Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers Volume 43, PT. 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1876 Excerpt: ... down it was subject to draughts; and for that reason he had proposed to put in the valve. It was also proposed to build at that point a shaft 100 feet high, in close proximity to, and in connection with, an existing shaft there, the top of which at the surface of the ground was already 100 feet above the sewer, so that the total height would be 200 feet. This would act as a powerful ventilator, and it was part of the design to fix a small steam-engine, and an exhausting fan at the foot of the upper shaft and in connection with the lower one. Provision was also made to apply a furnace experimentally. That spot had been chosen because it was at a distance from any inhabited houses. Mr. Aird had suggested the desirability of putting in pipes and getting houses through which to carry ventilators; but it was extremely difficult to obtain sites for such a purpose. Not only the owners of the houses, but the whole neighbourhood would object. He hoped the time would come when a shaft would be placed at the eastern extremity of the sewer. Ho desired to bear his testimony to the admirable manner in which the work had been carried out by the Messrs. Aird, notwithstanding the many difficulties with which they had to contend. They had been the contractors for laying the central outfall pipe, in regard to which they displayed similar perseverance. A length of 1,500 feet of the pipes was below the lowest low-water mark. The pipes were put together with lead joints, and floated out in lengths of from 150 feet to 300 feet, the joints at the end of each section being made with wooden wedges, and the whole secured by screw piles. They were perfectly tight, and delivered the sewage admirably. He was still inclined to think that, for a town situated like Brighton, the system of...