WATER WORKS ITEMS FROM ALL PARTS.
(FROM SPECIAL REPORTS TO FIRE AND WATER.)
Montreal, Que., has appropriated $60,000 for lar ger mains, etc.
Fred Westholm has charge of the construction of the works at Moose Lake, Minn.
The city authorities of Lewiston, Ore., have purchased the plant of the company for $70,000.
C. W. Carpenter, of Deadwood, S. Dak., has pur chased the Sturgis waterworks plant for $49,000.
Instead of drilling a third artesian well, Jamestown, N. Dak., will build a municipal water system.
The new pumping engine at Martinsville, Va.. has been installed, and is now in successful operation.
It looks as if Detroit, Mich., might soon become the purveyor of water to every village in Wayne county.
The Snow Steam Pump company of Buffalo is installing the pumping engine at the Marion, O., waterworks.
l’he new plant at Breese, Ill., was tested recently and proved very satisfactory, it has been accepted r>y the village.
William A. Homans, Jr., has been appointed a member of the hoard of water commissioners of Gloucester, Mass.
The water of Brooklyn, New York, Chief Engineer De Varona says, is not any worse now than it always is in the spring.
Webster Groves, Mo., has voted to take a supply from the Missouri Water, Light and Traction company, to he obtained from the Missouri river.
At Niagara Falls, N. Y., the pumping engine of the city waterworks plant is nearly in position. G. H. Swan, superintendent, has charge of the installation.
The Fidelity and Deposit company of Baltimore, Md., has begun the work of finishing its contract on the new system of waterworks for Grand Rapids, Wis.
During February water meters were installed at Hartford, Conn., making 6,095 up to March 1. February’s daily consumption of water was 6,830,000 gallons.
l’he I’nited States Construction company of Milwaukee, in which Henry Herman is interested, has t; k«n an assignment of a contract for the completion of the Cincinnati waterworks.
J L. White, of Peru, 111., has opened an office in South Bend. I ml., where a company of which he is head will construct waterworks.
l’he proposed ordinance at Ann Arbor, Mich., cutting down water rates would involve a reduction of revenue to the company of $3,800 per year.
The city of Carbondale, l’a., has sold its waterworks plant to the Carbondale Water company. The company will increase its capital stock to $100,000.
At New London, Wis., the city council decided to submit the question as to whether this place should have waterworks or not to a vote of the peoole at the spring election, April t.
The pipe line of the Midland-Elk Lick Water company, of Lonaconing, Md.. was completed throughout the entire system from the reservoir above Midland to the corporate limits of this place.
Arnold C. Koenig, engineer, has plans for the waterworks system soon to be constructed here. It is the expectation of the council that actual work on the svstem will be commenced soon after the first of May.
The citizens of Campus, 111., are actively at work to secure waterworks for that village. The present plan is to sink a well and pump into a tank which would give sufficient pressure to carry water to any part of the village.
Elias F. Gobel. a well known contractor, who has iust died at Chicago, was identified with many important engineering enterprises, including the first lake crib for Chicago’s water supply and the new postolfice building there.
At Tell City, Ind.. the Tell City Water and Light company has completed its plant. The city will lease the plant from the stockholders, and pay the expenses of the plant each year until the city has paid for it in full. The plant is worth $40,000.
Extensive rebuilding operations are still in progress at the plant of the Oshkosh. Wis.. Waterworks company, to complete which will require several weeks’ time. Over $46,000 will be expended. It is expected that the city will have an excellent supply of water.
Chief Engineers Birdsall, of Manhattan, and Van Buren, of Brooklyn. New York, leave their positions in this city’s department of water supply. Commissioner Dougherty asks for the appointment of a chief engineer at a salary of $10,000—not too much nav for a firstclass tnan
The three water’ plants located respectively in Haverstraw. West Haverstraw. and Stony Point, N. Y., and known as the Haverstraw Water company, Stony Point Water company, and West Haverstraw Water company, are to be sold under the referee’s hammer at Haverstraw, on April 9, 1902.
Robert B. Ingram, who resigned as engineer of the high-service pumping station, Jersey City, N. J., under pressure, on February 1, has made a formal demand on the street and water board for reinstatement. It was alleged that Ingram, a Republican, padded claims, but the Democratic grand jury refused to find an indictment.
Ten years ago Covington, Ky., with a population of 40,000, furnished water by a schedule of tiat rates and used daily 8,500,000 gallons. Now every consumer is metered, and, with a population of 50,000, the daily consumption is 2,500,000, being a direct saving of 6,000,000 gallons daily. Could there be a fairer illustration of the justness of a meter system ?
The Florence, S. C., plant is almost complete. The well and reservoir are finished, but the standpipe of 100,000’ gallons capacity is not quite ready. The question of issuing $10,000 for extension of mains will be voted on March 31, and the petition to install an electric plant will be favorably considered by the council.
The city council of Elgin, Ill., has decided to submit to a vote of the people a proposition whether or not it shall continue to use the water of the Fox river or get its supply from artesian wells. The new plant of the city will cost about $100,000. Experts say that the people can no longer depend on the river for water, because it is getting lower every year and the volume is insufficient to keep it pure.
Senator Ellsworth, of Lockport, N. Y., has had a bill passed which practically puts the water board of that place out of business by abolishing the section of the city charter which gave the board power to purchase machinery and supplies. There -was friction caused by the water board recommending the Erie canal as a source of supply, while Senator Ellsworth favored lake Ontario.
At Lawton, O. T., the city council granted a franchise for waterworks and sewerage to J. M. Carter, representing the Texas Steel Rail and Equipment company. The cost is to be $10,000. The city reserves the right to buy the waterworks after one year. The company deposited $3,000 to be forfeited in case the contract is broken.
East Hartford. Conn., has 836 water takers.
By the passage in the house of representatives of the State legislature of the bill providing for the appointment by the mayor of members of a board of trustees for the control and operation of waterworks in citiis of the first class and cities tinder special charters, the question of the control of the Sioux City, la., waterworks system is settled.
A Carthage. Mo., paper says that the importance of the water question is not underrated. The city needs and must have pure, wholesome water and adequate fire pressure at rates that are fair and just. Moreover, the mains must be extended to all parts of the city. The council is now investigating and Studying the question in all its bearings so that the people may be given the best water and the best service at the lowest possible rates.
The water committee. Jamestown, N. Y.. met with Frank Y. Stevens, attorney for the Jamestown Water Supply company, and the company agreed to accept $(100,000 for its plant, exclusive of certain real estate not necessary to the operation of the plant. As this is a compromise price, it is expected the sale will be ratified at once, and the property handed over to the city by January next.
The Moutulsville. V. Va.. W ater company has specifications for a new plant which will be located at some point above the mouth of the Little creek, where the water will be lifted from wells into the standpipe until a reservoir is constructed. The specifications will be on exhibition at the company’s office for the inspection of bidders on the construction.
The Pittston, Pa„ Gazette says that it was announced at a recent meeting of the common council that the reservoir of the People’s Water company, situated on Butler Hill, was in danger of collapsing, if filled with water, and the secretary was directed to address a communication to the company, notifying it not to put any more water in the place until it had been made perfectly safe.
A Sacramento, Cal., firm will build the new system for the Keswick. Cal.. Water company at a cost of $20,000. The source of supply will be Spring creek entering Keswick by what is known as the old Calumet ditch. Slick Rock creek, which flows into Spring creek, will be cut out, thus insuring absolutely pure water. The capacity of the Keswick waterworks will be 150.000.000 gallons of water a day—sufficient to supply several towns.
At Manhattan, Kan., an ordinance which will come up for adoption at the regular council meeting this month will provide for two things: First, that the users of water have meters, so that the open rate waste may be stopped; second, that the rates be increased enough to make the plant selfsupporting, oils nearly so as possible, without making the price of water higher than the average in cities of the size uf Manhattan.
An adverse report on the purchase of the Highland Park, Cal., waterworks plant by the city of Los Angeles at the price asked will be made by City Engineer Stafford and Superintendent Mulhollahd of the municipal waterworks. The report will place a value on the plant far below that of $100,000, which, it has been expected, would be the amount of the consideration.
A press report from Austin, Tex., says: Water meters set in premises knowp to waste water day and night will help water takers in the high part of town and will greatly reduce the fuel bill at the power house. At least 2,000,000 gallons of water a day are wasted in Austin during the summer months and meters will either stop this or compel payment for the water. That’s the good the meters will do.
At Berkeley, Cal., the Contra Costa Water company will construct a large distributing reservoir on the northwest corner of Webster street and Claremont avenue. The reservoir will be of concrete and have a capacity of 7,000,000 gallons. The water supply for the storage basin will be pumped from Alvarado, twenty-five miles distant. The reservoir willsupply the southern part of Berkeley and the adjacent portions of Oakland.
A dispatch from St. Louis says that the people of Webster Groves ratified a contract with the Missouri Water, Light & Traction company for a supply of water from the Missouri river. The water company was recently granted a franchise by the county court to construct its mains from the Missouri river, near Creve Coeur lake/ through Kirkwood to Webster Groves. Kirkwood ratified a contract with the company several months ago, and it is thought that work will begin at once.
Commissioner Dougherty’s experience of seeing a bill killed, though recommended by him as head of the water supply department of New York city, is by no means a common one. The bill in question was that intended to repeal the Burr law, and so to enable Brooklyn to use the surplus waters of Suffolk county. On the other hand, the joint bit of Senator McCarren and Assemblyman Cotton, which provided for a water commission to investigate a suitable water supply for New York city, and was opposed by Commissioner Dougherty, was killed in committee.
The majority of the Supreme court has sustained the hoard of water commissioners of Wilmington, Del., in their right to purchase property for reservoir purposes out of the surplus fund of the department. The board had negotiated the purchase of the Weldin farm on which to build a new reservoir. The money, however, was held up by the city auditor, who believed the hoard had not the right to buy the land. The city council, which upheld the auditor, may appeal the case.
The Niagara. Lockport and Ontario company has been awarded the contract to supply Lockport, N. Y.. with pure water to he obtained from a power canal to he built from the Niagara river to that city. The contract calls for an expenditure of $500,000 by the city for the supply, which is much more than the water is worth: but it is believed that the power canal, which will cost millions, will bring many manufacturing concerns to Lockport. The Niagara river will be tapped at Lasalle, and the water will be brought eighteen miles. The company has a franchise granted by the State, and the promoters are now securing options on land along the proposed route.
In reply to a proposed remedy for relief for Brooklyn by connecting the Croton and Ridgewood systems bv means of a pipe under the East River to draw daily on the too.ooo.ooo-gallon Croton surplus. Commissioner Dougherty, of the New York water supply department, says that even if such a Croton surplus existed and its system could be connected with that of Ridgewood, it would still take a long time to make the connection under the East River. Anyway. Manhattan and the Bronx boroughs need all the water they can get.
This is not pleasant news from Pittsburgh. Pa.: This city isthreatened with a water famine. The mud that has been in solution in the Allegheny river since the flood, over two weeks ago, has been clogging the valves at the Brilliant pumping station and the engines have not been able to pump water fast enough to keep up with the consumption. The supply in the reservoir has been steadily decreasing and the city officials have been making strenuous efforts ta remedy the matter.