The New Student's Reference Work/Waring, George Edwin

Waring (wa′rĭng), George Edwin, American sanitary engineer, was born at Pound-ridge N. Y., July 4, 1833, and died in New York City, Oct. 30, 1898. He was educated at Poughkeepsie, studied agriculture, and lectured on it in Maine and Vermont. From 1857 to 1861 he was drainage engineer of Central Park, New York; and on the outbreak of the Civil War he became major of the Garibaldi Guard, after which he raised and became major of the Fremont Hussars, and subsequently colonel of the 4th Missouri cavalry. In 1880 he became special agent of the United States 10th census and, later, member of the national board of health. His knowledge of drainage problems made him very useful to the authorities of New York City and led to his being consulted by those of other towns and cities. After the yellow fever epidemic of 1878 in Memphis he devised the sewage system of that city, and from 1895 to 1898 he was commissioner of street cleaning in New York, doing wonders as administrative head of the department. In October, 1898, he was appointed head of a commission to improve the sanitary condition of Havana and other Cuban towns and to select the sites of camps for the American troops. His published works embrace Draining for Profit and Draining for Health, How to Drain a House, Sewerage and Land Drainage and Sanitary Drainage of Houses and Farms.