Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-12-03
supply of water.

supply Of water.
No one who has informed himself on the
subject, can doubt that the first and most
pressing duty that rests on our city govern
ment is to provide for an abundant supply of
good, pure water. Our future prosperity and
progress is more closely identified with and
dependant upon the success of this project.
than most people may imagine. We have
now come to point beyond which we cannot
advance, except under great disadvantages, IN
relation to all manufacturing processes winch
require steam as motive power, or which are
in any other way dependant on the Tree use OF
water. The supply is inadequate to our pres
ent wants, even in the most favorable seasons.
Of course, il the supply is not increased, no
extension is feasible, for all those various
branches of mechanical and manufacturing
industry in which its agency is required.
The attention of our property holders, the
owners of real estate, should be directed to
this point If the facilities TOR the kinds of
business, which have given our city its rapid
and substantial growth, are 10 be restricted, Its
all property located lfere, and particularly OF
real estate. There can be no doubt, that, if
the desired object could not otherwise be ac-
compshed, it would be money probably in
vested, if the real estate owners should them
selves take the matter in hand, and furnish an
adequate supply of water, even though they
should never receive one dollar of direct in
come from it.
But, when, beyond all this, we consider the
need OF an abundant supply of water for SAM.
tary purposes, and, as safeguard against the
ravages Of fire, its importance is vastly enhanc
ed, and its necessity greatly magnfied
Where, then, shall we look for the needful
supply Long Pond has been talked of, and
perhaps light be resorted to, if there was no
project more feasible. But the vast expense
attending the pumping of the water from that
source to Il sufficient height, places it, in our
opinion, entirely out of the question. pump
ing must be rcsorted to, either the North Pond
or Halfway (Tamuck) river would furnish the
requisite supply at less than moiety of the
expense which would be required to raise it
from Long Pond. From North Pond it would
need to be pumped not more than one third
the height that would be required at Long Pond.
But we do not believe that pumping is nee.
essary. An abundant supply may be obtained
from the elevated region west of us, at an al
titude sufficient to distribute it over the most
elevated portions of the city. And of the vari-
GUS sources of supply which have been spoken
OF, in that region, none other has impressed
US so tayorably as that of the East Br ok,
sometimes, OF late, enormously designs ed
as "Lynde Brook" and "Old Maids Brook, y
in Leicester. This stream is at an elevation
sufficient for the purpose; its water shed is
sufficiently large, it would seem to furnish an
abundant supply; it drains a region remarka.
bic for its freedom from anything which would
render the water impure; there are no manu-
featuring establishments on it, to corrupt the
water or to tie injured or destroyed by its d.
version; and the facilities for forming ample
reservoirs can hardly be excelled A large
distributing basin can be constructc ON the
same level with Bell Pond so the
pipes from it are connected with the present
pipes, the latter may also be kept full from the
same source, and that too may be used as
h;-A-;t~-.. - I.; e.,.l III. 1,pasan+
one be dispensed with.
There would be most manifest advantages
in this arrangement. 1t would give greater
altitude to the immediate supply and thus
more certainly insure its prompt distribution
in the elevated sections of the city 1t would
by the greater elevation aud by furnishing
supply at almost every point, in two direc
tons, give Il more free and copious discharge
in case of any emergency, and would so largely
| increase the force with which the water would
be discharged from hose attached to the n.y.
drants, as probably, in a very considerable
| portion of fires, nearly or quite TO supersede
the necessity Of using the engines. BY having
basin on either side, the danger of being
cut off from supply in case Of any accident
would be almost entirely avoided because,
| if pipe should fail on either side the water
could be shut off upon that side and the
necessary draft be made from the other side,
| till the accident should be repaired
We shall resume this subject in another
article.
IL.