care of sewers is and has been done solely by the improvement company who, I should have stated, made the original street im. provements on these two streets, including grading, macadamizing, guttering, sidewalks and sewers. These facts have been stated in order to enable the legal advisers of the State Board of Health to determine the responsibility for the needed improvements. As a result of my examination I beg to recommend that proper official action be taken to secure the carrying out of the following improvements: 1, The lowering of the street gutters to an extent to insure prompt and ready drainage from each lot to the street gutter; 2, the establishing of such gutter grades as will insure the ready running off of drainage water and will render stoppages unlikely; 3, the formation of the gutter of such curbing and paving as will be durable in itself and safe against displacement; 4 the lowering of the street grades and flattening of the crowning to make the streets conform to the new guttering within safe and proper degree of crowning. The accompanying sketch does not show the levels taken except at a few points along the centers of the streets where the elevations above an assumed datum are given. They indicate, however, the longitudinal grades of the streets. I am, dear sir, very truly yours, OLIN H. LANDRETH, Consulting engineer ALBANY, April 14, 1898 N. MCDONALD, Secretary Board of Health, Depew, N. Y.: Dear Sir-I transmit herewith, for the information of the board of health of the village of Depew, a copy of the report made by Prof. Olin H. Landreth on the drainage defects found to exist in a portion of your village. The report of Prof. Landreth having been adopted at a meeting of this Board held April 1, 1898, I am directed to request that you inform this department of such action as may be taken by the board of health of Depew on the report. Very respectfully, BAXTER T. SMELZER, Secretary DEPEW, N. Y., April 20, 1898 State Board of Health, Albany, N. Y.: Dear Sirs-At a meeting of this board held on the 18th inst., the report of Mr. Olin H. Landreth, on the drainage defects of Penora and Neoga streets in this village, were adopted by this board. I also notify you of the reappointment for the term of one year of G. N. Jack, M. D., as health physician; also of my reappointment for the ensuing year as secretary and registrar. Very respectfully, N. MCDONALD. ALBANY, April 21, 1898 N. MCDONALD, Secretary Board of Health, Depew, N. Y.: Dear Sir-I am in receipt of your communication of the 20th inst. stating that the report of Prof. Olin H. Landreth on the drainage defects in your village was adopted by the local board, and will present the same at the next meeting of this Board. Very respectfully, BAXTER T. SMELZER, Secretary DRAINAGE QUESTION AT ATHENS There was submitted to the State Board of Health the matter of drainage of cellars, and one in particular, in the village of Athens. This village, of about 2500 population, has no public water supply and no street sewers, save on one principal street that runs up from the river (Hudson) there is a street sewer of tile for a short distance, not long since laid. This street rises with a somewhat abrupt grade; about three village blocks upon it beyond the point where the sewer is carried is the cellar in question. This cellar contains two feet of water, which is foul water and has a sewage odor. It has existed there since a drain outlet to it was cut off about a year ago by order of the village trustees because it emptied into the street gutter below the house in suck volume and in such a manner because of the grade as to overflow the sidewalk, creating much ice in cold weather. The location is elevated and should be well drained. Cellars to adjacent dwellings have no standing water, but show some dampness and apparently are relieved of accumulation by drains.. There is no apparent reason why this cellar should collect water more than its neighbors; I found no source from which it would be likely to come to it especially. I think the water in it is chiefly soil water and increased in amount now by recent abundant rains. It is probably made unclean by receiving also the waste from two kitchen sinks in the house. The best remedy for this would be to extend the aforementioned street sewer to this point. Objections to this remedy are: it would cause a delay of several months to secure relief by it; it would be an expensive remedy, if it were laid deep enough to accommodate the dwellings on the lower side of the street, since they are at a much lower level and moreover the number of dwellings to be supplied is small; it is not desired by part of the owners of property adjoining; there is no public water supply to furnish flushing desirable for a tile sewer. A more speedy relief should be found and this was to lay a six-inch tile drain in the gutter line on the upper side of the street at depth just sufficient to drain the cellars, to have the half dozen houses closely adjacent find relief for the soil water of their cellars through it, cutting off from it all sink-water for which other provision should be made, and to allow this drain to discharge into the open gutter below. If only soil water enters this drain it will not probably create any nuisance. If it should be found to do so it can then be carried on to the existing street sewer, a few hundred feet further. I think this will speedily and satisfactorily give the desired relief. June 21, 1898. Respectfully, |