INDEPENDENCE WATERWORKS
The Independence, Mo., waterworks, of which illustrations are given herewith, were constructed by P. B. Perkins, of Springfield, Mo., in 1883-4. The system was pumping from the Missouri river to reservoir on the bank of the river three and one-half miles north of the city, thence pumping to a reservoir up town about 360 feet above the river; thence to a tank eighteen feet by twenty-four feet on the top of a brick tower forty-five feet high. In 1803 a standpipe eighteen feet in diameter by 120 feet high was erected up town, and the wooden tank was abandoned. In 1804 the pumping station was rebuilt at the river. In 1898 the franchise was renewed for twenty years, and in 1899 improvements and extensions were made, about nine miles of new mains being laid, with thirty-five hydrants, in addition to the fifty already in use. In 1900 a 4,000,000-gallon Holly pump was installed at the river, and in 1901 the reservoir system was remodeled, two new basins being added to the old one. and a system of settling and aeration devised, by which the water was pumped into No. 3 basin, in the upper end of which a boiler iron tank was placed surrounding the inlet pipe. This tank is sixteen feet in diameter and six feet high. It stands on supports six feet from the bottom of the reservoir, and is open at the bottom and top, so that the water as it enters flows over the mouth of the inlet pipe, and the mud slowly settles to the bottom of the reservoir. From No. 3 the water flows into No. 2 basin over a weir twenty-five feet wide, with a series of eighteen steps, which aerates the water. From No. 2 it flows over a weir, with a series of steps similar to that from No. 3 to No. 2, still further aerating it. When it reaches No. t, or the clear water basin, it is free from the greater part of the silt and other impurities. Front No. 1 the water is pumped up town to the reservoir, and front thence to the standpipe, and distributed through the mains and services to consumers. No alum or other means than the above settling system is used. The water is given three pumpings from the river to the standpipe. It goes through four settling basins. The capacity is ample for a city four times the present population, and is as follows: One 4,000,000-gallon Holly; one 5,000,000-gallon Worthington; one 750,000-gallon Hooker; and one 500,000-gallon Gordon. Up town is one 500,000-gallon Hooker engine. The reservoir capacity at the river is 5,000,000 gallons; up town it is 750,000 gallons; that of the standpipe is 228,372 gallons. During the memorable flood of 1903 the works were operated continuously and furnished an abundant supply of water for all purposes. R. D. Wirt took charge as superintendent soon after the works were built, in January, 1885. During his administration the most of the improvements enumerated above were made. He resigned in March. 1902, and was succeeded by G. C. Danforth, and during his administration the large force-main. fourteen inches in diameter was laid from the top of the bluff above the river station to the uptown station, and connected with the reservoirs and standpipe, so that fire pressure could be given from the river, if necessary. The 5,000,000-gallon Worthington pump was also installed by him at the river station. Mr. Danforth resigned on March 1, 1903, and was succeeded by Will T. Owen. During his administration another settling ring was added at the river; some few extensions w’ere made; and the system was very largely changed from the flat rate to the meter. Mr. Owen resigned on March 1, 1904, to accent the management of the Greenville, Tex. water plant, and was succeeded by the present superintendent, V. B. Robison, who has been with the company in various capacities, with the exception of about four years, since the works were built. The following are the statistics of the works: Name of place. Independence. Mo.; population. 10,000; source of supply, Missouri river; system, standpipe pressure; aggregate daily capacity of pumps at river, 10,225,000 gallons, uptown, 500,000 gallons; reservoir capacity at river, 5,000,000 gallons; uptown, 750,000 gallons; standpipe capacity, 228,372 gallons; mains, twenty miles of fourteen-inch to two-inch; hydrants, eighty-seven (fifty Chapman, thirty-seven Corey); valves, ninety; meters, 450; services, 1,000 (one and one-half-inch to three-quarter-inch galvanised iron); average normal pressure, seventy pounds; average fire pressure, 120 pounds; daily consumption, 500,000 gallons; per capita consumption, fifty gallons; cost of works, about $200,000; bonds outstanding, about $147,000; annual expenses about $10,350; owned by Tndependence Waterworks company; superintendent, V. B. Robison.
The contract for building the filtration plant at Youngstown, Ohio, has been signed, and the work will be begun at once.
