The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-02-01
40 MIR. EDITOR commenting

uS0n the OIL eCttoDs which l oIeftu, us
approving the pla, of Mr Eilet for .uapiyieg our
Jity with mere wafer, seem to think | am dis
posed 70 eavii and excite prejudice rather than 10
10 good. no far from thu such is my great adm
-aon Of the scientific attainments of Mr. Elicit ans
his great Pers Cnsl worth that raised my oblec-
lions with much hesitation; nor am ! disr9:ed to
Till with so important subject, "a that which IN
| In my article resumed Mr. Elie,'s first plan as
the one most likely t. he adopted. to wit, taxing
the watr from the canal, near eth strse.-!or a.
'hou2h he presents the alter alive Of tapping
he canal beyond the Tredegar Works. and ithont
the reach of cur city drainage. yet he EXPRESSLY
| says Il do not recommend such en extension nj
present If, then. his frat plan is the one to be
considered. all the objections then raised by me,
ere legitimate and yet hold good. But if the 81
tentative plan Is TO be considered TO w.t. tapping
| the canal berond the Tredegsr and above the city
| drainage, then most of my objections ere ground
less. Sl however, soIGe objections yet exist. such
| Tor example IS the impurities arising from boats
| and boating along tao miles Of the canal, above
the point OF tapping-the gathering OF cattle in the
canal in hot weather, TO cool themselves and 10 es-
bIity OF preventing boys and men from using .he
anal Tor ba hing and swimming places-tbe sur
| face drainage from Oregon Hili-and (perhap5 the
'trongss) the drawing Oh the wateT every SUM
| dent.
| Iuese objections, if there were no better plan.
| weuid not be insupportabIe, nor thoult ] have
raised them; ard this introduces the question: liz
| tie plan CT Messrs Gill and Davis better 0net 10
certain extent THU yes and mainly, il not en-
tiTeiy, because rtcer tcGfeT direct is TO be used.
| These gentle men propose second reservoir be-
| IT,
and correctly say that there is ravlne which. ct a
comparatively small expense, be converted into
artseIN0r, capable OF holding one hundred Millions
Of gallons.
a. this second reservoir will be lees elevated than
the present one Of cCuree less pump power will be
required 10 put one-hsf Of the present quantity
rased into each OF the tHn than it now requires to
out all of it into the upper one; that if one halt
VI ope'Inird OF our city can be Watered rom the
.ower reservoir, th're will be saving OF power,
which saving applied to keep ng the upper Teser-
voIr under full head at all tiDss will remove the
now used By the entire CITY. having TO pass out
the one high reservoir, the head gets low, the
drauGht in the lower parts OF the city beIbg so
ranih it leaves the higher parts OF the city without
water
Ilaf the city to be supplied from water from the
lower reservoir, will relieve the draught upon tde
upper mails and pipes supplying the higher parts
Of the CITY. 40 that all parts, high and low, will be
supplied From tbe second lvoir Eroposed to be
BIT laid dow 10 the Canal themes along and unser
The ottom OF the canal to such point III the City as
will nc convenient to make convictions with the dis
tributing pipes row laid.
To this extent think the plan of Meesrs Gill and
DAVIS the lest. because II affords suihcioucy of
water. This water will lave n connection with
The canal waterit will be such the city has al
ways bad-aId twill be all alike.
90 not approve. because do not see any necesi-
v for, the further propositions # these gentlemen.
They say that the present pumping Pc can raise
INTO the two reservoirs 4.Ut0.Ho1 gallons per IS
hours, giving to each person OF nO inhsb ~
gallons per Gay, that nothing more need be done
dntil our city numbers 10000, ana then even each
person cen be supplied with 70 gallons daily.
hut should either or any pl9u be adopted fequir-
arg suCh outlay! II / understand the real dill
caity under which city eSsts ii is, not that We
want more water raised titan river vii supply
OF that our present pumping power can perform,
but We do want higher reservoir. 70 that there shall
% more rapid sped OF lne water from this reser
vuir to the higher parts of the city. THIS is the
great desideIa UNI 1t matt RS NOT how large thx
mains may be, were they as large wine pipes and
dozen Of them, il they have such little inclination
o~aias the higher pats ui tho city, Is NOT IL give
velocity enough to tie water in them 10 meet the
IRISH Of water from them down to the lower parts OF
| the city.
a. :. ght, there being no draught, IL the lower
| pipes hii up backing the water as they fiji up into
| .ina along HE higher parts Of eur Cny uLt
| ali are Mica n II heHC pressure upon them
resi- ondus with the height Of The water N the lie
| servoir. NOW, turn the cocks in any part OF the
it,, high or low, anG there will flow an ample spf
lcispCy OF water. Whep morning comes, the large
| aught 10 supply IL, lover portions "t the city
causes the m urs on the higher plTtg 70 give up
her water ,fds'er then these mains cen t supplied
from the reSerror, lot LecEuSe intro lLsuttl-
ei Icy q ~at.i IN no rese.volr, bur becanee tie
iDclILaGiOn Gip # tie mans fading fToa4 iht
re err'lr IS MOI great enough 70 Qtre h cnter SGt
cant speed ana hence ike hlgevr hyIIants IUuae
nor nupp,y Of water. In proof OF tlIs, It
houghta larger supply of mains from the
v II would remedy the eva comp aimed Of; accord
lngly, larger MAN was laid doWO, and yet tie
same C0nipG ut exists, thus ing that The
ter oIu lE he or 10 goOG, but II WAS the
want II greater reocty or higher rcSeTr07. which
would give ms greater sDet q.
ii tbe be 60. Ihen all that is wanting is 10 rails.
the bBnk, Of the Ieaervvig ten fifteen iee either
D. earth or hydraulic brlck wall which Will i'll
crease TIE head, give increased velocity Gown thu
maIns, supply the drsUght down The lower part Ct
he CT. = aHd sustain the mead Oh this hills So that
all hy dTants will respono with water.
IT L am right, en1 / invite investigation then
why mol simply raise thee banks OF the reservoir
and postpone all other exp ndituIes tor Yeas to
come. NC have ust expeudt a large sum upCn d
calvert under Tie canal, through which our pipes
cJEyeyihg the water from the river the Teser-
votr ars inid aid reIA left Tor any required nun
Der audtio al IS The city lntre ases III number OF
Inhabitants III he question OF supply ing oor city
with water was new one there can be 40 dOub; IA
Inherent plan would lie adopted, but let coDten
ourselves with such slight alterations will meet
al cur wants for at least ten ta,s to come. d.