766 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLI. No. 1064 



consideTation, particularly from an engineering 

 standpoint. 



We must look to the development in this field 

 of definite standards as to both appliances and 

 methods. This standardization must he of such a 

 character as to be applicable wherever work of 

 this kind is done. Most of our present appliances 

 and materials are crude and the outgrowth of al- 

 most no study that could be called scientific. 

 While there are undoubtedly inherent difficulties in 

 handling the personnel on the same basis that they 

 are handled in industrial establishments, improve- 

 ment in this direction has been so rapid in the 

 last few years that we have every reason to look 

 forward to further radical improvements in this 

 direction. 



It should be pointed out that there are no in- 

 herent differences between the cleaning of pri- 

 vate buildings. Therefore, in looking at the whole 

 problem of cleaning buildings, and judged by 

 what it means both in dollars and cents and in' the 

 comfort of the occupants, the problem is a proper 

 one for engineering attack and solution. 

 Experience in. Locating and Mapping Pipes and 

 Valves in an Old Water Works System: Cable- 

 ton E. Davis. 



The necessity for complete plans and records of 

 pipes and valves in a water -works system is evi- 

 dent. In many cities, too much dependence has been 

 placed upon the memory of employees and too little 

 stress has been laid upon the importance of accu- 

 rate and enlightening records so distributed as to 

 be immediately available by as many employees as 



In the definite scheme of obtaining and record- 

 ing such information, much spare time of employees 

 can be used in obtaining data without adding to 

 the general expense. The city of Philadelphia is 

 operating such a system with reasonable success. 

 New Water Supply Conduit of the City of Bart- 

 ford Water Works: Caleb Mills Saville. 

 The development of a new water supply for the 

 city of Hartford, Conn. (pop. 131,000 in 1914), 

 comprises a collecting and storage reservoir, lo- 

 cated 14 miles from the city, with a capacity of 9 

 billion gallons; a compensating reservoir of 3 

 billion gallons to compensate mill owners for the 

 stream flow taken for the collecting reservoir; a 

 pipe line, conduit and tunnel from the collecting 

 reservoir to one of the existing distributing reser- 

 voirs; a filtration plant and a large size main sup- 

 ply line from the distributing reservoir to the city. 

 This paper tells in detail of the construction of 

 the 3,667 feet of concrete conduit, 2,333 feet of 



concrete lined tunnel, and 39,660 feet of 42-in. 

 cast iron pipe line. The conduit is of horseshoe 

 section, cut and cover type 5 ft. X 4.75 ft. vertical 

 and horizontal dimensions. Some excavation as 

 deep as 30 feet in the overlying glacial drift was 

 necessary. The construction of the tunnel was 

 preceded by complete diamond drill borings. The 

 geological structure encountered was a basalt lava 

 flow overlying the Connecticut red sandstone. 



The construction of the 42-inch cast iron pipe 

 line 7i miles long is fully described. The canvass 

 of the bids is given, and an unusual way of dis- 

 criminating between bids for furnishing steel and 

 east iron pipe, whereby 15 per cent, was added to 

 all bids received for steel pipe. 



Latest Advances in Inoffensive Sewage Disposal: 



Rudolph Heedstg. 



The paper covered the latest advances made 

 towards obtaining an inoffensive collection and 

 disposal of sewage, which has now reached prac- 

 tically satisfactory solutions for nearly all possible 

 cases. 



The chief means to prevent all foul odors in the 

 collection of sewage are to maintain (1) a con- 

 tinuous flow and no deposits and retentions of sew- 

 s-S^j (2) ^ frequent flushing and (3) a free air 

 circulation in all sewers. 



A large number of sewer systems with these 

 means now continuously deliver an inoffensive 



The means for an inoffensive final disposal of 

 sewage depend on the local possibilities. In nearly 

 all cases the solids and liquids require separate 

 treatment. 



1. In sufficiently large masses of flowing water. 

 The liquids can be dispersed in them in well known 

 proportions so that no offense is possible and so 

 that automatic oxidation of organic matter takes 

 place. The solids can be retained and, according 

 to their quantity and character, ca-n be treated 

 economically and inoffensively in efficient ways. 



2. On land. The liquids must be oxidized by 

 sufficiently extensive thin film surface contact with 

 bacterial slime, as by percolation through sand, 

 gravel or broken stone, the surfaces of the grains 

 being well covered with slime, and well exposed to 

 air circulation. The oxidation of all organic mat- 

 ter may thus be graded in degree and always be 

 inoffensive. 



The solids must be collected under water in 

 tanks under conditions preventing putrefaction, 

 but which cause a sufficient decomposition by bac- 

 teria producing chiefly methane gas and carbon 

 dioxide, both inoffensive, and a final sludge re- 



