomplex would consist of about 200 houses 

 or their equivalent. A complex would comprise all the subcom- 

 plexes within a radius of 2,500 feet. A subcomplex would have one 

 air-tight cast-iron reservoir, in common, for the reception of the fecal 

 matter, as shown on the black-board. The connection between 

 this reservoir and the different houses is by means of 5-inch cast-iron 

 pipes, consisting of a main street pipe, with a branch to the closet of 

 each house. These pipes are provided with traps, valves and cocks, 

 by which a circulation of air through them may be prevented, and 

 which are necessary for a successful emptying of the pipes. The last 

 of these (the cocks) are placed in the main pipe near the reservoir, 

 and may be worked by means of a crank from the surface of the 

 street. These are shown on the black-board. A self-acting valve is 

 connected with each branch pipe at its junction with the main pipe. 

 The branch pipes as well as the mains are provided with traps at 

 different intervals. The reservoir has one pipe opening into it for 

 the purpose of exhausting the air. It has also one entering it and 

 extending nearly to the bottom of it for the purpose of carrying all 

 the contents of the reservoir. 



The fecal matter, after entering a fall pipe and filling the trap at 

 the bottom of it, will be carried by the force of gravity on to the next 

 trap, and so on until it forces open the valve at the connection with 

 the main pipe, when it will enter that. If all the pipes should become 

 filled (which would rarely be the case), their contents would flow into 

 the reservoir. In order to empty these pipes thoroughly it is neces- 

 sary to exhaust the air from the reservoir with which they are con- 

 nected. This is done by means of a powerful steam-engine driving 

 an air pump in connection with the large central reservoir, with 

 winch, as I have said, all the reservoirs within a radius of 2,500 are 

 connected. 



Before opening the corks in the pipe communicating between the 

 main reservoir and the sub-reservoir, it is necessary to close those in 

 the main pipes communicating with the houses. 



