Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1904 — What Ailed the Big Sewer. [ARTICLE]

What Ailed the Big Sewer.

Whether the big Makem«elf sewer is adequate, under fair conditions. to carry off an unusually bis? rainfall in town to prevent the flooding of cellars and basements along its route, is still an unsettled question. For it evidently did not have a fair trial in the recent big storm. It is now practically settled fact that it was badly blocked at its lower end. .In fact practically closed there It seems that the end of the sewer where it opens in the river is covered wi'h a double swing door, placed there with some mistaken idea of keeping the river water from backing up in the sewer, but of no possible utility for that or any other purpose. When the ice began to move down the river Wedne-day night it formed an enormous and vei y solid gorge in all that part of the river where the sewer outlet is, and backed up against and firmly closed these sewer doors. This condition continued until this gorge moved out, Thursday night and the sewer then got in full action, with the result of the prompt emptying of all cellars which were filled with back water direct from the sewer

There are along the upper parts of the sewer several catch basins with their inlets above the general level of the ground. These of. •ourse will not carry of the surface w-iter, until the ground is filled up or the tops of the catch basins made lower.