Tag Archives: sewage

Pollution of the Jones Falls

18 Thursday Feb 2016

Posted by in Baltimore, HISTORY, Sewage History

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As previously mentioned in another post, the Jones Falls suffered much flooding along with a tremendous amount of pollution.

The below photograph shows a storm drain dumping into the Falls. This one was fed not by just the rain onto the street, but by the houses and over-flowing cesspools.

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This photograph shows an ice company dumping its wasted water into the Jones Falls, then pumping the water back out, to make ice.

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And this is a meat packing plant, slaughter house, that dumped all its waste into Gwynns Falls, which also dumped into Baltimore’s Harbor. This photograph came from an album that was first in a fire (at the warehouse it was stored) and then suffered water damage. The caption underneath reads: …for Baltimore Butcher’s [Abattoir] (slaughterhouse) Co ? @ Gwynns’ Run…

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Street Sweepers

16 Tuesday Feb 2016

Posted by in Baltimore, Sewage History

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In considering Baltimore’s drainage system, for both sewerage and storm-water, recommendations were made to have them as separate. One reason being:

“A considerable portion of the dirt which finds its way into the sewers goes in through the un-trapped inlets, and it is a matter of common knowledge that the street cleaners, in order to lighten somewhat their labors, are accustomed to pushing the street sweepings into the inlets, thus allowing large quantities of dirt to be washed into the sewers. It must be borne in mind, however, that it is much more expensive to remove deposits of dirt from the sewers by hand than it is to remove them from the surfaces of the streets by carts. If this system of drains had been maintained in a perfectly clean condition at all times, it is undoubtedly true that the capacity of the drains during “maximum” storms, when flooding has occurred in this territory, would have been greatly increased and much less damage would have resulted.”

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Drift-Catcher

11 Thursday Feb 2016

Posted by in Baltimore, HISTORY, Sewage History, water history

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When I first saw the structure below, in the color photographs, I thought it was some sort of old pedestrian bridge. After some research, and a look through the DPW Archives, I found the following information:

On June 9 and 10, 1911, Messrs. Hering, Gray and Stearns again visited Baltimore for the purpose of inspecting Jones’ Falls above North Avenue Bridge, also to examine the plans for a drift-catcher, and on July 27 reported to the Commission approving the plans, etc., of the Chief Engineer. The drift-catcher, or interceptor, will be constructed at a point south of the Cedar Avenue Bridge, most available from an engineering and practical standpoint, rights having been obtained, without cost, from the Northern Central Railway, which owns the property on the west side of the Falls, and from Mrs. Fannie A. Timanus, on the east side

Appendix A: Report of the Consultant Engineers. Concerning a drift catcher and Jones Falls conduits. We have considered Mr. Hendrick’s suggestion of the possible obstruction of these conduits by trees, bridges, small buildings or other things which might be washed away by a phenomenal flood, such as is provided for in this case, and while it seems probable that with conduits of such magnitude nearly all large objects would pass through without obstructing them, some large objects, if not intercepted elsewhere, might lodge on the dividing walls at the head of the triple conduit and cause an obstruction. We, therefore, approve the adoption of some plan which will provide at a suitable place above the head of the conduits means for intercepting large floating objects.

The arch and pier type of structure, which we approve, is shown in part upon the preliminary plan furnished by Mr. Hendrick, entitled “Studies for Drift-Catcher,” and in part upon a plan, dated July 12, 1911, giving alternate designs of the drift-catcher. The general design consists of narrow piers about 20 feet high, spaced 8 feet apart from center to center, held at the bottom by being concreted into pits excavated in the rock, and at the top by a horizontal concrete arch extending from one side of the valley to the other and abutting against the ledge.

Completed in 1912.

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1910 Annual Report

08 Monday Feb 2016

Posted by in Baltimore, HISTORY, water history

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From Calvin Hendricks, Engineer, to the Mayor:

“It all comes down to the fact that we are getting nearer to the laws of God than ever before, which laws man cannot improve on, but can only strive to follow. For instance: The pumps lifting the sewage from the low level to the Outfall Sewer, is the sun drawing the salt water from the sea to the cloud; the flow of the sewage through the Outfall Sewer to the Disposal Plant, is the cloud drifting through the air; the spraying of the sewage over the stone beds, is the rain falling from the cloud to the earth; the trickling of the sewage down through the stones is the rain sinking into the earth; the purified sewage coming out into the settling basins, is the spring water bubbling out of the ground, and the electric light produced by the flow of the sewage is the sunshine after the clouds have passed.”

The sewers completed and under contract, about 160 miles, if placed end to end, would almost reach from Baltimore to New York, and a portion of them are large enough to drive through in automobiles. I feel safe in stating that the entire built-up portion of the City will be completely sewered and in operation in 1914, the time originally stated, provided we are allowed to continue in the rapid manner in which we have so far prosecuted the work.

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