DECEMBER MEETING OF NEW YORK SECTION AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION
(Special Report to FIRE AND WATER ENGINEERING.)
The December meeting of the American Water Works Association, New York Section, was held at the Hotel McAlpin, New York, on December 20. W. W. Brush of the Department of Water Supply, Gas and Electricity, New York, presided. After luncheon, a short discussion on meterage was held. D. W. French, chief engineer of the Hackensack Water Company, described briefly the meter system of that company. All meters after registering a certain amount of water are removed and brought to the repair shop for test. Results showed that the majority of meters after serving for a period of considerable length registered from 1 to 2 per cent against the water company. Meters are read quarterly, and sufficient time is permitted for the reading so that the bills will reach the consumers on the first day of the month. The system is divided into districts, and the returns from each district indicate the efficiency of the chief collector for that district. In the Hackensack Water Company’s system, 74 per cent of water entering the system is accounted for by meters. Mr. French pointed out that the success of meterage in his case was the result of uniform attention to all meters. Among those who discussed Mr. French’s topic were Mr. W. W. Brush, Mr. Allen Hazon, a and others. Following the discussion on Mr. French’s paper, Mr. W. R. Edwards, superintendent of the meter department, Passaic Water Co., spoke on meter practices in his system.
After the meeting the delegates formed into three groups, one going to each of the Thomson Meter Co., Neptune Meter Co., and National Meter Co. plants.
National Meter Company Plant.
The group visiting the National Meter Company plant at Brooklyn were escorted by Mr. Morris of that company. They were shown through this large meter factory, and the various steps in the manufacture of high class meters pointed out. The main structure, four stories in height, and running almost an entire block was completely filled with meter-making machinery. The various machines were so arranged that work all moved in one direction, eliminating shifting of components back and forward, thereby eliminating lost motion and making for efficiency. The delegates were impressed with the accuracy of the machine work and the uniform care shown in all stages of manufacture. In the brass foundry, too, the use of the most improved machinery made for efficiency.
Thomson Meter Company.
Mr. J. L. Atwell acted as guide for the party visiting the Thomson Meter Company, of Brooklyn, manufacturers of the Lambert meter. The new factory of this company is a model, both from the standpoint of manufacturing convenience and working conditions. It is a block in length and four stories in height. Built in 1909, the very latest ideas in factory construction were employed. The visitors were much impressed with the excellent light and air throughout the building, and particularly the light which is so essential to accurate machine work. At the present time approximately 125 men are employed, and the meter caoacity is over 75,000 Lambert meters per year. Up to date in excess of 860,000 meters have been made by this concern. S. D. Higley, secretary of the company, stated that indications pointed to a banner year for meters in 1919.
Neptune Meter Company.
The delegates who visited the Neptune Meter Company’s large plant at Jackson avenue and Crane street, Long Island City, in Queens Borough, New York City, were accompanied by D. B. McCarthy and J. E. McKay of the company, and were received by Factory Manager A. B. Ricketts. They were shown over the extensive and well appointed plant, which consists of a group of buildings covering practically a square block. Besides the new five-story building there are a three-story and a two-story building and large and notably well equipped foundry and carpenter shops, stock buildings, etc., including a number of one-story structures. The delegates were shown through department after department, spending considerable time and giving particular attention to the company’s stationary testing department, a spacious section of the basement, where tests of many different kinds are made for different types of meters. This department is one of the features of the Neptune plant and business is indicated by the fact that there are about 1,400 employees at the plant and the meter manufacturing capacity of the establishment is about 130,000 meters per year. To date this sucessful and widely known company has manufactured 1,730,000 meters. The meters produced by the company include the Trident Disc, the Trident Crest, the Trident Compound, and the Trident Protectus, and another notable product of the company is a portable test meter. This is a master unit of the disk type and with its aid a man may make more tests in a day than two men with a horse and wagon could make in a week under the old method of cutting out the meter and taking it to a shop for a bench test. This instrument enables water works officials to obtain quick and accurate tests of meters without removing them from the line. The Trident disk meter is made in two models for residence services; for cold climates there is the breakable bottom meter and for warm localities the split case style. For larger volumes there is the Style Three, made in sizes from an inch and a half to six inches. For the largest volumes, factory and other large services, there is the Trident Crest, made in four types, two of the smaller being made with special housings for water carts and standpipe services while the larger sizes are made in a regular type and a high duty type for especially severe usage. A meter designed for services where the demand varies is the Trident Compound, measuring small flows as well as large ones. For the largest and most important services, such as fire lines, the Trident Protectus is provided, designed to meet the requirements of a device that will measure not only the large flows, but also the small ones that may indicate waste or illegal use, and at the same time offer no impediment to the high flows needed for fire protection.
Attendance at Luncheon and Meeting.
The members and guests present at the meeting and luncheon were as follows:
Atwell, J. L.
Atwell, j. C.
Ankener, R.
Anderson, J. F.
Arnold, V. E.
Aspell, C.
Bedell, J.
Brush, W. W.
Bleistein, B. J.
Baker, M. N.
Bacon, E.
Broqks, C. E.
Brooks, J. E.
Bettes, C. R.
Beck, F. S.
Barrett, J. S.
Corbin, C. K.
“on row, R. W.
Cook, John H.
Cole, B. W.
Case, E. D.
Cleveland, Mr.
Coho, Mr.
Cleverdon, W.
Connery, S. J.
Cetti, W. S.
Cunningham, J. T.
Donaldson, C.
Durland, S. H., and guest of Mr. Durland.
Ernst, L.
Edwards, W. R.
Folwell, P.
French, D. W.
Feltt, Wm. H.
Fatournette, Mr.
Ghetti, L. G.
Henry, E. W.
Hazen, A.
Hansen, A. E.
Guest of Mr. Hansen.
Hauks, O. P.
Hodgman, B. B.
Kennard, Mr.
Keogh, Wm.
Kaponstine, T. N.
King, F. S.
Little, B. C.
Lobo, C.
Laase, W. F.
Luckett, W. H.
Luce, F. H.
Langthorn, J.
Lott, E. H., and guest of Mr.
Lott.
McCarthy, D. B.
McKay, Mr.
McKay, J. E.
Metcalf, J. T.
Munday, A.
Norris, J. H.
Nelson, F. B.
O’Neill, C. F.
Purdie, Mr.
Phippen, H.
Rowe, I. A.
Ross, William
Riettan, Mr.
Reimer, A. A.
Sands, H. B.
Sands, C. G.
Shepperd, F.
Sylvester, Mr.
Sherrerd, M. R.
Smith, J. R., and guest of Mr. Nelson.
Stevens, H. C., and two guests.
Shire, E. R.
Townley, D. H.
Trowbridge, Mr.
Van Gilder, L.
Vrooman, Mr.
Watson, F. M.
Wegman, E.
Wills, Mr.
Warde, J. S. W.
Yeager, S. J.
New rates have been adopted in Middletown, O., as follows: $1.35 per cubic foot for from 1,000 to 5,000; $1.10 per cubic foot for from 5,000 to 10,000; 70c per cubic foot for all over 10,000 cubic feet. A discount of 10 per cent will be allowed for all bills paid before the 20th of the month. The water works records show the consumers may be divided as follows: Those using 1,000 cubic feet, 1,406; 2,000 cubic feet, 624; 3,009 cubic feet, 184; 5,000 cubic feet, 82; 6,000 cubic feet, 63; 7,000 cubic feet, 39; 8,000 cubic feet. 32; 9,000 cubic feet, 13, and over 10,000 cubic feet, 159.