Volume 39 (1879) (446 pages)

December 20, 1879.] MINING AND SCI ENPIELC PRESS. 401 Danger and Death in Sewers. Within the last twa weeks there have been terrific explosione of yas in sewers in this city and in Oakland, In both cases the evil was from the collection af illuminating gas from faulty pipes ia the adjacent sewers and rising thence into tho dwellings communicating with the sewers. In Oakland there was a house well nigh demolished hy tho explosion whicli followed the ignition af the gas. In this city the gas was also ignited in a dwelling, hut the main explosion occnrred in the sowcr in the strcet, tho earth giving way, great jots of flame hursting forth, and thea a great chasm appearing through tho streot along the liue of tho eewer, Such alarming accurrencca as these are rare, aud they can happen only in towns fnrnished with iluminatiuy gas end stroot sewors, and in euch situations they are always liahlo to endanger life and destroy property, unless far better systems are adopted in scwering. Notwithstanding nearly all men know that sewers aro receptacles for gascs which may at any timo bring disease and death to citizens, thero etill exists e suhlime indifferenco to the deadly menace, and no attempts are mado to ventilate the eewers hy shafts, which would draw off the gases into the npper eir, whore they wonld he dissipated and carricd away. This must ere long he done, or untold loss of life and property may occur from canses which have thns given some inkling af their pawer, But it is mare with reference to tho evil af pas generated in rural cesspools end drains that we would epeak at this time. City explosione may call ettention to another class af dengers which are most insidiaue, unattended hy frightful explosions, hut are far wider reaching in their effects. The dread fevers and othor diseases which hreak out here and thore in districts apparently the most ealnbrious are donhtlcss most af them dne to the folly of residents rather then to what are termed natural causes. This enhject is fully enlarged upon in the report of the State Boerd of Health, which hes just issued from the State printing office. Dr. F. W. Hatch, Secretary of the Board, has made the snhject a careful study, and from his article we draw the following valuahlo and practical suggestions: In the arrangement aud construction of hoth draine aud cesspools the chief coucern should he to keep tho gases which arise from enteriag the house and poisoning its inmates. No fact in sanitary ecience is now hctter established than that sewer gases do arise from the sources indicated, and that they do, withont proper procantion, find their way into dwellings and hecome the source of disease, The records of medicine are replete with the evidences of these facts, and the recent investigations of sanitarians in this country and in Europe have placed them ont of the reach of successful contradiction. It is indispeusahle, then, that all communicatiag drains should he properly constructed. The materials of which they are composed should he sound, non-porous, aad the drain should he laid with a fall or slope sufficieat to carry off, withont ohstruction, the materials discharged into . ’ them. Glazed etone-ware pipes are generally considered the hest, heing dnrahle and so smooth upon the inside as to facilitate the easy and nninterrupted passage of their contents; and they should not he too large, therehy diminishing the rapidity of the current through them. Ja general, pipes of fonr or six inches in diameter, with a fall of oue and a half or two feet per hnndred, will suffice for an ordinary honse drain. They should he properly trapped and ventilated. ‘They are oftea ineffectnally flushed, hecome foul, the gases geaerated within them must find an outlet, and none so accessihle as that which, under the arrangement often adopted for the communicating drains, linds its exit into the hath-room or living rooms of the dwelling. The higher the temperature of the air of the room, as compared with that of the drain ar sewer, the more rapid and certain the inflow af polluted air. In meny towns, and in isolated dwellings, especially in the country, the cesspool or vault is resorted to as a recognized though necessary evil. To reduce the dangers arising therefrom to the minimnom, they should he well cemented so a3 to he water-tight, arched nver and ventilated at the top, and sufficiently smail to require emptying at least once or twice a year, and frequent disinfection. As commonly huilt they are mere holcs, loosely hricked or hoarded up in such a manner as to permit the percolation of their liguid conteats into the surrounding soil, thence to flow, it may he, into the well from which the drinking water issupplied. Too many instances have heen recorded of the danfers arising from these sources tu permit a douht of their reality. However these conditions may he, the drain must be ventilated. Various plans have been adopted to effect this purpose. One af the most efficient—the only certain method—is to he found in the construction of the soil-pipe, its continuation ahove the roof of the huilding, thus forming a ventilating shaft, which should he without abrupt or angular corves, and of equal diameter in its entire length. In carrying the ventilating pipe ahove the roof of the house, care is to he taken that it does not terminate near the windows, or even the flae of a chimney. In certain directions of the wind, or under certain conditions of temperature, incurrents into the house may he established, which will carry with them the gases but juet escaped from the soil pipe. A New Map of Comstock. We present aur readers in this issue, as a matter of neeful reference, with an engraving San Francisco News Company, and for sale by them, The deepest mine on the continent is on thie lode—the Belcher—the shaft of which has roached a perpendicular depth af 3,000 feet, eee ee Saad —4 pha snnen 318k Toe Hd p BO; Ye = a) i ‘} Vi TANT Wed EE W1iROS awe cf em — . E¥E37. Dp Ta: Lave’ jj Liiod} — SIHIIIS HNO IAU ¥ TRI L Teas, tana ere . yt t T t t ¥H70 rraveal Halve Monza sHldzo s24voopli Notas 40 Kaos 3 ws BHL ITT] rt HID AYsD ; TWN Sy8¥aHeu" tsoLod Wd IIOH_ NOLIIOS a eee a 1 BIT HT. Yasuda 2h Ter [—agrr foarrvr-a AM OLIWY VND Mh Le ‘goo NviNIW wirdo 7 jp RAT TS BOI OTT. Ve Pd WTR. S OLY ‘SLAVHS JO Hidad ‘SHIdod BAO JO NOILOAIMLSIG ONLIMOHS ‘aqO1 MOOLSWNOD BHL JO NOILOGS IVNIGOLIONOT —_auvay “hr, 4 BS aa ee BIVIONTA. IEEE), a EELS: eS ceewcsatua Kod xe steno SS ay & s 00ST S 2 3 3 3 showing a longitudinal section of the Comstock lode, compiled from the latest data. It shows the proper depths of the shafts, shape and size of ore deposits, etc. The map was made from one on a much larger scale just issued hy the 005 = which is'300 feet deeper thau any other on the lode. The incline starts from the 900 level, and makes its plunge at such an angle as to require the incline to run ahout 160 feet to make 100 feet perpendicular depth, and hence stretchee away ahout 3,360 feet. In making this depth of 2,100 feet perpendicularly, the incline carries the workings in the hottom 2,625 feet east of the shaft, Just at this moment, and it is to ho hoped only temporarily, the mining prospects of the Comstock are nnder a cloud. Developments still progress, howover, and work continues steadily, exploratione being advanced to depthe belaw points considered a few years ago impaesible to wark. It is scarcely neccssary to call attcntion to the details of this map, eince the main featnres are pretty well understood among us, It will serve as a means af reference to keep track of future improvements, and its details explaiu themselves quito clearly. Other articles referring to thie great lodo, appcar ou other pages of this numher of the Press. Academy of Sciences, At the regular meeting of the California Academy of Sciences on Monday evening last, the Nominating Committee presented the following “Regular Tickct” for otticera for 1880: President, George Devidsou; Ist Vice-President, J. B. Moore; 2d Vice-President, Dr. Hermann Behr; Recording Secretary, Charles G. Yale (of the MINING AND Screntiric Press); Correapouding Secretary, 8. B. Christy; Treasurer, Elisha Brooks; Lihrarien, Charles Troyer; Director of Museum, W. G. W. Harford; Trustees, W. Ashhurner, R. KE. C. Stearns, Geo. E. Grey, B. B, Redding, Rohert C. Harrison, Thomas P, Madden, J. M. McDoneld. Mr. W. J. Fisher, who has speat the past summer in Alaska, read a description of Kodiak island, its resources, inhahitants, etc. Mr. Fisher left the whaler, Aft. Wollaston, efterwards lost, and returned here on one of the Alaska Co.’s vessels, Ho has heen engaged in collecting natural history specimens, Prof. Geo, Davidson read a very intercating paper on “Scientific Explorations iu the United States.” He also reed a communicetion from A. F. Goddard, of Sacramento, calling the attention of the Academy to some newspaper errors touching his position es tothe linc and dnration of totelity of the approaching eclipse of the sun. The Professor thought that the correction of newspaper errors might he left to the newspapers themselves, and that no action by the Academy was necessary. The lihrarian called the attention of the members to the third edition of Mr. J. S, Phillipps ‘‘Explorers’, Miners’ and Metallurgista’ Cumpanion,” a very valuahle work, published in this city hy the author. The hook received was the first volume, of handy pocket size, for ‘«Explorers and Assayers.” The other volume treats more of metallorgy, hnt this one is a suitahle one for use in traveling or prospecting. Coming. What? Christmas of conrse. Before the next issue of our paper reaches its readers, that pleasant holiday, whose annual recurrence hringe light and joy to so many homes, will have come and gone. An occasional holiday like this affords a good hreathing spell, and may he aptly termed one of the safety-valves of nature. Ordinary caree are laid aside for the pleasures of social gatherings and family reunions, which may he looked hecked to as oases in aur work-a-day lives, We sincerely hope that this may he a really Merry Christmas to all aur readers; that looming visions of turkey and fun may he verified, and that amid all their pleasures they will not forget to make an effort to hring happiness to others, perhaps less fortunute ahont them. Correr IN LIvERPOOL,—From Jamee Lewis & Sons’ monthly circular on ores and metals, we learn that during the month of Novemher 900 tons of English copper were shipped to tke United States. Arrivals of ore from Chile have heen during the month 3,183 tons. From other countries the arrivals in Liverpool and Swansea have heen 2,499 tons. The deliveries have heen small, very little furnace material having heen purchased hy the smelters, Latest quotetions are as followe: Dec. Ist, hars, good ordinary hrands £66 10s to £66 15s per ton on the spot, and £67 10s for distant arrival. Ore 138 44d to 133 6d, and regulus 143 per unit. Stocks of West Coast are 30,190 toas, against 28,000 tons on Nov. Ist. ASSAYING AND Ore TesTinc.—The assay office of Messrs, Kustel & Riotte, corner of Pine and Leidesdorff streets, is worth a visit at any time, They are always at work testing hatches of ore hy some process or anvther. They have a qnartz mill to crush wet or dry, amalgamating pans and settlers, a roasting furnace, smelting furnace, refining furnace, arrangements for leaching process, and in fact are prepared to work lots of ore in any desired manner, so as to determine the hest process for its treatment. They have all the necessary apliances for testing and assaying, a sampling Li ete, Altogether their outfit is complete for carrying on aay kind of work on a small scale. Tue Internal Revenne collections in the San Francisco district last week amounted to $35,874, inaking a tutal since January lst of $2, 040,958, against $1,821,700 in the corresponding time last year,

December 20, 1879.] MINING AND SCI ENPIELC PRESS. 401 Danger and Death in Sewers. Within the last twa weeks there have been terrific explosione of yas in sewers in this city and in Oakland, In both cases the evil was from the collection af illuminating gas from faulty pipes ia the adjacent sewers and rising thence into tho dwellings communicating with the sewers. In Oakland there was a house well nigh demolished hy tho explosion whicli followed the ignition af the gas. In this city the gas was also ignited in a dwelling, hut the main explosion occnrred in the sowcr in the strcet, tho earth giving way, great jots of flame hursting forth, and thea a great chasm appearing through tho streot along the liue of tho eewer, Such alarming accurrencca as these are rare, aud they can happen only in towns fnrnished with iluminatiuy gas end stroot sewors, and in euch situations they are always liahlo to endanger life and destroy property, unless far better systems are adopted in scwering. Notwithstanding nearly all men know that sewers aro receptacles for gascs which may at any timo bring disease and death to citizens, thero etill exists e suhlime indifferenco to the deadly menace, and no attempts are mado to ventilate the eewers hy shafts, which would draw off the gases into the npper eir, whore they wonld he dissipated and carricd away. This must ere long he done, or untold loss of life and property may occur from canses which have thns given some inkling af their pawer, But it is mare with reference to tho evil af pas generated in rural cesspools end drains that we would epeak at this time. City explosione may call ettention to another class af dengers which are most insidiaue, unattended hy frightful explosions, hut are far wider reaching in their effects. The dread fevers and othor diseases which hreak out here and thore in districts apparently the most ealnbrious are donhtlcss most af them dne to the folly of residents rather then to what are termed natural causes. This enhject is fully enlarged upon in the report of the State Boerd of Health, which hes just issued from the State printing office. Dr. F. W. Hatch, Secretary of the Board, has made the snhject a careful study, and from his article we draw the following valuahlo and practical suggestions: In the arrangement aud construction of hoth draine aud cesspools the chief coucern should he to keep tho gases which arise from enteriag the house and poisoning its inmates. No fact in sanitary ecience is now hctter established than that sewer gases do arise from the sources indicated, and that they do, withont proper procantion, find their way into dwellings and hecome the source of disease, The records of medicine are replete with the evidences of these facts, and the recent investigations of sanitarians in this country and in Europe have placed them ont of the reach of successful contradiction. It is indispeusahle, then, that all communicatiag drains should he properly constructed. The materials of which they are composed should he sound, non-porous, aad the drain should he laid with a fall or slope sufficieat to carry off, withont ohstruction, the materials discharged into . ’ them. Glazed etone-ware pipes are generally considered the hest, heing dnrahle and so smooth upon the inside as to facilitate the easy and nninterrupted passage of their contents; and they should not he too large, therehy diminishing the rapidity of the current through them. Ja general, pipes of fonr or six inches in diameter, with a fall of oue and a half or two feet per hnndred, will suffice for an ordinary honse drain. They should he properly trapped and ventilated. ‘They are oftea ineffectnally flushed, hecome foul, the gases geaerated within them must find an outlet, and none so accessihle as that which, under the arrangement often adopted for the communicating drains, linds its exit into the hath-room or living rooms of the dwelling. The higher the temperature of the air of the room, as compared with that of the drain ar sewer, the more rapid and certain the inflow af polluted air. In meny towns, and in isolated dwellings, especially in the country, the cesspool or vault is resorted to as a recognized though necessary evil. To reduce the dangers arising therefrom to the minimnom, they should he well cemented so a3 to he water-tight, arched nver and ventilated at the top, and sufficiently smail to require emptying at least once or twice a year, and frequent disinfection. As commonly huilt they are mere holcs, loosely hricked or hoarded up in such a manner as to permit the percolation of their liguid conteats into the surrounding soil, thence to flow, it may he, into the well from which the drinking water issupplied. Too many instances have heen recorded of the danfers arising from these sources tu permit a douht of their reality. However these conditions may he, the drain must be ventilated. Various plans have been adopted to effect this purpose. One af the most efficient—the only certain method—is to he found in the construction of the soil-pipe, its continuation ahove the roof of the huilding, thus forming a ventilating shaft, which should he without abrupt or angular corves, and of equal diameter in its entire length. In carrying the ventilating pipe ahove the roof of the house, care is to he taken that it does not terminate near the windows, or even the flae of a chimney. In certain directions of the wind, or under certain conditions of temperature, incurrents into the house may he established, which will carry with them the gases but juet escaped from the soil pipe. A New Map of Comstock. We present aur readers in this issue, as a matter of neeful reference, with an engraving San Francisco News Company, and for sale by them, The deepest mine on the continent is on thie lode—the Belcher—the shaft of which has roached a perpendicular depth af 3,000 feet, eee ee Saad —4 pha snnen 318k Toe Hd p BO; Ye = a) i ‘} Vi TANT Wed EE W1iROS awe cf em — . E¥E37. Dp Ta: Lave’ jj Liiod} — SIHIIIS HNO IAU ¥ TRI L Teas, tana ere . yt t T t t ¥H70 rraveal Halve Monza sHldzo s24voopli Notas 40 Kaos 3 ws BHL ITT]

rt HID AYsD ; TWN Sy8¥aHeu" tsoLod Wd IIOH_ NOLIIOS a eee a 1 BIT HT. Yasuda 2h Ter [—agrr foarrvr-a AM OLIWY VND Mh Le ‘goo NviNIW wirdo 7 jp RAT TS BOI OTT. Ve Pd WTR. S OLY ‘SLAVHS JO Hidad ‘SHIdod BAO JO NOILOAIMLSIG ONLIMOHS ‘aqO1 MOOLSWNOD BHL JO NOILOGS IVNIGOLIONOT —_auvay “hr, 4 BS aa ee BIVIONTA. IEEE), a EELS: eS ceewcsatua Kod xe steno SS ay & s 00ST S 2 3 3 3 showing a longitudinal section of the Comstock lode, compiled from the latest data. It shows the proper depths of the shafts, shape and size of ore deposits, etc. The map was made from one on a much larger scale just issued hy the 005 = which is'300 feet deeper thau any other on the lode. The incline starts from the 900 level, and makes its plunge at such an angle as to require the incline to run ahout 160 feet to make 100 feet perpendicular depth, and hence stretchee away ahout 3,360 feet. In making this depth of 2,100 feet perpendicularly, the incline carries the workings in the hottom 2,625 feet east of the shaft, Just at this moment, and it is to ho hoped only temporarily, the mining prospects of the Comstock are nnder a cloud. Developments still progress, howover, and work continues steadily, exploratione being advanced to depthe belaw points considered a few years ago impaesible to wark. It is scarcely neccssary to call attcntion to the details of this map, eince the main featnres are pretty well understood among us, It will serve as a means af reference to keep track of future improvements, and its details explaiu themselves quito clearly. Other articles referring to thie great lodo, appcar ou other pages of this numher of the Press. Academy of Sciences, At the regular meeting of the California Academy of Sciences on Monday evening last, the Nominating Committee presented the following “Regular Tickct” for otticera for 1880: President, George Devidsou; Ist Vice-President, J. B. Moore; 2d Vice-President, Dr. Hermann Behr; Recording Secretary, Charles G. Yale (of the MINING AND Screntiric Press); Correapouding Secretary, 8. B. Christy; Treasurer, Elisha Brooks; Lihrarien, Charles Troyer; Director of Museum, W. G. W. Harford; Trustees, W. Ashhurner, R. KE. C. Stearns, Geo. E. Grey, B. B, Redding, Rohert C. Harrison, Thomas P, Madden, J. M. McDoneld. Mr. W. J. Fisher, who has speat the past summer in Alaska, read a description of Kodiak island, its resources, inhahitants, etc. Mr. Fisher left the whaler, Aft. Wollaston, efterwards lost, and returned here on one of the Alaska Co.’s vessels, Ho has heen engaged in collecting natural history specimens, Prof. Geo, Davidson read a very intercating paper on “Scientific Explorations iu the United States.” He also reed a communicetion from A. F. Goddard, of Sacramento, calling the attention of the Academy to some newspaper errors touching his position es tothe linc and dnration of totelity of the approaching eclipse of the sun. The Professor thought that the correction of newspaper errors might he left to the newspapers themselves, and that no action by the Academy was necessary. The lihrarian called the attention of the members to the third edition of Mr. J. S, Phillipps ‘‘Explorers’, Miners’ and Metallurgista’ Cumpanion,” a very valuahle work, published in this city hy the author. The hook received was the first volume, of handy pocket size, for ‘«Explorers and Assayers.” The other volume treats more of metallorgy, hnt this one is a suitahle one for use in traveling or prospecting. Coming. What? Christmas of conrse. Before the next issue of our paper reaches its readers, that pleasant holiday, whose annual recurrence hringe light and joy to so many homes, will have come and gone. An occasional holiday like this affords a good hreathing spell, and may he aptly termed one of the safety-valves of nature. Ordinary caree are laid aside for the pleasures of social gatherings and family reunions, which may he looked hecked to as oases in aur work-a-day lives, We sincerely hope that this may he a really Merry Christmas to all aur readers; that looming visions of turkey and fun may he verified, and that amid all their pleasures they will not forget to make an effort to hring happiness to others, perhaps less fortunute ahont them. Correr IN LIvERPOOL,—From Jamee Lewis & Sons’ monthly circular on ores and metals, we learn that during the month of Novemher 900 tons of English copper were shipped to tke United States. Arrivals of ore from Chile have heen during the month 3,183 tons. From other countries the arrivals in Liverpool and Swansea have heen 2,499 tons. The deliveries have heen small, very little furnace material having heen purchased hy the smelters, Latest quotetions are as followe: Dec. Ist, hars, good ordinary hrands £66 10s to £66 15s per ton on the spot, and £67 10s for distant arrival. Ore 138 44d to 133 6d, and regulus 143 per unit. Stocks of West Coast are 30,190 toas, against 28,000 tons on Nov. Ist. ASSAYING AND Ore TesTinc.—The assay office of Messrs, Kustel & Riotte, corner of Pine and Leidesdorff streets, is worth a visit at any time, They are always at work testing hatches of ore hy some process or anvther. They have a qnartz mill to crush wet or dry, amalgamating pans and settlers, a roasting furnace, smelting furnace, refining furnace, arrangements for leaching process, and in fact are prepared to work lots of ore in any desired manner, so as to determine the hest process for its treatment. They have all the necessary apliances for testing and assaying, a sampling Li ete, Altogether their outfit is complete for carrying on aay kind of work on a small scale. Tue Internal Revenne collections in the San Francisco district last week amounted to $35,874, inaking a tutal since January lst of $2, 040,958, against $1,821,700 in the corresponding time last year,