1414 
THE NEW-YORKER 
November 27, 1915. 
House Sanitation 
Septic Tanks for Sewage Disposal. 
The increasing use of running water in 
country homes, with its accompanying 
advantages of hath tubs, flush closets, 
sinks, etc., has brought forth a demand 
for some convenient, inexpensive and 
sanitary means of disposing of the wastes, 
or sewage, from these homes. A simple 
covered hole in the ground, known as a 
cesspool, has sufficed in the past, even in 
villages of some size, but it is now real¬ 
ized that such cesspools contain elements 
of danger, and a better method of sew¬ 
age disposal is sought. 
Underground vats or tanks of con¬ 
crete into which household sewage may 
be discharged and from which the con¬ 
tents, rotted and liquefied, may auto¬ 
matically find an outlet into the soil are 
becoming more and more popular. A 
great deal of ingenuity has been exer¬ 
cised by sanitary engineers in designing 
these so-called septic tanks, and many 
plans have been given to the public. 
Probably all of these plans have been 
workable, but some of them are unques¬ 
tionably unnecessarily complicated, and 
call for a skill in concrete construction 
that is beyond the average householder. 
The tendency now is toward simplicity ot 
design, and many plans are offered that 
the ordinary mason or carpenter, or the 
man “handy with tools,” need have no 
difficulty in executing. 
Among these simple and good designs, 
one recently published by the Universal 
Portland Cement Co, is worthy of no¬ 
tice. As will be seen from the accom¬ 
panying illustration, taken from their 
bulletin, this septic tank is a simple rec¬ 
tangular box of concrete, built in place 
in the ground at such a depth that it 
may be covered by a foot or two ot soil 
and its presence entirely concealed. The 
box is divided into two compartments by 
a concrete partition, the smaller of which 
acts as a settling chamber from which 
the liquid contents pass into drain tile 
laid a few inches beneath the surface. 
The partition being a little lower than 
the side walls, the receiving chamber 
overflows into the settling chamber after 
it becomes full, and two “baffle boards” 
inserted as shown help to prevent any 
sudden rush of liquid which would break 
up the thick scum which forms on the 
surface of the contents of the tank, and 
which is essential to the bacterial action 
that rots the solid matter carried into 
it from the house fixtures. The gate 
valve shown in the lower part of the par¬ 
tition is not an essential. In this de¬ 
sign. a specially constructed iron siphon 
bell is shown. Through the action of 
this siphon, the contents of the tank are 
discharged at intervals instead of con¬ 
tinuously as water enters the tank. Such 
siphoning of the liquids is preferable to 
a continuous flow or trickle of liquid 
sewage, since it gives the earth about the 
drain tiles a breathing spell between the 
doses of sewage; .still, an outlet into the 
drain tiles at the same level as the inlet 
from the house is much used and has the 
advantage of greater simplicity. In rea¬ 
sonably open soils the sewage from an 
ordinary dwelling house will be proper¬ 
ly cared for if allowed to flow continu¬ 
ously from the septic tank, without the 
intervention of a siphon, though a little 
more disposal surface may be required. 
Manholes in the top of the tank give 
access to it, if, after an interval of sev¬ 
eral years, sludge accumulates on the bot¬ 
tom of the tank to such an extent as 
to need removal. 
Being underground and entirely tight, 
the septic tank may be built as near to, 
or as far from, the dwelling as is de¬ 
sirable. The inlet from the dwelling 
should be tile or iron pipe entirely tight 
at the joints; it should also extend to 
beneath the water line in the tank. The 
outlet is of ordinary drain tiles, laid 
with open joints, and as near the sur¬ 
face of the ground as is practicable. If 
necessary, they may be deep enough to 
permit of plowing over them, however. 
The effluent from the tank may, of course, 
be carried to any desired distance through 
tight jointed tiles before it is discharged 
into the open-jointed, purifying tile sys¬ 
tem. 
The purifving tile system, whether laid 
in one continuous line or in gridiron 
fashion, should have a very light grade; 
a fall of one-sixteenth to one-eighth inch 
to the foot being sufficient. This pre¬ 
vents the fluids from rushing at once to 
the end of the system and failing to seep 
out from the tile joints along its course. 
Single runs of tile may be from 50 to 
100 feet in length, the total length of 
disposal tiling depending upon the char¬ 
acter of the soil. It is estimated that 
six feet of three-inch tiles will dispose 
of the sewage from each person in a 
household if laid in open, gravelly soil; 
a medium loam would require 12 feet and 
a heavy loam 25 feet of tiling. m. b. d. 
Cistern Cleaning Device. 
A man passed through this neighbor¬ 
hood cleaning cisterns with a machine 
operated on the principal of a siphon, 
lie cleaned the cistern with the water in 
the cistern and when through the water 
was a clear as could be. Could you tell 
me where I could buy one of these ma¬ 
chines? J. s. s. 
Mansfield, Ohio. 
I do not see how the principle of the 
siphon could be used in any cistern 
cleaning device. There is, however, a de¬ 
vice used for the purpose, so simple and 
easy of construction that any tinner can 
make it. If you will take a 10 or 12- 
quart pail and fasten into it an inch 
from the top, a close fitting cover, having 
an inch and a half tube reaching to 
within an inch of the bottom, and then 
punch holes in the bottom of the pail 
and solder in a piece of gaspipe, you will 
have all the essential features of the con¬ 
trivance. The accompanying figure may 
help to illustrate it. The gas pipe must 
be long enough to reach to the bottom of 
the cistern. Tightly cork the end of the 
gas pipe and gently force the device to the 
bottom of the cistern or well. The ves¬ 
sel is full of air. Now uncork the pipe, 
and the water rushes in from the bottom 
with such force as to wash and suck the 
mud and filth from the area covered, up 
through the inner tube into the vessel. 
Cork the pipe again tightly and lift the 
device carefully out and empty. The 
operation is repeated till the whole bot- 
tim of the cistern has been covered and 
sediment all removed. The thing is very 
simple and is practical so far as getting 
the filth out of the bottom is concerned. 
The best way really to clean a cistern, 
however, is to empty it and wash it and 
let it fill with clean, fresh water. 
F. I.. ALLEN. 
An Inexpensive Milk-House. 
So much more is being demanded by 
buyers of milk for shipping or creamery 
use. in the way of quality and care, that 
it is found necessary for each dairy 
farmer to have a good milk-house. The 
following is a description of a convenient 
milk-house recently built, which seems 
to meet every need, and is less expensive 
than most. The plan could also be used 
for a tool shop or garage by changing 
the interior. 
Beginning a concrete wall is made six 
inches thick and 18 inches high above 
the ground, the size of the building, in 
this case, 12x12 feet. Planed 2x4 stud- 
dings, seven feet long are set up four 
feet apart, or less (to accommodate 
doors and windows) along the wall. No 
sills are used. On these 2x4 studs 1x4 
strips were nailed, standing flush with 
the outside of foundation wall. On top 
of these studs 2x4 pieces were spiked, 
for plates for the roof to rest on. The 
space between the studs was lathed, nail¬ 
ing to the one-inch projection on each 
side of studs. A temporary piece of 
board was put up at the middle of these 
laths to prevent springing. 
On the outside of studding at the bot¬ 
tom a board was nailed, the nails pro¬ 
jecting enough to be easily drawn. The 
one-inch space between board and lath 
was then filled with concrete. Add more 
outside boards, going up to the plate 
with the work. In case of one man work¬ 
ing in good weather, when two sides are 
up the first lot of temporary outside and 
inside boards can be removed and used 
on the following sections. 
When the four walls are up and all 
temporary boards removed, nail on out¬ 
side of studding 1x6 planed boards to be 
painted white. On the lath inside, plaster 
with good fiber plaster. 
At one end of the house, three feet 
from the ground outside, one edge of a 
flat stone 3x6 feet was built into the 
wall for a loading platform. Concrete 
can be used in place of this stone. The 
door over this stone must reach above the 
plate in the gable a foot or more, to 
make it high enough for an entrance. 
Roof boards and rafters are planed, and 
covered with 3^-ply wool fabric roofing 
surfaced with red ground stone. The 
gables also are covered with the same, 
which is allowed to drop one inch be¬ 
low the plates to cover that joint. 
The cement water tank to hold nine 
shipping milk cans is in a corner at side 
of the loading door. It is one foot above 
the floor, and deep enough to immerse 
the cans to the neck. Waste water runs 
to cement tank in barnyard for the cows. 
Floor and steps to loading door are 
cement. A well of water is by the side of 
the cooling tank. A raised platform is 
built at the other end of the room to sup¬ 
port the gas engine used for pumping. 
Chestnut timber is imbedded in this con¬ 
crete so that the engine can be bolted 
down firmly. There are two windows, 
one on line of pulley and quite low to 
accommodate belt for doing outside work. 
A pit to allow scales to be set on a 
level with the floor is made. A desk for 
writing and a stove can find place. There 
is also an entrance door on the level. 
After painting the interior the milk-house 
is complete. The cost of material for 
this house did not exceed $50. 
c. T. SISSON. 
Good Words. 
The spirit moves me to express in 
some faint measure my appreciation of 
the work of the “Pastoral Parson” as it 
appears from time to time in The R. 
N.-Y. I believe you have in the writings 
of Rev. Mr. Gilbert a literary gem of 
the purest water. I have seen nothing 
to compare with it in excellence in any 
of the pretentious magazines for many 
years. Mr. Gilbert writes with the art¬ 
lessness which is the essence ot true art, 
and he reveals unconsciously his devotion 
to the Master whom he serves. I have, as 
I thought, derived but little from the 
work of clergymen generally, and have 
in late years become indifferent to their 
work, but here is one different and pos¬ 
sibly had I found more like him in the 
past I would not now be aloof from 
church work. No doubt you are fully 
aware of the merit of Rev. Mr. Gilbert’s 
letters, but you will be glad to know they 
are appreciated by at least one of your 
readers, and likely by most. 
WM. A. LANDERS. 
If I am ever able to do you a favor 
will be very glad to do so. I am a fisher¬ 
man and farm a very little, but The 
It. N.-Y. is a valuable asset. 
Long Island. t. irving Edwards. 
Your persistence and your paper get 
my dollar. I want to follow the auction 
selling propaganda and hope to see more 
comments on that point. 
Wisconsin. w. s. avelles. 
We will give up all other papers and 
magazines before our most welcome 
friend and visitor, The R. N.-Y r . 
Wisconsin. f. a. mingery. 
I saw your article how to make “An 
Iceless Ice Box” in the July issue. I 
got a medium-sized drygoods box and by 
following the directions made the most 
satisfactory ice box. Many thanks for 
the idea; it is fine. v. j. davis. 
Maine. 
“The Regeneration of Sarah” is very 
good. The right kind of story for both 
young and old. m. e. r. 
Vermont. 
I have spent two months in the Far 
West. Hence my delay; but if you 
should stop the paper my pulse would 
stop, so keep it coming. jr. o. greener. 
Virginia. 
I am enclosing check on New York for 
$4 to renew my subscription for five years 
from expiration, which, I believe will 
carry me to June 15, 1919. It gives me 
pleasure to testify in this manner to my 
high regard for your splendid journal. 
Arizona. d. j. iioldridge. 
The R. N.-Y. is the finest farm paper 
published and is the only one that really 
teaches “ways of doing things.” 
New York. Bernard r. abel. 
I have discontinued many papers, but 
hold on to The R. N.-Y. Let echo an¬ 
swer why. A. R. GLASCOCK. 
Kentucky. 
I like your paper very much, especially 
the stand taken toward bettering mar¬ 
kets and “worsting” fakes. This is from 
Ohio, but what is good argument for 
New York will also aid Ohio and vice 
versa. Keep up the good work and 
“drill” cooperation, lime, Alfalfa and cov¬ 
er crops, etc., into the minds of men as 
the miner bores into quartz. Keep it up. 
May success crown Mr. Dillon’s work of 
ousting the old time methods of market¬ 
ing. EBNER MESSENER. 
Ohio. 
It is more than gratifying to me—an 
old veteran of the Civil War, and an old 
compositor who spent many hours with 
his nose in the space box when setting 
type on the old Moore’s Rural, away back 
immediately after the Civil War, to note 
the prosperity and especially the moral 
and political influence of The Rural 
New-Yorker of the present date. While 
I look back on the splendid work that the 
old Rural New-Yorker used to do in en¬ 
lightening the farmers, educating them to 
become better tillers of the soil, I must 
take off my hat to the grand work the 
editors of the—to me—new Rural 
New-Yorker are doing. Wishing you 
many years of good health, prosperity 
and hoping that your subscription list 
will soon pass the half million mark. 
New York. thos. leahy. 
