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94
Bad smells are frequently complained of in connection with other ventilating openings
(not to mention street gullies) in the course of the sewer. Amongst the complainants none are
more persistent than residents in Philbeach-gardens—a crescent-shaped road, the sewer in which
falls, in either direction, from the summit, situated midway between the horns of the crescent,
and discharges into the Counter's Creek sewer in Warwick-road. Objectionable smells prevail in
Philbeach-gardens, for which I can suggest no other explanation than the want of proper
ventilation of the main sewer. In this street there are seven oblong ventilators at road level,
besides 22 untrapped gullies. The Public Health Committee, on my recommendation, requested
the Works Committee to close the ventilating gratings and to substitute shaft ventilators
carried up against houses, and to trap the gullies. The Works Committee, in their report on
the reference, recommended—
"That shutter flaps be fixed in the outlets of the sewer at the north and south ends
of Philbeach-gardens into the main line sewer in Warwick-road, and that a ventilating
shaft from the summit (sic) of the sewer near No. 71, be carried up the flank wall of that
house provided the necessary consents can be obtained."
The recommendation of the Committee was based upon a report by the Borough Engineer
as follows:—"There are seven surface ventilating gratings in this street, and, except in one
case, it is not practicable to carry up pipe shafts therefrom. The one exceptional case is on the
flank of No. 71, at the entrance of the garden ; it is practicable to carry a pipe up the flank of
this house if the necessary assents were obtained. Shutter flaps could be erected at each end
of the sewer where it connects with the main line sewer in Warwick-road." A suitable site for
a ventilating pipe would be at the central entrance to the ornamental garden, between Nos. 88
and 89 (the summit of the sewer), but it would be necessary to make a new shaft to connect with
the sewer. There are, moreover, other suitable sites for the purpose. The above cited recommendation
made no reference to the closing of the road ventilators or to the trapping of the
street gullies. The recommendation of the Committee has been carried into effect, with what
result we have yet to learn.
Ventilating Lamp Columns.—Pursuant to a reference by the Public Health Committee,
consequent on complaints of offensive smells from a sewer ventilator in Peel-street, Campden-hill,
and as to the desirability of some improved method being adopted for the ventilation of the
sewer in that street, the Works Committee recommended the erection of a ventilating lamp
column on the west side of Campden-hill-road, opposite the west end of Peel-street. The column
was erected ; but further complaints having been made of smells from the same ventilator—at
load level—it was abolished. Other similar columns will, no doubt, be provided from time to
time, as occasion may require.
Some few years since, the engineer of the County Council informed the late Yestry that it
was intended to ventilate main sewers at suitable positions, such as cross roads, and in the centre