Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-06-24
soa rar R@nn9sp vu,s.
% te qualified sose,s for the yueu,berse Of Ms Con.
mon Hall.

IN Q iormcf communication l promised to submits
dincrent PROJECT Tor watering the city, from tho one
proposed by the committee, iron. q belief that 1 shall
be solo to satisfy every candid aud re~ffoctng individ-
ual-hrst, that It 10 inexpedlent TO raise the waters
Out oI James River; secondly, that tne proposed site
Is not the best tina, can be obtaincd; aud thirdly, that
bc,tor wator can be p~lentiiully obtained on more
economical terms. First. the water OF James River,
vhercit IL proposed to be taken out, ~ pure and
Wholesome when fined, none viii pretend to deny
out from accurate calculation, the waters OF tnat
river arc muddy and totally unfit TO be received into
leading pipes for four mon,hs ur Que third Of q wear,
anu partske OF the Temperature Ut the atmosphere. or
a lew degrees below, ranging from U To 90 degrees.
It Is contemplated to force thus water up to an open
reservoir, distant fromlthc intersection oil & and 5th
streets, IL a right line, not less than 100 yards,
which Is beloved the most eligible site In the west
part OF the city, for a reservoir. IT ] have been for
tunate enough TO understand the committee, It 10
contemplated and believed that the water in this open
reservoir will depoeit It's sediment below tho leading
pipe, SO as TO become quite pure and ffoc of sediment,
and that eight feet OF dcchnation would be sufficient
pressure to force u column Of water of reasonable
cahber, ZOO yards, IN quantity sufficient to extin
guish a hire OF any magnitude. This pipe is calcula-
TED al 81 900. l feel confident that this design will
notattain either ofthese objects Intended Isl, that riv.
or water, such ~ that OF Inc James, will not find sufi-
eient In such reservoir Us to DO introduced into the
reading main pipe, aud that its location is too distant
Tor efhciency IN case of q fire of magnitude. and 1t
would be found that the agitation will stir up the
sediment that will lodge IN the bottom of the pipes
and make 1t UNFIT for use tor days after u fire or any
like increase OF velocity In the leading or distributing
pipes; let US suppose that one half the present popu-
lation OF the city, are located below the level of The
BASIN of the james River canal, and that mechanical
power were required 10 raise water from the basin
for the other half. The ascending main f,om the
oasin would not be required so long rs the one pro-
posed, aud % feet Of elevation would be gained in
power over the forcing pump, for raising ,Re water,
which taken 10 feet below the level of tho basin, the
temperature of Tho wnter ot that depth would be
found not above So degrees the warmest day in Sum
TnRT nj MT hAlnr Ea
dry. This IS a most important acquisition, as the
water, Ia order To be restored TO its original sweet
ness, would require 10 pass from this depth through
a Receiving pipe into a water tight fitting aquetuct of
leng' IA sufficient to fine and restore the water, and
conduct 1t into the reservoir at the forcing pump from
whence this water could be forced into q reservoir
near The junction OF 5th and g streets, nearly as
high AZ the most elevated summit in the city. and by
Tar the most centrical and convenient situation III that
part OF the western ward of the city. Thus by
taking the water from the basin, 1t is obtained at an
even agreeable temperature, S2i 900 saved in the
expense OF the leading nam, the reservoir iD the
centre Of the most eleva ed part OF the city IN the
immediate vicinity, in case of fires at command to
communicate with those pipes which are contcmpla-
ted to lead from below the level Of the basin III ough
all the streets east of 18th street, below it's level
Inc water thus taken aud distributed, would not. in
tho nature OF things, require half the water or steam
power which il would require to raise the ouantity
necessary, It taken out of James River a little below
MIR. Rutherfoord's Mills, contemplated IN the report
OF the committee, While the water would be as cool
an summer as the coolest spring in the VICINITY of
the city, and near the same temperature IN winter
fhus, my fellow citizens, | am persuaded that if the
Common Council can devise equitable means whereby
70 RAISE the funds, you will never give your consent 10
q design 70 ways adapted to the situation of thi.
city In a design of such magnitude, the subject
should be seriously aud dispassionateiy considered,
the more especially when il IL well knewn to such az
nave aeVoted their attention 10 matters ofthis nature,
thnt thoy have, vi. hin d few years, unSera one almost
an entire change in the method Of watering cities.A
In calling your attcRtion TO what ] tbink palpable
misconceptions IN the report of the committee, |
nave contrasted II with the preference of raising the
water from the bosin. as in all respects prefe rablc.
yet l am persuaded that il is in my power to present
TO your consideration, q design far preferable than
either taking the water out OF James River or the
basin, Tor the purpose of watering that part Of the
city above tho level of the latter. This I design to
do In my neNt number. A CITIZEN.
In my last communication, | proposed TO submit to
the consideration of my fellow citizens q .desipn lone
contemplated and founded on the actual local situa,
as l contemplated would need only the sanction
OF the Common Council, as to raising the necessary
fund for carrying the plan into operation and prudent
OF the works when executed. In order
70 illustrate this design, II may be necessary to give
q description OF the three different wards Of the city.
That to the west, Monroe, may, in a general way, be
to be above the level Of the highest springs or
otbor sources Of supply in reasonable distance. This
ward may be estimated at 6,000+ inhsbitants. The
other two at not less than ID, 900, making the popnla-
ton of the city from go to 1000 Inhabitants. pho
latter two, namely, Jefferson and Madison are below
a plentiful supply Of the most pure water TO be obtain
ed within the Jurisdiction Of the city, without the aid
OF Hydraulic Engines either to raise the water to the
many sites Tor reservoirs Immediately over that part
oftbe city which their level command where fire.
plugs and sufficient hose would only be required to
extinguIsh the most obstinate fire. The great adyan.
tngc OF constructing reservoirs in contiguous and
ndInn sit ntinna 10 nn.ca, ..l.-.. : --a
dercd tnat the pressure, and consequently tho veloci-
~ OF all fluids are IN the proportion to the square OF
their perpendicular height Of the head above the aper-
tuie where It IS discharged. Yet this universal da
tum needs ex explanation to such as arc not conversant
10 these matters. Suppose a reservoir placed at Mai.
Clark's. say two miles and four furlonrs from the
Union Hotol, 40 feet above tho level of the top Of
that building.a pipe of ~ inches calliber, passing at
TOO yards over a summit o feet below the level Of
the water in the reservoir, be conducted by q hose
from a fire plug on q FRO which should take place in
that building. and another reservoir be placed west
Of 2ist street, between j. and G streets, forty feet
above the top OF said building, the leading pipe of