Sewer

A fresh-water trench or little river, encompassed with banks on both sides, to drain off surplus water into the sea. Cowell. Properly, a trench artificially made for the purpose of carrying water into the sea, (or a river or pond.) Crabb, Real Prop. § 113.

In its modern and more usual sense, a "sewer" means an under-ground or covered channel used for the drainage of two or more Separate buildings, as opposed to a "drain," which is a channel used for carrying off the drainage of one building or set of buildings in one curtilage. Sweet. See Valparaiso v; Parker, 148 Ind. 379, 47 N. E. 330; Fuchs v. St. Louis, 167 Mo. 620, 67 S. W. 610, 57 L. R. A. 136; State Board of Health v. Jersey City, 55 N. J. Eq. 116, 36 Atl. 835; Aldrich v. Paine, 106 Iowa, 461, 76 N. W. 812.

— Commissioners of sewers. In English law. The court of commissioners of sewers is a temporary tribunal erected by virtue of a commission under the great seal. Its jurisdiction is to overlook the repairs of sea-banks and seawalls, and the cleansing of public rivers, streams, ditches, and other conduits whereby any waters are carried off, and is confined to such county or particular district as the commission expressly names. Brown.