The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-01-19
ik~ REPORT OF. CHARLES EL-
- -. LET, JR-. CIVIL ENGINEER. MADE
10 THK WATEsING COMM FTEE ON TfiE isTH

will then be very prompt. and involve but little ex
pense.
This suggestion having been nrst disposed Of. 4
the committee desire il, will proceed to prepare
plans for Increasing the efficiency of the pumps fol
storing aud purifying the wstef Tor Offering and
Tor systemat3zng the future of the mains
and pipes 30 that the gradual increase of the supply
sns the maintenance of the head may be secured ir
the order which 1t seems to me would be prescribed
Dy good economy, upon plan matnred in advance
But oil further suggestions which may wish to
oer must depend the adoption OF rejection OF the
recommendation now made; and therefore submit
that essential proposition first Of ALL tor the consid
If tho plan now proposed is adopted. estimate
that the immediate resutts will be very nesriy OF
qei,e. te.aatble the supply Of mater furnished to al
parts Of The CITY, aud TO tacredse the eepafon at tolich
IL may be drawa the highest potns of Sloctoe Hi
rery nearly or quite Is feet.
Ihs cost ot oetsinisg these results, think, will
which have cost the City abeuf hslf million. 10 N
' gentlemen very JHsESss Hs.Rto syiLLsT LLSaTs' jn
Civil Engineer.
PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF rHs
RICHMOND WATER WORKS.
Ipropose to divide the distribution of the wa
ter into an upper and lower service aLd to suppl ,
these two divisions separately, to reduce the
head on the pipes Of the lower division. WHERE in
cons Quence Of the great pressure, there must be
much was e, and increase II in those Of the upper
Is great deficiency.
2 70 obtain the water for the lower part of the
city directly the James River canal west Of the
basin. where the supply will not only De pure "a
any wafer which James river furnishes, but con-
stazt, and most abundant.
to come, by means Of the present pumps. and from
the presekt reservoir bus TO arrang the general
plan for the ensrgeme mt of the works, which will
be required by the increasing dema 40 Of the city
as to reduce the future labor Of the pumps
The division of the pipos of distritu son into en-
upper ald lower service, in the mo 9 proposed will
ADCuGaQt " n
parts vf tbs city and cause il to be delivered to the
consumers on the higher portions of Shockoa Hiil,
where there great want, at materially Increased
elevation.
the cost of at1o-ding this immediate relief will
not exceed sl6.too; and ii this plan is adopted,
sslae moderate sdditiona outlay for small com peL
sation reservoirs will enable me to add few feet
more to the haight at which the water from the
present reservoir can be delivered through the pres
ent mains.
This preliminary part of my plans only Will be
discussed In the present report The proper treat
mens OF the several questions appertaning to the
future distribution, TO the enlarRing of tue rsser-
voir capacity and purifying the water necessarily
d. pend on the disposition which may ba made Of
this, the first and preliminary suggestion.
Oftle Arrangement Of the Present Wgrks
To enable the committee to judge fairly of the
merits and defects OF the plan which am abe ut to
At which + is delivered viii briefly refer to s'tH the
mode in which the water Il served to tue public by
The pump-house ia situated on James river about
a mile above the central portions Of the city, where
from time to time since 1882 six double acting force
pumps have been established The elevation of
these pumps is IS feet above mesn tide. The water
which drives the pumps, and that which s lifted by
them, is supplisd by means Of wing dam. directly
From the fsrebay formed by this dam, the water
is forced by the pumps into the reservoir, distant
feet above naesn tide. From this reservoir the Wa.
ter is conveyed through mains and pipes Of distri
button 20 almost all parts ofthe city
| ask attention here TO several facts which sre
worthy of serious consideration in Gevising plan
fer the impr vement of these works
James Iive9, at and Immediately above the pump
house, is high enough to command q very conside-
rs BILE portion OF the city Of Richmond; ind the wa
ter might consequently be supplisd - those lower
PORTIONS by snia main Leading drectly from the
There is expended, think, not less than one
fourth OF all the power now in use Ia lifting water
iuto reservoir. which is l63 feet higher than the
pumps, TO be returned through pipes by very cir
cuitous reute, to hydrauts, which are full 20 feet be
lew the level of the pumps.
| do not II commend any such arrangement, but
alitids to the fact merely as one which ought l
think 20 indicate clearly the proprety and expedi
epcy Of havrg at least tlcO receiri0 reserpoirs-ot
whlsh one should DO only high enough iairly to
command the lower portions; and the other like
your present reservoir. high enough to serve the
upper parts Of the city. This arrangement would
Immediately relieve the pumps of very large part
Of their present labor and render the power alrsa
dy supplied, abundanty sufficient for the work
which would then be required.
Now, about 40 feet above the pumps is the James
river canal which s. 10 fact itself deep. wide and
we ouid wish 10 form II il were not ther6-rsc.iv-
its wa sr directly from the river, and extending
into the heart of the city OF Richmond. and term-
mating at An elevation of "a feet above tide, cou-
manding about One-third part of the CITY, and ap-
rroaching very near to .Vhe centre OF its popula-
ton.
| shall probably bs abba to satisfy the committee
that about oHe-haif of all the water which is now
consumed Il used at points far enough below the
level of this cana, to be drawn directly from aud
allowed to Il Nv through mains to the consumers
without being lifted at all My ,propost on is-in-
steai of pumping this half of the water which is
used, is now done. from point nearly ~ feet be-
ow this aimirable reservoir into another reservoir
I24 feet above it, aud then drawing 1t down again,
;k-ough pipes which traverse the whole city, to
points which it can reach by its own gravity-to
lead it directly through mans to those points with
out The Intervention OF the pumps By this arrange
ment.I hope 10 relieve the pumpe, which are indis-
psnsabe for the supplying OF the upper parts of the
city. OF one halt their present labor.
this connection. as one which will be iouuS wsrtb1
Of consideration whenever The ultimate and COM
plstelpan OF the WORKS is prepared; II is tais:
low the canal, had been placed on the canal SO az
TO derive all their power and the water which they
supply to the present reservoir from the canal-or
from aconyenieat settipg reservoir alongside OF it
"a very material portion of the TeAlni1i0 halt OF
the pumping power now exersed would have bsen
ieot now, as ore observing of future reflection when
planning for the prosp. Give Increase of the popu
lation OF the upper part OF the city.
II is thus that the pos er which has been provided
at very considerable expense is exhausted in lift
ing water which, in my opinion ought not to tie lift
ed, but should be permitted to flow by It's own gra
vIty to the consume; and in lining other water
sluch his her than wonid be necessary, If the pump
house. instead OF being placed 40 feet below this
me water required by the lower portions o. the
city, think one-baif the present power is vast. d
and by lfting that which Is required by the upper
portions 40 feet higher than Is necessary, the re
ainisV half is increased about 33 per cent. ond
what should be actually expended.
IL is per to say here, that these remarks are
ipta md haf ptarrr taN tr
fleet. on the original Plan Of the works 1t is only
since ,he enlargement of the James River canal, il
ro , Si se and 81 tine 9oua
were established about is32--six years before the
economical arrangement which is now recommend
ed could have been proposed.
Of the Quantity and Character Of the Water afford
ed by the Cdndt
Proposing to supply about one-half OF ell the wa
ter which u now consumed IN me city directly from
and quality OF the water may be derived from thai
source.
like rtifctdt rtrer than An ordinary canal. II
receives it's supply Of water directly from the river
~ pSlps from eh nso Nv
canal at its head-gates. that same drop flows out
again through wastes. or over the wheels of mills
nal water. It is Deep pure brisk flowing. aud CON
utantly changing river water. IL Is, rs have sta
ling I'M % sVery two hours PORTION % Of T The ~ vster
which enters the canal from the river At the head
of theleve passes through its channel to the basn
while considerable quantities are discharged
through wastes above tine pump-house, and enter
ing the forsbay OF the water works. are pumped up
into the reservoir for she supply Of the city. In
times of drought. the city is now supplied with wa.
ter from the canal. About as much water now flows
through the upper par: Of this canal. when the
mills all at work. as is furnished by the 4chuyl
kill river, in dry season, and more than half as
much ~ is supplied by the Thames Immediately
above London.
II the canal were now cleaned ont thoroughly %
as to restore its original dimensions, there would
be No 'ficulty whatever in passing nearly twice
as much water as now flows through IL, without of
fering any material impediment 70 the aayigation
or expoaing its banks TO injurious abrasion. In
other wp-ds, not much. II any more than half tht
power Of this great canal has yet been applied te
manufacturing purposes.
will add word in regard to the purity Of the
water Of this canal. compared with that which ID
used By, and is the boast Of ether favored cities.
There are few improvements in London more wer
thy OF observation than its vast water works. which
Lift nearly forty millions of tons Of water annually
from the Thame. above the city. where tts supply
ID still considered 70 be pure. and distribute that
inauAnsa volume to almost family ION nd In 4