REPORT 
ON THE 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE 
OF THE 
City of Stillwater, Minnesota. 
MADE TO THE 
CITY COUNCIL,' 
BY 
D, W. CUNNINGHAM, C. E. 
SEPTEMBER, 1881. 
STTLLWATER: 
U MBKRMAN STEAM PRINT. 
1881 ' ERRATA. 
Page 2, 9th line—Insert of read “area part of and connected with.’ 
Page 4, last line—Omit or after the word “joints.” 
Page 8, 15th line—For surface, read surfaces. 
Page 10, 22d line—For p. m., read a. m. 
Page 12. 21st line—For influence, read influences. REPORT- 
V' ON THE 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE 
OF THE 
CITY OF STILLWATER. 
To the Hon. City Council of the City of Stillwater: 
During the early part of this year I had some cor- 
respondence with a member of your board, relative to 
making surveys and plans to establish a system of 
drainage and sewerage for your city, which resulted in 
an invitation to come here early in May last to enter 
upon the work; and now have to report as follows: 
Very soon after my arrival here I learned that there 
were no sewers, (properly so-called) and very few 
drains, and that the surface water from about one 
square mile of steep side hill sandy country, was 
poured down during heavy showers through a few of 
the principal streets into the heart of the city; that 
the sand was carried by the water down the steep 
grades, until it reached the flat grades of the bottom, 
where following natural laws the water left it to be 2 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
removed by shovels. The central portion of your 
city just referred to may be compared to an amphi- 
theatre crossed radially by four ravines which gather 
the water and discharge it into a flat arena of about 
twenty-five acres. 
The chief problem thus submitted tome is to provide 
ways to carry the water with as little damage as pos- 
sible to property, into Lake St. Croix. The plans for a 
system of sewerage are a part and connected with the 
drainage, so far only as I have deemed it necessary 
to go to the expense of combining the two. 
GENERAL REMABKS WITH REGARD TO SEWERAGE AND 
DRAINAGE. 
In a state of nature the rain-water finds its way to 
the nearest stream or pond over the surface, and 
by natural depressions and ravines, the growth of 
vegetation protecting generally the surfaces from 
wash; but, when man commences to build, to cut 
down and to grade streets and lots, the surfaces are 
exposed and washing away increases. Long lines of 
streets cross the natural water-courses, the population 
are supplied with water for domestic use, the wants 
of civilization cause waste wdiich must be removed, 
and the streets become the new channels by which 
both the rain and the waste must be conveyed. 
Valley-lines cannot always be counted on for lines 
of drainage, as these pass through private pro- 
perty, and complicated questions of damage will 
arise between owners of property as soon as the 
natural condition of things is disturbed. 
I extract from Rawlinson : 
“Sewering and draining in a rude manner must be as old as the 
“civilization which associated men in- towns. Examples of old 
“sewers exist in China and in India. Rome and other of the 
“cities of Italy were sewered, and some of the public buildings 
“were drained, but we have no evidences that entire cities, includ- SEWERAGE AND DRNINAGE. 
3 
“ing streets and houses, were at any period, Roman or pre- 
‘4 Roman, fully and completely sewered; as even under the ripest 
“period of Greek and Roman civilization, the cities which have 
“presented examples of the most refined architecture could have 
“been only partially sewered, the cloaca-maxima of Rome being 
“one of the largest examples, and this has been more of a valley- 
“line culvert, than a useful main sewer. The evidence that 
“sewers and drains, as we now understand them, did not exist 
“is that no remains of any such sewers has been found in any 
“single city of antiquity. The mediaeval cities and towns of 
“Europe knew little of sewers and drains. Land draining and 
“town sewering may therefore be considered modern.” 
MODERN SEWERAGE. 
The first step towards disposing of human excre- 
ment and kitchen waste, seems generally to be by 
digging holes in the ground , the privy vault or 
the cesspool. These are first constructed so that the 
liquid may leach away into the ground, or they are 
built water tight, with the intention of cleaning them 
out at intervals, perhaps with an overflow so that the 
water above a certain level may flow off on the land 
or to the nearest natural water course. Either plan 
is bad, as these sooner or later become nuisances, 
polluting the soil, contaminating the air, generating 
gasses, which are a fruitful source of typhoid fever, 
scarlet fever, diptlieria or other evils. Sooner or 
later the necessity is felt for well planned and well 
constructed sewers, which will remove all house 
waste capable of being carried by water. A complete 
system of and drains will not contaminate 
houses by sewage gasses, but will regularly and 
easily transmit all waste water and all excreta, hour 
by hour, and day by day to the outlet. 
The first step towards sewerage in most all towms 
seems to be the building of common square stone 
drains or box-culverts, laid dry or without mortar. 
The construction of these is brought about by the 4 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
necessity felt for removing storm water without wash- 
ing street or other surfaces. The term of sewers is 
misapplied to them, but being the only channels ap- 
proximating to sewers they are misused for that pur- 
pose with bad results, as the water soon finds its way 
through the loose joints of the stone work, leaving 
the excreta or kitchen refuse stranded on the rough 
bottom to putrify and return the poisonous gasses to 
the nearest house. These drains being built to carry 
large volumes of storm water, are very unsuitable 
channels for the conveyance of small volumes of 
sewage. Their rough walls and bottoms, their 
uneven, irregular grades, soon become the cause of 
deposits, obstructions and dams which gradually .but 
surely accumulate until the whole is filled up, and it 
becomes necessary to clean them out by hand. 
Without going into a description of the various 
and numerous plans which have been proposed and 
tried for the removal or utilization of town sewage, 
I will simply state that the system generally in use 
at the present day is what is known as the u Water 
Carriage System,” that is, that the water is used as a 
medium for conveying, away through tight, smooth 
and well built sewers, all human refuse that is cap- 
able of being carried by water flowing with a good 
current. 
SEWERS AND DRAINS. 
These terms are very commonly confounded and 
wrongly used. 
Sewers are tight channels for the flow of all sew- 
age or waste from water closets, kitchen sinks, 
baths, wash houses, factories, or other similar 
matter, comprehended under the general term of 
sewage. 
Drains are commonly laid with open joints or of SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
5 
dry masonry, and are intended for the conveyance 
of surface water, springs or natural water courses. 
When it it undertaken to accomidish both the 
above purposes by one channel, such channel is 
known as a “Combined Sewer," or a uCombined Sys- 
tem,” when applied to a whole district. 
The common and most approved practice at the 
present day is to build “ Combined Sewers,” and thus 
far nothing has been devised which is considered to 
he superior to the combined water carriage system 
for sewerage and drainage of a built up town or city. 
Partly from motives of economy and partly on ac- 
count of the very sandy condition of the streets, 
which sand might choke the sewers, if surface drain- 
age were allowed to enter them, I have not thought 
it best to provide combined sewers in all your streets, 
but to plan a system, such, that the city may afford 
to realize its benefits within a few years time. 
Sewers large enough to carry off surface water are 
an expensive luxury; but wrere they to be built re- 
gardless of cost, and the street surfaces left as they 
are now, without pavement or macadamizing, they 
would soon be clogged with tin* street washings; or 
were catch basins provided often enough to intercept 
the washing from the sewers, these would be filled 
by every heavy rain, and a large force of men would 
have to be provided to keep them cleaned out. 
The total length of sewers provided for in the sys- 
tem proposed is about twenty-three and one-half 
miles, out of which total about four miles are com- 
bined sewers; the average estimated cost per foot of 
the combined sewrers is $3.50; the average estimated 
cost of the small pipe sewers is $1.56 per foot. 
[ have given considerable thought and study to 
SEWERAGE OF STILLWATER. 6 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
decide if it were best to provide a full system of sewer- 
drains for the whole city, or to economise as far as 
possible by the use of small pipe' sewers, allowing the 
rain-water to run in the gutters. The chief reasons 
on which I base my decision to use the small pipes 
are: • % 
First, That the large sewers would make it rather 
a necessity to pave the streets, or the sewers would be 
choked by sand, and that it is not desirable to wait 
so long as will be necessary for this paving, be- 
fore having the use of the sewers for domestic pur- 
poses. 
Second, The streets are not crowded thoroughfares, 
and surface drainage is practicable. 
Third and most potent reason, Is that the interest 
at six per cent, on the difference of cost, would pay 
for replacing the pipe sewers with large sewers in 
about T2 years time; therefore should it be desired at 
some future day to enjoy the benefits of carrying sur- 
face water under ground, it is evident that the 
money spent for small sewers will not have been 
wasted. 
With these thoughts in mind, I have planned for 
combined sewers only in such districts as I considered 
them necessary to intercept the floods of surface wa- 
ter, which now pour down upon the lower town, and 
would recommend that the streets be paved or sur- 
faced where these are built. For the rest of the city 
I have provided only small pipe sewers, of sufficient 
capacity for the removal of all liquid refuse from 
dwellings, including the contents of water closets, 
kitchen sinks, drainage of cellars, where invaded by 
springs, also the liquid waste from manufacturing es- 
tablishments, and all other liquid waste of a city 
usually carried by sewers, excepting only surface wa- 
ter caused by rainfall. 7 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
THE COMBINED SEWERS. 
The greatest inconvenience and damage experienced 
from surface water is caused by the flow from three 
ravines, the first, crossing Pine street near the Court 
House, thence through the gas works and down Nel- 
son’s alley; the second, crossing Olive street, near 
Fourth, and through Third to Chestnut street. The 
third, down the St. Paul road ravine, through lots 
south of Myrtle, crossing Fourth and Third streets, 
to the same channel in Chestnut street. 
In order to intercept the largest portion of the wa- 
ter shed having outlet, through the above described 
ravines, I have provided for a combined sewer through 
Pine, Sixth and Olive streets, with a branch in Oak 
street, which will intercept the surface water coming 
from a water shed of about 200 acres, and convey, it 
without inconvenience through a brick main sewer 
under Pine street to Lake St. Croix. 
Another combined main sewer is provided down 
Spring, Myrtle, Third and Chestnut streets, having 
an outlet through a tunnel in the sand-rock from 
Second across a point of the bluff to the Pine street 
outlet; this will not intercept so large an area as the 
one first described, but will receive the surface water 
from about 30 acres Qf the hill north of St. Paul ra- 
vine, of which hill Rice street is near the summit, 
and also the drainage of about 50 acres lying west of 
Second street and between Pine street and McKusick’s 
millstream, and the water from St. Paul ravine, about 
20 acres which will be taken in at the intersection of 
Fifth and Myrtle streets, making in all about 1(X) acres 
intercepted. 
I propose to gather the water in St. Paul ravine 
and to cause it to deposit its sand by the following ar- 
rangement :—For a temporary relief, I would lay a box 
water-way, open atthe top,made of two in. plank, about 8 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
two feet square, laid as near the bottom of the ravine 
as a true grade will admit of; the undulations of the 
ravine will cause the box to touch the bottom of the 
ravine at some points, while at other places it will be 
elevated. At the point of contact I would build small 
dams of plank, or in some other temporary manner; 
these will cause basins of still water in which the sand 
will be deposited, and at overflows provided, the clear 
water will flow into the box and from thence be dis- 
charged into the Myrtle street sewer at.the intersec- 
tion of Fifth street. 
No trouble from frost need be apprehended, as the 
heavy showers occur only during spring or summer; 
after a time, we may expect these depositing basins to 
fill up with sand, until their surface reach that of the 
overflows into the box; when this dnis been accomp- 
lished, the velocity of flow will be much reduced 
on account of the wide and level surfaces of the ra- 
vine bottom, and then the box and dams may be 
raised so as to cause new settling basins. 
Another combined sewer is provided for the future 
through Hancock St., Sixth avenue, Dubuque St., 
thence down the slope of the bluff and along Main St. 
to an outlet into the lake near Messrs. Hersey, Bean & 
Brown’s mill. This will cut off the surface drainage 
from the territory south of Hancock street, and I 
think a street should be laid out with a practical 
grade for its path down the bluff from the intersec- 
tion of Dubuque and Third avenue toajunction with 
Main street, as shown on the map. 
THE PIPE SEWERS. 
It will be noticed by investigating the map of the 
city which accompanies this report, that the system 
of sewers is showrn by lines in the center of streets, 
the small circles indicate man-holesorflushmg-eham- 
bers, the direction of flow may be easily folloewd, the 9 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
lieavy black lines indicate the outlines of drainage 
districts, which it is intended to drain by each main 
sewer, the sizes or interior diameter of each in inch- 
es is indicated by small figures. 
All other streets, except those above described as 
having combined sewers, are provided with pipe sew- 
ers intended for the removal of sewage only; on these 
streets the surface-water will have to flow in the gut- 
ters. Those streets which are tributary to the com- 
bined sewers will be drained off by them. All others 
will flow by street surfaces or by natural ravines to 
. the lake. 
It is designed to make use of the channels of Mc- 
Kusick’s ravine, the ravine flowing from Pennock 
street, by Willard street and the Court House and 
St. Paul ravine, to lay the outlet sewers for the sew- 
erage of a part of those districts which have their 
natural drainage through them; the location of these, 
as well as the location of all other outlets may be 
seen by referring to the map. 
SIZE OF SEWERS AND HOW DETERMINED. 
In a primative condition of towns, it is customary 
to guess at the size necessary for bridge openings, or 
channels to carry the flow ol streams, or at best to 
make them equal in capacity to other openings which 
have passed the waters of the same stream without 
causing damage; to be on the safe side and make the 
drains a little too large is a common error. 
SIZE FOR COMBINED SEWERS. 
For sewers carrying surface water, the size neces- 
sary is such as will carry the maximum amount of 
water falling on the area drained in any given unit of 
time; where the surfaces are all covered with houses 
or pavements a very large proportion of the whole 
volume finds its way to the sewer, but, when the sur- 10 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
faces are in a state of nature, or sandy excavations, a 
large part is absorbed and finds an underground out- 
let, commonly known as springs. We have to con- 
sider the surfaces of a city as covered surfaces 
whether they are or not, as they soon may be. 
RAINFALL. 
To determine the maximum rain-fall or heaviest 
showers falling in short periods of time, we must 
have recourse to the records of rain-fall kept in the 
district, but, as I am not able to obtain any such rec- 
ords that have been kept in Stillwater, I visited St. 
Paul, where I had access to the records kept by the 
Lf. S. signal service corps; and communicated by let- 
ter with Mr. Win. Cheney, of Minneapolis, who kind- 
ly furnished me some of the results of his observa- 
tions at the latter city. 
The observations at St. Paul cover a period of 10 
years, commencing in 1871. The heaviest showers 
which have occurred during that time were as fol- 
lows, viz: July 2d and, 3d,, 1870, in 10 hours and 40 
minutes 4.93 inches fell; and between 10 p. m. and 4 
l#\ m. of the same days and part of the same rain, 
there fell in six hours 3.70 inches, this heavy rain 
caused great damage to property all through this 
region, and is the heaviest rain of which I can find 
any record. . June 4,1880, in 2 hours and 25 minutes 
1.08 inches fell. Mr. Cheney writes me that the heav- 
iest rainfall in a short period of time of which he has 
any record was 1.22 inches in 11 hours. 
I am not able to ascertain bow much rain fell in 
any one of these hours, as the rain guage was not 
measured between 10 p. m. and 4 a. m., but Mr. 
Cheney’s record seems to show that it lias not ex- 
ceeded an inch in any one hour. 
In most large cities in this country it is now cus- 
tomary to build the combined sewers of a size that SEWERAGE AND DRNINAGE. 
11 
will carry, when running full, the volume of water 
coming from an inch of rain falling in one hour, on 
the area drained by it. 
From the verbal accounts of the citizens of Still- 
water regarding the immense floods of water flowing 
down Myrtle and Chestnut street gutters during the 
heavy summer showers, I was led to believe that 
it rained harder here than any other spot in the coun- 
try, but from examination of the above named records, 
I have concluded that the showers are not so heavy 
as they are in the East. However, water-spouts may 
occur anywhere, and they may strike your city once 
in twenty years, but, it would be folly to build sew- 
ers to carry any such torrents, for, even if the ex- 
pense were not considered, it would not be possible 
to build a sufficient number of street entrances to get 
such floods into the sewers. 
1 have therefore calculated the sizes of all combined 
sewers to be such as will carry off the water resulting 
from one inch of rain falling in one hour, on the ter- 
ritory drained by it. 
SIZES OF PIPE SEWEKS. 
We have here to provide for the removal of waste- 
water and excreta from the houses and factories. I 
have assumed that each city lot is occupied by a 
house; that each house will use 300 gallons a day for 
domestic purposes, and that this volume will flow off 
in about eight hours, and have therefore increased 
this so as to allow for 1,000 gallons per day for each 
lot, and have calculated the size of the pipe so that 
it will be half full when carrying the whole volume, 
the other half of the area of the pipe will then be 
available for draining cellars and for carrying off 
spring water which it may be necessary to get rid of. 
As many of the houses occupy several lots, and many 
lots are vacant, and will be for years to come, this 12 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
will allow a margin of area available for leakage of 
joints by which spring or subsoil water may enter the 
pipes. 
Mr. George E. Waring, Jr., who has recently carried 
out a successful system of small pipe sewers for the 
city of Memphis, Term., says: 
“No sewer should be used of a smaller diameter than six inches, 
“because it will not be safe to adopt a smaller s'ze than four inch 
“for house drains, and the sewer must be large enough surely to 
“remove whatever may be delivered by them; because a smaller pipe 
“than six inches would be less readily ventilated than is desirable, 
“and becatxse it is not necessary to adopt a smaller radius than 
“three inches to secure.a cleansing of the channel. No sewer should 
“be more than six inches in diameter until it and its branches 
“have accumulated a sufficient flow at the hour ot greatest use to 
“fill their size half full, and because the use of a larger size would be 
“wasteful and because when a sufficient ventilative capacity is se- 
cured, as it is in the use of a six inch pipe, the vent ilation be- 
“comes less complete as the size increases, leaving.a larger volume 
“of contained air to -be moved by the friction of the current or by 
“extraneous influence, or to be acted upon by changes of tem- 
perature and of volume of flow within the sewer. 
“The size should be increased gradually, and only so rapidly 
“is made necessary by the filling of the sewer half full at the hour 
“of the greatest flow.’’ 
FLUSHING CHAMBERS. 
It would not be practicable to use these shim 11 pipe 
sewers, not receiving storm w fer, without the aid 
of suitable flushing tanks. At the head of each sew- 
er and of each branch of a sewer, there should be 
built a flush tank, having a capacity of about 120 gal- 
lons. This tank should be built of water tight mason 
work, under the surface of the ground, but above the 
level of the head of the sewer. It should be supplied 
by a constant stream of water from the public water 
supply, barely sufficient to fill it once in twelve to 
twenty-four hours. It should be furnished with an SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
13 
automatic siphon, which, when the tank is filled to 
the top of its outlet pipe, will discharge the whole 
amount of water in the tank in about forty seconds, 
which will rush down the sewer with a velocity of 
flow sufficient to carry before it every substance, of 
whatever character, the four inch house branches 
may have been capable of admitting. Aside from 
this assuring of the removal of obstructions before 
they can accumulate to a dangerous extent, the use 
of the Hush tank has the further very important effect 
of carrying forward to the outlet at least once in 
twenty-four hours all of the organic matter which, 
if allowed to remain a longer time would enter into a 
dangerous decomposition, for, even in a six inch pipe 
there is a tendency to deposit foecal matter and other 
solid substances toward the upper end of the sewers’, 
where the regular how has not yet accumulated suf- 
ficient volume to sweep them forward. In *the large 
sewers of combined systems these accumulations re- 
main, producing the sewer gas of which we hear so 
much, until the water of a storm sweeps them away. 
I make the following Extracts from Baldwin Lath- 
am's excellent work on sewerage. 
“The early sewer works in this country were generally put into 
“the hands of most unskillful workmen. Little or no attention was 
“paid to the proper construction of drains or sewers; in fact it ap- 
pears that the fastidious generations of the past looked upon con- 
“structions that had to do with the removal of those waste matters,' 
“which have to be dealt with in every house and in every town, as 
“too disgusting in their nature to be mentioned in the ears of re- 
ined society. The frightful consequences arising from this ut- 
“ter disregard of these very necessary matters became thd means in 
“a great measure of awakening attention, and scientific inquiry 
“into the principles which should regulate the construction of sew- 
“ers. So well is the importance of securing perfect works of sew- 
erage now understood, that it has become a proverbial saying 
SELF CLEANSING SEWERS. 14 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
“that “a man should look to his drains before he furnishes his 
“drawing room.” The early sewers executed in this country have 
“been called “sewers of deposit;” in fact, at one period it seems 
“to have been a recognized feature that all sewers must sooner or 
“later choke from the accumulation of deposit, therefore certain 
“rules and regulations were laid down for their construction, with 
“a view to make the sewers of such a size as should be convenient 
“for the purpose of sending men into them to cleanse them when 
“they became choked. 
“Those of two feet diameter were considered sufficient for men 
“to crawl into in order tc cleanse them; when they were from three 
feet to three feet six inches, vertical dimensions, men could crouch 
“in them; when they were from four feet to four feet six inches 
“men could move in a stooping position, and they were required to 
“be made six feet in height, in order that men could stand in an 
“upright position; when constructing sewers on these principles, it 
“was conceded that the larger they were made the better they 
“were, for it was shown that if sewers were made sufficiently high 
“for men to walk through them, a man was able to remove in the 
“course of a few hours, from a choked Sewer, as much matter as 
“he would in as many days from a sewer of smaller dimensions. 
“These bad practices are now nearly at an end, and there is no 
“more necessity of sending men into sewers to carry out such dis- 
gusting operations, than there is to send boys up chimneys to 
“sweep them. The great fault is the early sewer works arose from 
“the fact that the size, form, mode of construction, or mate- 
rials adopted were not in accordance with the work the sewers 
“had to perform.” 
They were built square, in section, or with flat bot- 
toms, or with rough stones with open joints. The 
streams of sewage flowing through the sewers was of- 
ten very small in proportion to the size of the sewer, 
and, when spread over a large flat surface, its veloc- 
ity was so much' impeded by the frictional resist- 
ance of the bed, and the angles of the channel, that 
the matters in suspension in the water were deposited, 
or the water leaked away through the open joints, 
leaving the solid matter stranded, until, at length the 
sewers became completely choked, and then com- SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
15 
menced those disgusting operations of sending men 
into them to remove the obstructions. 
It has since been amply demonstrated, from the re- 
sults gained once in the management and 
working of sewers, that by so proportioning the size, 
form, and inclination of a sewer to the volume of sew- 
age it has to carry, it may be made self cleansing. 
VELOCITY OF FLOW TO BE MAINTAINED. 
In order to prevent deposits in sewers, it is neces- 
sary to provide a certain velocity in the flow of sewage, 
which must be secured throughout the whole system 
of sewers, and such velocity must be sufficient to pre- 
vent the subsidence from the liquid of any matters in 
suspension, and also to move along the bed of the 
channel any solid’deposit. 
EXPERIMENTS. 
Numerous experiments have been made, at various 
times, by different individuals, as to the effect of cur- 
rents of water in moving matter along variously 
formed channels, and from these experiments certain 
rules have been laid down for the guidance of the en- 
gineer when constructing works of sewerage. 
Mr. Beardmore, in his t&tremely. reliable hydraulic 
tables, gives the velocity which should be maintained 
in sewers at 150 feet per minute. Mr. J. Phillips, who 
had had considerable experience in the working of 
sewers in London, states that a velocity of two and 
feet per second, will prevent deposit. Pro- 
fessor itankine says that the velocity in sewers should 
not be less than one foot per second, or more than 
four and one-half feet per second. House drains, he 
says, should have a velocity of four and one-half feet 
per second. • ’ 16 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
M. Dubuat gives the velocity necessary to remove 
certain solid substances as under: 
River mud, semi-fluid 
Ft. In 
o 3 
Per S 
4 i 
cc 
6 i 
Brown pottery clay 
2>% 
6 C 
i\ 
Common clay 
6 
6 6 
“ 
Yellow sand, loamy * 
i 4 
( 4 
Common river sand 
o 
“ 
i 4 
Gravel, size small seed 
4>4 
< < 
< 6 
Gravel, size of peas 
1% 
4 4 
i ( 
Gravel, size of beans 
o y2 
6 ( 
( ( 
Coarse ballast 
Q 
h 
( ( 
Sea shingle, about i inch in diameter 
2 
( ( 
6 6 
Large shingle 
O 
( ( 
6 ( 
Angular shingle, size of hen’s eggs 
3 
3 
( 6 
( ( 
Broken stones 
4 
o 
( 6 
( ( 
Broken agglomerated, or schistose rocks.... 
4 
“ 
“ 
R >ck wich distinct layers. 
6 
. o 
4 < 
6 6 
Hard rocks 
o 
6 ( 
6 6 
Experiments made by J. E. Blackwell, 0. E., for 
the government referees in the plan of the main 
drainage of London, show very clearly the effect of 
currents in removing substances of different specific 
gravities. Coal of a specific gravity of 1.26, com- 
menced to move in a current of fron 1.25 to 1.50 feet 
per second. A second sample of coal of specific grav- 
ity, 1.35 did not commence to move until the velocity 
was 1.50 to 1.75 feet per s§cond; a brick-bat of spe- 
cific gravity 2.0, chalk of specific gravity 2.05, re- 
quired a velocity of 1.75 to two feet per second to 
start them. Oolitic stone, specific gravity 2.17; 
brickbat 2.12, chalk, specific gravity 2.00, broken 
granite, specific gravity 2.66, required a veloc- 
ity of 2.0 to 2.25 feet per second to start them. Chalk 
specific gravity 2.17; brick-bats specific gravity 2.18; 
lime stone specific gravity 1.46, requiredja velocity of 
from 2.25 to 2.50 feet per second to start them.. Oolite 
stone, speific gravity 2.32, flings, specific gravity 2.66, SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
17 
lime stone specific gravity 3.00, required a velocity of 
2.50 to 2.75 to start them. 
It wras shown in these experiments that after the 
start of the material with the current, in no case did 
the materials to be transported travel at the same 
rate as the stream, but in every case their progress 
was considerably less, as a rule often more than 50 
per cent, less than the velocity of the current. 
Experience has shown that in order to prevent de- 
posit in small sewers or drains, such as those of six 
inch and nine inch diameter, a velocity of not less 
than three feet per second should be produced. Sew- 
ers from 12 to 24 inches diameter should have a veloc- 
ity of not less than two and one-half feet per second 
and in sewers of larger dimensions, in no case should 
the velocity be less than two feet per second. 
In order to maintain these velocities in sewers it is 
absolutely requisite that a certain rate of inclination 
should be secured; thus small sewers will require a 
greater rate of fall than large sewers, and large sew- 
ers, on the other hand, must have provided a much 
larger volume of fluid, so that the proper velocity 
through them may he maintained. 
APPLICATION TO STILLWATER. 
I have endeavored to carry out the above principles 
in adjusting the size and inclinations of the sewers 
for Stillwater as far as practicable, but, the small 
pipes at the head of some districts where the ground 
is flat have a little less than the desired inclination, 
these, however, having the aid of flushing tanks. I do 
not anticipate that any inconvenience will be exper- 
ienced on account of insufficient flow, as flushing 
tanks at the head of each sewer like those described 
in a previous article, will more than compensate for 
the deficiency of inclination. 
The trouble that is experienced on account of the 
deposit of sand in the box drains now existing in Myr- 18 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
tie and Chestnut streets, and which is due to the 
form and size of channel, roughness of surfaces, un- 
equal grades, sharp angles and other reasons fully ex- 
plained in the preceding pages, need not I think be 
anticipated to occur when the brick sewers shall have 
been built to carry off the same water, as in these the 
section of channel will be uniform, the surfaces smooth 
curves easy, grades regular, and it may be presumed 
that a uniform velocity of flow will be maintained, 
sufficient to carry with it all the sand and small stones 
that may be washed down from the ravines, or from 
the street surfaces, and that they will not be dropped 
by it until the final discharge into Lake St. Croix. 
Table showing the 'proper inclination of circular 
sewers of various diameters, ivhen running full or half 
full and the resulting velocities, according to Latham's 
tables. 
Diameter in inches. ; Inclination. 
Velocity in ft. per second. 
4 
4 feet 
6 
... i in 1*7.. 
8 
... 1 in 183 -... 
3 “ 
... 1 in 206.... 
... 1 in 229.... 
3 “ 
... 1 in 271; ... 
I c 
... 1 in 344.... 
3 “ 
18 
...x in 412.... 
3 “ 
20 
... 1 in 458.... 
24 
... 1 in cco.... 
3 “ 
20 . 
... 1 in 687 .... 
3 “ 
26 
... 1 in 82c .... 
3 “ 
Bat, as the condition of sewers under ordinary cir- 
cumstances is, that a very small stream of house sew- 
age only covers a few inches of the bottom, and oc- 
cupies only a fractional part of its sectional area, 
the velocity of flow from the same sized sewer being 
proportional to its depth, and the depth never being 
the same, renders it impracticable to assume that the 
sewers are running half full, unless we aid the vol- 
ume by flushing. SE WEB AGE AND DEAINAGE. 
19 
Mr. Wicksteed, an experienced hydraulic engineer 
gives the following table of the least velocities and 
grades or falls to be given to drain pipes and sewers 
in cities, in order that they may under ordinary cir- 
cumstances keep themselves clean, or free from de- 
posit : 
Diameter in 
Inches. 
Velocity in Feet 
per minute. 
Grade one in 
Grade in feet 
per mile. 
6 
220 
6=5 
81 2 
8 ... 
87 
60 7 
JO ... 
210 
119 
44 4 
12 ... . 
•••• -175 
3° 2 
x5 
180 
244 
21 6 
18 
180 
204. ... 
18 0 
24 
180. ... 
392 
!3 5 
3° • • 
180 
■ 49° 
10 8 
180. ... 
c88 
o 0 
. . 
42 .. 
180. ... 
686 
7 7 
48... 
180 
784 
6 8 
980 
5 4 
Fig. i. 
A B, Flow of storm water from forty-three acres of paved and 
covered surface. 
C D, Ordinary flow of the sewerage from i,200 houses. 20 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
EXPERIMENTS MADE TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF SEWAGE PROM 
1,200 HOUSES. 
“In this sewer, (shown in the accompanying figure x) which has 
a fiat segmental bottom, three feet wide, a sectional area of 15 
feet, and an average fall of one in 118, the deposit from the 1,200 
houses readily accumulates at the rate of 6,000 cubic feet per 
month. Hut a pipe of 15 inches diameter, placed along the bot- 
tom of this sewer, with a somewhat less inclination (1 in 155) kept 
it perfectly clear of deposit. The average flow without rainfall, 
was about fifty-one gallons per house per diem. The absolute 
drainage apart from the rain-water from all the 1,200 houses would 
have passed through a five inch tube, (of the relative size of the 
smaller one, shown within the 15 inch tubular pipe placed along 
the bottom of the brick sewer), or not one third the area of the 
minimum sized drain which had, up to the time of the investi 
gat ion, been declared and enacted , in the metropolitan building 
act, to be necessary for a single house, namely, one of not less 
than nine inches in diameter.’’—Extract from an English Parlia- 
mentary report. 
[ have quoted the above experiment, as many will 
think that a six inch main or street sewer, is too small, 
but, it must be born in mind that such mains are 
destined for sewage only and that flushing will exert 
a more powerful effect on a six inch pipe than it 
would on one of any greater diameter. 
For sizes greater than fifteen inches diameter, I 
would recommend generally that the sewers be built 
of well shaped hard burned brick laid in hydraulic 
cement mortar, (unless there be some good reason such 
as quicksand, powerful springs or bad ground, which 
makes it impracticable to lay brick in cement, in 
which case it may be advisable to use pipe of greater 
diameter than 15 inches) (jenerally to be of one ring 
or thickness of brick for all sizes under three feet, 
and of two rings or eight inches brick arch, if of 
three feet diameter or greater. Form of section to be 
egg-shaped, with the small end down. Suitable foun- 
dations should be provided according to the nature 
of the ground, but, for convenience and accuracy of 
BRICK SEWERS. SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
21 
laying in ordinary sand or gravel, and to give a more 
uniform bearing while the mortar is green, the invert 
should be laid on narrow strips of plank, laid length- 
wise, and carried a short distance np each side. The 
hardest and smoothest bricks should always be selec- 
ted for the invert, or bottom of the sewer. 
Fig 2. 
Fig- 3- 
INVERT BLOCK. 
In cases where the bottom of the sewer trench is in 
very wet or springy ground, or where the inclination 22 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
and velocity is very great I would use “Invert blocks” 
of stone ware, or fire clay, glazed upon the invert face. 
These invert blocks greatly facilitate the construction 
of the sewer. See diagrams Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. 
Great care should be taken in packing gravel or 
sand or other suitable material, under and at the 
sides of the inverts so as to leave no void spaces for 
settlement, and to fill on both sides of the arch uni- 
formly, and ram the earth well over the arch, which 
ought to be entirely covered before drawing the cen- 
tres. 
One of the most important questions to be settled 
in the drainage of a city is the kind of pipe which it 
is best to use, as the length of pipe-sewers so far 
exceeds that of brick. 
PIPE SEWERS. 
Experience has shown us that burnt clay and glass 
are two of the most indestructable materials that can 
be fashioned by man, as utensils of both substances 
have been found in perfect state of preservation in 
the ruins of the most ancient civilization. I do not 
think it requires much evidence to prove that if these 
pipes are made of good fire clay of sufficient thick- 
ness and well burned, and if their surfaces are 
protected by proper glazing, if true of form and writh 
smooth surfaces that they are the best pipe known 
for the purpose; the glazing, if put on properly, is a 
true glass and will resist the action of even nitric or 
sulphuric acid. 
The rate or velocity of flow through smooth glazed 
pipes has been found by Mr. Roe’s experiments in 
London to be very much greater than in brick sew- 
ers. 
The glazed pipe now mostly in use is better suited 
to the purpose than pottery pipe, and is in fact glazed 
GLAZED PIPE. SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
23 
fire-brick, less brittle than the stone ware and will 
admit of being cut to suit required lengths of drains. 
Formerly the strength and durability of this pipe 
was questioned, because those first used for drainage 
were quite thin, frequently but half an inch thick for 
pipes of twelve inches in diameter and over, and of 
a light porous body, similar to drain tiles, and without 
glaze, called red eartlien-ware pipes. 
The pipes now made at Akron, Ohio, at Jolliet, 111., 
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Portland, Maine, and some 
other places, are thick and strong vitrified stone ware, 
or fire clay with a silicate glaze, are not liable to frac- 
ture in the handling, and are strong enough to resist 
great pressure of earth, as has been proved beyond a 
question by the careful tests made at Brooklyn, N.Y., 
at Boston, Mass., and at Chicago, 111. I would rec- 
ommend that such pipe be used in Stillwater, with 
strict requirements that they shall be smooth inside 
and true to form and required diameter. 
The joints should be made with sleeves or rings 
rather than with sockets and spigots, as the former 
may be laid more true to line and may be more care- 
fully jointed with cement, than the latter. 
CEMENT DRAIN PIPE. 
Pipe made of sand and hydraulic cement and 
moulded into short lengths have been used to some 
extent in this country, but less so than formerly. 
Their use has been discontinued in Boston, New York, 
Chicago, Cincinnati and most large cities. I have 
found generally that where they are used it is because 
some political influence is brought to bear in their fa- 
vor upon those having the power of selection. The 
great objection to their use is the uncertainty of their 
quality, because poor cement may be used, or the 
materials be improperly worked, or both. Such pipes 
cannot be depended upon to withstand pressure in the 24 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
trenches, and they are very liable to soften and dis- 
integrate by the action of the acid in the sewage. 
They are heavier to handle and not so smooth as 
glazed pipe, It is claimed for them that they are 
somewhat cheaper, those pipes of less than 12 inches 
diameter costing somewhat less than glazed pipe, but 
even this is a matter of doubt, when we consider that 
they cost more to handle, and that owing to increased 
roughness a larger diameter would be required to do 
the same work 
INLETS AND BRANCHES. 
When building a sewer, whether of brick or pipe, 
care should be taken to build in all pipe-branches or 
house connections, which may be wanted, to avoid 
breaking open the sewer, and of these a record should 
be kept, and their position and size located on the 
sewer plans. All branches should enter the main 
with a curved junction or slant to discharge in the 
direction of the How, as right-angle junctions will 
cause deposits and impede the flow in the sewers. 
MANHOLES. 
Manholes for inspection, ventilation, and to avoid 
digging up streets should be built at every street 
intersection and at most changes of grade or direc- 
tion, generally not over 300 feet apart. If the sewers are 
laid true to line and grade, and the manholes sufficient- 
ly near, a lantern held in one manhole may be seen from 
the next, which, if not visible, is an evidence of an 
obstruction, which may then be removed by flushing 
from the street hydrant, by jointed rods, or by a drag- 
chain. Manholes should be built of brick, of sufficient 
size for convenient entrance, with steps t*o descend 
by, provided with strong cast iron ventilating covers; 
each cover having a pan hung under it to catch the sand 
that might otherewis fall in and obstruct the sewer. SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
25 
LAMP-HOLES. 
As far as practicable, all small sewers will be laid 
in straght lines, both for grade and direction, and at 
all changes of grade or direction, where there is not 
a man-hole, a lamp hole built of brick or pipe, just 
large enough to let down a lantern will be placed. 
The junction curves being formed of cement in the 
bottom and open part of the man-hole, will give ac- 
cess to the tangent point for holding the lantern. 
CATCH-BASINS. 
In those streets for which combined sewers are pro- 
posed to take surface water, the inlets for this will be 
under the edge of the side-walk, either at the sides 
or street-corners, to be located at intervals of from 
200 to 400 feet, according to circumstances. The 
water falls through these openings into catch-basins 
built of brick; from a point about 5 feet below the 
surface, (on account of frost), a pipe leads to the 
sewer. Over the mouth of this pipe, but not closing 
it, hangs an iron hood. The lower part of this hood 
dips into the water, which stands at the level of the 
bottom of the pipe-mouth, forming a trap to prevent 
the escape of sewer gas. 
In your streets, until they are paved, quantities of 
sand and other substances will be washed into these 
receptacles, which will prevent such obstructions 
from being carried into the sewers. A force of men 
must be kept to clean them out after storms, or they 
will be soon choked. The basins are entered for this 
purpose through openings with iron covers placed in 
the edge of the sidewalk. 
VENTILATION. 
It is not safe to build sewers without provision for 
ventilation. The simplest method is to provide per- 
forated iron covers for all street man-holes; these 26 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
should be frequent, that there may be unceasing 
motion and interchange between the outer air and 
the inner sewer air. In unventilated sewers the gas 
soon becomes deadly, while in fully ventilated sewers, 
the air is purer than that of many a crowded public 
room. 
With gradients as steep as those of many streets 
in Stillwater, there is a constant tendency for the 
sewer gasses to rise and accumulate in the upper 
levels. This should be provided against by building 
tumbling-bays in the man-holes, with flap-valves clo- 
sing against the upper sewer end, as shown by draw- 
ing. The upper or dead-ends will be provided with 
ventilation through perforated covers of the flushing 
chambers. 
SEWER OUTLETS AND DISPOSAL OF SEWAGE. 
Lake St. Croix is an enlargement of the river of 
same name having a width of about 2,OCX) feet at 
high water. The water shed of the river above Stillwa- 
ter is about 6,600 square miles, sufficient to furnish 
a volume of water which should swallow up the sew- 
age of Stillwater without inconvenience to anybody. 
But, to secure this end, the discharge should he 
made into deep water, as near the channel or thread of 
the current as is practicable. Opposite the north 
end of the city the channel is along the Wisconsin 
shore, but from the new elevator to Hersey, Bean & 
Brown’s saw mill it is near the west bank of the lake; 
in fact, opposite the end of Pine street, produced. I 
find, June 10th, that the water was 29 feet deep at a 
point 50 feet from the shore; the current is sluggish, 
but, it is generally setting one way and all the most 
objectionable matter contained in the sewage would 
be carried along by it. I have therefore adopted this 
point, off from Main and opposite Pine street as an 
outlet for the sewage of all the principal part of the SEWERAGE ANT) DRAINAGE. 
27 
city. It is necessary, however, that the sewer outlet 
should be built out into the deep water of the chan- 
nel, so that the offensive matter may be carried by 
the current instead of being stranded on the river 
bank, to decompose and pollute the neighborhood. 
f would make the level of the bottom of this 
outlet about the same as that of low water in the lake 
in order to receive the drainage of the low part of 
Main street. (There is a difference of 20 feet between 
high and low water marks of the lake.) The end of 
the sewer should be so protected by a flap-valve as to 
prevent the air from blowung up the sewer. The same 
valve or gate may be so arranged as to exclude the 
water, if it he found necessary to pump out this end 
of the sewer for cleaning or repairs. The man-hole 
on Main street, 140 feet from the end will serve as a 
vent for the confined air and for ventilation. There 
will be a flap-valve in this man-hole to shut off the 
high water when it becomes necessary to resort to 
pumping out the Main street sewer. 
HOUSE DRAINS. 
The safety and comfort of the inhabitants will de- 
pend more upon the proper arrangement and perfect 
construction of house drains, water-closets and sinks 
than upon the main sewers; but in many cases local 
authorities after having carefully constructed main 
sewers have paid little or no attention to house drains, 
the results being great discomfort, injury to health 
and discontent. 
The proper juncture of house drains with sewers 
should be imperative, and house drains should always 
be executed in accordance with a sanctioned plan, 
the local authority insisting, as far as practicable, 
upon every house drain being designed, constructed, 
and carried to the main sewers under the supervision 
of their city engineer, who may be supposed to un- 
derstand such construction. 28 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
The house drain should have an inclination not less 
than 1 in 60, should never be joined to a sewer direct, 
so as to form a continuous flue by which gasses may 
flow into the house. There must be a break in the 
drain and means for ventilation so as not to cause 
nuisance. Ventilation of sewrers and drains is too 
often neglected; it must be insisted upon. House 
branches should not exceed four inches in diameter, 
as many of the main sewers are but six inches, and if 
the branches are as large or larger than the mains, 
obstructions will he introduced that will choke the 
mains. I have already presented a draught for an 
ordinance to your body intended to cover this point, 
and now to bring it more clearly before the people, 1 
give with this report a sketch intending to illustrate a 
good method for connecting house drains with the 
sewer. SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
29 
DIAGRAM SHOWING HOUSE DRAINAGE ANI) VENTILATION OF DRAINS. 30 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
EXPLANATION TO DIAGRAM, SHOWING HOUSE-DRAINAGE 
AND VENTILATION OF DRAINS. 
It will be noticed that the ventilator pipe outside of the house 
wall, is an inlet pipe for air and for the rain water from the house 
roof. It is made 6 inches diameter to leave an air space and cut- 
off or separation from the sewer. It is left a foot above the surface 
of ground to prevent obstructions from getting into the drain. 
The 4-inch iron drain pipe being continued vertically to the top 
of the house, there will be a constant current of air flowing upward 
through it. No confined sewer gas can ever be forced out through 
the traps, for, though everything is double trapped, there is an air 
vent always open. The rain spout will help to keep the drains 
clean, and the water tank in the attic may be used as a flushing 
tank to empty suddenly, by pulling out the hollow 4 inch overflow 
plug. 
SAND-ROCK SEWERS. 
For some of the streets along the top of the bluff 
near the lake front, where the hard lime stone rock is 
at or near the surface, and this is underlaid hy a 
strata of soft sand stone, I have found that it will he 
cheaper to build the sewers by a tunnel through the 
sand stone, rather than by an open trench in the 
hard rock, and to make the house connections by a 
drill hole between each two houses, communicating 
with the street sewer hy a branch tunnel, also in the 
sand rock, after the manner that this is done at St. 
Paul. The Second street and Pine street tunnels I 
anticipate will not be found difficult of execution. 
SURFACE DRAINAGF. 
For a large portion of the city the surface water 
must find its way to the lake by the street gutters, 
and these, as well as the street surfaces, in order to 
carry off the water without inconvenience, must be 
constructed in such form and manner as has been 
found by the longer experience of other hilly cities 
best suited to the work. SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
31 
The first principle to follow, is to make the street 
surface lower than the sidewalk. An upright curb- 
stone at the edge of sidewalk will form a gutter eight 
or ten inches deep. The street surface should be 
slightly crowned, say five inches in the centre, the 
sidewalk should have an inclination toward the gut- 
ter of about one-half inch to the foot, and so far as 
practicable I would make both sides of the street the 
same level. If on a side hill the difference of level 
can be arranged by a high sidewalk, and a wall or 
terraces at the front of the lot. The steep streets 
should be paved or surfaced as soon as practicable, 
but, if not practicable to pave way across, then pave 
a gutter, following the above'form of section. 
Long lines of drainage accumulating the water- 
shed of a large territory should be avoided; to prevent 
this, turn the water off frequently by short lines to 
the lake. Taking Third street as an example, I would 
turn the drainage from the north end off at Linden 
and Mulberry streets and Second street below Mul- 
berry into the mill streams so that it may not accu- 
mulate to a flood in Myrtle street. The same 
plan can be adopted in other parts of the city, 
where there are no combined sewers, by making 
use of the natural ravines, with wooden boxes or* 
other suitable protection against wash. Third street 
south of Mulberry and Second streets, south of mill 
stream, will be drained off by the combined sewers 
in those streets, through the tunnel from Second 
street to Pine street outlet, and the tunnel sewer 
should eventually also carry off the surface water 
falling in the area of original town included between 
Myrtle, Pine, Second and Sixth streets. The ravine 
running by Mrs. Tepass’ brewery, draining about 80 
acres, may be relieved by excavating a tunnel in the 
sand-stone through Broadway to connect with the 
Pine street tunnel. The water may be conducted to 32 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
this tunnel by a shaft from above located at the junc- 
tion of Willard street and Sixth avenue. This would 
then also receive the sewerage of a small district 
shown on the general map. 
Where there are combined sewers, like those de- 
signed for Pine, Sixth and Olive streets, these will 
take the surface water of the territory tributary to 
them; where no combined sewers are provided, the 
mill stream and other ravines will for a time longer 
take the surface drainage as they always have done. 
STREET GRADES AND INTERSECTIONS. 
I have caused to be made new profiles of all tlie 
streets. On these, tlie grades* established by city or- 
dinances are marked with black lines. Those previ- 
ously drawn on profiles and that have been used to 
some extent, are marked with blue lines; and where 
I have found it necessary to make changes on ac- 
count of drainage, I have drawn a red line; (the top 
and bottom of the sewers are also shown in red). 
The grades shown are only those of the centre line 
of the street. The adjustment of side grades and in- 
tersections must be considered and studied for each 
case, when it becomes necessary to do the grading. 
1 can only suggest general principles which should 
govern in this matter, thus: 
Where a steep street crosses one that is nearly on a 
contour line, I would reduce the grade of the steep 
street at the intersection, so that it shall be a mean 
between a level line and the steep grade. This will 
make an increased fall in the lower gutters, com- 
mencing a short way back from the corners. The 
grades on the two lower corner sidewalks will have 
an increased pitch to accommodate themselves to 
this depression, but,these should be kept high enough, 
so that the curbstone will form a barrier to keep tlie 
water from invading the walk. The upper gutters SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
33 
may then drain whichever way is found desirable, but. 
the sidewalks should, in all cases, be built high 
enough to keep them dry. 
In a case where a street built with a level cross- 
section on a side hill intersects a street with a uni- 
form grade down the hill, the street which is tributa- 
ry to the down hill street will gradually change (as a 
warped surface) from level across, until it conforms 
to the grade of the steeper street. The distance back 
from the junction where it commences to be warped 
will depend upon the grade of the steeper street. 
As far as practicable I would advise making the cross- 
sections of the streets level; that is to say, both gut- 
ters the same level and the street crowning uniform- 
ly from a level line, the difference of level in the 
two sides being made up by walls or terraces at the 
front of lots. It is not desirable to have the' streets 
graded so that the water will run to the down hill 
side, or onto the sidewalk as it does now. (See draw- 
ing of cross-section of steep streets). 
PUMPING MAIN STREET SEWAGE. 
As it was decided by your board not to raise the 
grade of Main street sufficient for its natural drain- 
age at all times, it will be necessary to provide means 
for shutting off a portion of Main street and its con- 
nections from the other system; to so isolate it that 
the street sewer may be pumped out during high 
water in the lake. I have planned to have Mulberry 
street sewer connect with Main street, in order to 
furnish sufficient volume of water to fill a large pipe 
and allow of a flatter grade than would otherwise be 
allowable for the natural requirements of Main street 
if left entirely without aid from the drainage of other 
territory; but, when it becomes necessary to pump 
out the Main street sewer, owing to high water in 
the lake, then the gate which is shown on the plans, at 34 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
Mulberry and Second must be closed, the main out- 
let remaining open south through Second street. 
PUMP IN NELSON STREET. 
A small territory of about 1,800 feet long by 600 feet 
wide, being the Main street and most valuable part 
of the city will then be dependent for its drainage up- 
on the pump which I propose to locate at the inter- 
section of Nelson street and Stimpson’s alley in a 
small pump-well built of brick for the purpose. The 
sewage will be conducted to this well by a six inch 
drain pipe from Main street, having an inclination to 
the well. Another pipe will be laid in the same trench 
having an inclination from Stimpson’s alley toward 
Main street for the natural drainage during ordinary 
low water, but, during high water the lower pipe will 
drain the Main street sewer back eastward towards 
this pump-well 
I calculate the quantity of sewage to be pumped in 
the following manner: The number of lots to be 
drained between Mulberry street and the Pine street 
outlet would be about 119; allowing for 1,000 gallons 
per day from each lot, of drainage, and that this 
would flow off in eight hours; the quantity resulting 
must be 249 gallons per minute. If allowance is made 
for draining cellars during high water, under the sup- 
position that an effort is made to stop out the leakage 
by concrete floors and watertight masonry from these 
cellars then we may figure for 1,000 gallons from the 
cellar of each lot flowing off in 24 hours, which will 
give 83 gallons per minute; then there is to be pumped 
249 +13- 232 gallcnsahd this to be raise 1 ten feet; 
then 332x10x8.35=27,722 foot lbs., or less than one 
horse power. There is 150 feet head at this point 
from the public water supply; a pipe one and one- 
half inches in diameter furnishing water under this 
head to a six inch turbine wheel or one of Tuerk & SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
35 
Johnson's water motors would give more than the 
necessary power, but to allow for friction and emer- 
gencies I would take the water from a two* inch pipe 
to run a water motor and this to be the means of 
driving a small centrifugal pump, which shall dis- 
charge the sewage and water directly into Lake St. 
Croix, at the foot of Nelson street. 
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS. 
Everything relating to sewers and house connec- 
tions must be under the charge of one competent and 
responsible head; their construction and the choice 
of materials of which to build them, their location, 
the number and position of man-lioles and catch-ba- 
sins, and all details. The same person should keep 
the record of every sewer and drain laid, and locate 
its position on the recording plans, and also record 
the assessments in the same plans. If this method is 
followed, there need never any annoyance arise from 
not knowing where the sewer is, nor from any conflict 
of authorities. The City Council will naturally de- 
termine what work shall be done and what money 
spent, but, for the good of the city, it may be hoped 
that they will leave the details of construction to one 
person skilled in the special work assigned to him. 
1 have already alluded to the necessity for raising 
the gfade of Main street (original town) in order to 
secure good drainage; which you have decided not to 
undertake on account of the expense and difficulties 
it presents. 
I would now call your attention to the necessity of 
re-locating the lines of Main street from the Peniten- 
tiary to the northern limit of the city. The St. Paul 
and Duluth railroad has taken possession of a con- 
siderable part of this street; the balance is either 
crowded down the hill or against the bluff. The old 
line was very crooked, its natural grade very undula- 36 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
ting. It is altogether unsuitable for travel or for 
drainage. The present traveled road is principally 
over private property; the line and grade of the rail- 
road would make an excellent line for a street, and I 
therefore recommend that a new location be secured 
as early as possible on the west side of the railroad 
location, parallel with and having the same elevation 
and grade as the railroad. This would improve the 
value of the lots fronting the street, would facilitate 
the transaction of all kinds of business, and make a 
good finish to what is now in a chaotic state. 
I would also recommend that a more definite loca- 
tion be made for the southern end of Main street, 
from Locust to Orleans streets, which should have a 
uniform width, following the west side of the location 
of the other railroad, as the conditions of this are 
very similar to those already described of the north 
end. 
A street should also be laid out along the slope of 
the bluff from the intersection of Dubuque and Third 
avenue, to intersect with Main street near Messrs. 
Hersey, Bean & Brown’s saw mill, a distance of about 
850 feet. This will be needed in the future as a chan- 
nel for the main-drainage, and will form a means 
of access that will be required between the business 
front of the city and the very desirable building sites 
. on that part of the South bill 
When it becomes necessary to grade a street, it is 
not practicable that all abuttors shall be equally 
benefitted; but, private interest must give way for 
the public good. A grade should be adopted with 
careful study and deliberation, but after being adop- 
ted, it should not be fudged to suit the wishes of the 
less fortunate. These plead in piteous tones that 
they are ruined, and are likely to be the first to bring 
suit against the city for damages, which, indirectly, SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
37 
may have been caused by fudging this grade to suit 
them. 
I would here remind you that no system of drains or 
sewers can be constructed by human agency that, af- 
ter completion, will not need careful attention, and 
any one expecting such perfection will be as disap- 
pointed with the results as the constructor of ma- 
chines of perpetual motion. 
Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, just as 
much in the hidden and artificial channels for drain- 
age and sewerage as in matters politic. 
DESCRIPTION OF PLANS. 
T have made use of one of Mr. Shepard’s litho- 
graphed maps of the city to show the lines, sizes and 
directions of all the sewers forming the system. This 
also shows by heavy black lines the outlines of the 
several drainage districts, and by red figures forms an 
index to the detailed streets or recording plans. A 
reduced lithographed copy is bound with this report. 
I also leave with you a profile of each street show- 
ing the grade of centre of street, and the sewers as 
proposed, with their sizes, depths and rates of fall. 
Also one or more sheets (as a sample) of the Record- 
ing plans. These are each two by three feet, mounted 
on cloth, to be bound together or kept in a portfolio, for 
reference by their number. They will show every lot 
in the city, with owners name, and all dimensions of 
blocks and lots; they will serve as a record for the lo- 
cation of all sewers with their branches, house inlets 
and other appurtenances, and also as a record for the 
various improvement assessments charged to and paid 
by each lot, and may be made the official plats of the 
city. 
Also the following will be made, viz: 
Plan for the construction of Pine street outlet. 38 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
General plan for a sewer manhole. 
General plan for a sewer catch basin. 
General plan for a lamp hole. 
General plan for a flushing tank. 
Section of tunnel and sewer in sand rock. 
Sections of all the brick sewers. 
Plan of junction of Third and Chestnut streets 
sewers. 
Plan of junction of Second and Chestnut streets 
sewers. 
Plan of junction of Myrtle and Third streets sew- 
ers. 
Plan of valve chamber and tumble bay. 
Junction of Court House Ravine and Pine street 
sewers. 
General cross section for a street. 
Nelson street pump well and some others. 
CONCLUSION. 
[ make you my report before the completion of the 
plans and profiles herein mentioned, that you may 
have time to consider and take action upon the sub- 
jects with the explanations that I have offered in it, 
while I am yet with you, and because the additional 
work that you have given me of establishing and ad- 
justing all the street grades, together with the work 
of the office of the City Engineer, might be the cause 
of an undesirable delay before you would hear from 
me. 
Appended you will find an approximate estimate 
of. the cost, with the length and sizes of the sewers 
in each street of your city for which I have thought 
it necessary to provide sewerage. ' ' SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
39 
Acknowledging valuable assistance from Mr. Elbert 
Nexsen, and with thanks to the City Council for their 
courtesy, 
This report is respectfully submitted. 
D. W. CUNNINGHAM, 
Engineer. 
Stillwater, Minn., Sept. 1, 1881. 40 
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE. 
APPROXIMATE ESTIMATE OF COST OF SEWERS 
NAME OF 
STREET. 
; t-1 
: £ h a 
H S< © 
H H 
1 ESTIMATE 
OF 
COST. 
NAME OF 
STREET. 
k « a 
w a q 
ESTIMATE 
OF 
COST. 
Abbott street.... 
1480 
$ 1584 
Mary street 
I 1160 
•| 1144 
Anderson street. 
1450 
1460 
Mill Stream Val’y 
3400 
3310 
Aspen street.... 
2440 
....3682 
Mu.berry street 
! 1610 
'....1488 
Broadway 
2410 
.... 8353 
Myrtle street & ) 
Center street.... 
1080 
1636 
Union Place. j" 
4080 
7979 
1300 
1825 
... 1539 
Chestnut street.. 
720 
1563 
Oa.i street 
1918 
2351 
Churchill street. 
1200 
.•. 1267 
Olive street.. 
3205 
....4668 
Commercial ave. 
... 300 
.... 290 
Outlet into Lake ) 
Ct. House Ravine 
... .2830 
....2900 
at H. B. & B’s t 
.... 200 
Dubuque street.. 
970 
5032 
Mill ) 
Elm st. & outlet 
3340 
6490 
Owens street.... 
4970 
4926 
Everett street ... 
700 
680 
Pine st. & Outlet. 
...4180 
. . .18011 
Fifth ave 
1430 
...1623 
Ramsey street.... 
2010 
3546 
Fifih street 
4470 
4877 
Rice street 
1170 
1186 
First street 
... 23981 
4291 
School street 
250 
245 
Fourth ave 
1430 
Second street.... 
7032 
. ..11169 
Fourth street... 
6330' 
7282 
Seventh street... . 
1120 
1008 
Greeley street... 
....2160 
2066 
Sherburne street. 
2136! 
....2317 
2200 
,. 4846 
Sixth ave.... 
1308 
... 2165 
1200 
..1230 
Sixth street-... 
3848 
Hickory street.. 
1890 
....1812 
St. Louis street.. .1 
. ...1050| 
3290 
Holcomb street .; 
....2000 
Stimpson’s alley.| 
. ... 840; 
.... 822 
Laurel street....! 
....1080 
1060 
...1122 
... 825 
Third av.&Main 11 
st. connections. \ 
...2270 
.. .6706 
Alain A; Lake sts. 
86651 
..14767 
Third street 
6792 
.. .10053 
1950 
.. 1860 
Wilkins street. .. 
1360 
1374 
1316 
...1434 
Willard street.... 
2480 
2851 
.. 2810' 
...3099 
William street... 
2380 
2342 
123052 
$195851 
Add ten per cent, for contingencies 
19585 
Total 
$215436 
The above estimate includes all the sewers which will be necessary 
for the sewerage of that part of the whole city included between Orleans 
•treet on the southern limit; Lily Lake, Center street and McKusick’s 
Lake on the west, and limited to the north by Wilkins street, which is in- 
cluded, and also including Lake street as far north as Messrs. Scliulen- 
berg, & Boeckler’s mill. 
Many of these sewers will not be needed for many years to come. x$, '\d jf i # 
l M i 
° o •) •) 
OF A PROPOSED 
SEWERAGE SYSTEM 
> FORTHE 
1881 
SCALE 800 FT- 1 IN. D-W. CUNNINGHAM, ENGINEER. 
EXPLANATION 
Figure# mariced Pindicate/ diameters o/ Pipe Sewers, in audit*?. 
• y r r ' f ) ) r 7 Ni'f(’/v T f f, ff 
Bouj idaries of drainage district# nuirJted thus — 
Lmes (//‘natural drainage , , ,,