The Portland daily press., 1867-10-15

tu6 NOISY ftNOllIUulStS congress VIII
shrink up and collapse, like perforated wind
bags. President johnson has but to take his
stand by the Constitution, eUen at this late hour,
to recsi0e the support of the ootes and nuskets
OF eUery true democrat and patriot in the land.
Wafer supply.
ESTIMATES OF NJ SWIFT, c. E., AND OF HON.
,..us daf II. o. j. SMITH.
A comparison of the estimates of Mr. Swift,
published in Saturdays Press with the entirely
Independent estimate in Mr.. Smiths letter to
the Committee of the City Government, exhib-
its precisely that general agreement and vari-
alton in details which affords the strongest
proof of the substantial accuracy of both author
ties. Thus Mr.. Smith estimates the cost of
Is miles of a inch cement and sheet-iron pipe,
at 81 80 a foot maxim $427 $50. MIR. Swift's
estimate is Tor a brick conduit of 1000 feet and
16 miles and 20 feet of 2O-nch main, with the
necessary excavations and foundations, a re-
ceiving well, bulk head and gate house. all in
order ior the delivery of water in the city, at
$472,000. As MIR. Smiths estimate is simply
for the cost of the pipe, these sums agree as
well as could be expected. Mr. Smith gives
for the daily delivery of his 24-inch main five
million gallons. Mr.. Swift sets the daily de-
livery of the 20-inch pipe at 355O,OOO gallons
This would be more than twice the present de-
mand, and iftwenty years hence another maln
of the same capacity should be needed, it
could be laid by the population which will re-
quire it much better than by the Portland of
to-day We say by the population which will
require it--for whoever builds these works, we
have no doubt that they will eventually be
owned by the city
For reservoirs, Mr. Smith proposes to build
two, one on Bramhall's hill, to hold million
gallons, and q larger one, capacity not given,
at the base OF the hill. His estimate for both
these works is $125,0OO. Probably this branch
of the subject has received least of Mr. Smiths
attention. Mr. Swift recommends the con-
struction of two reservoirs one on Bramhall's
hill, to contain Sc million gallons and cost $685.
900, and the other on Munjoy hill, to contain
feet high on Bramhall's hill would cost per
haps $4,000 more. This makes for both works
$780, 900, exceeding Mr.. Smiths estimate by
1857 900. The difference in capacity between
either of these reservoirs and that proposed by
Mr.. Smith for Bramhall's hill is very great
AS he gives no dimensions for his lower reser-
voir, 40 satisfactory comparison of the esti-
mates can be made. The cost of the sites is
not considered by Mr.. Smith but is set by Mr.
Swift at 1916 600. ,.a...
We subjoin in Mr.. Smiths own language the
details of plan by which he proposes to bring
water from the Lake at still more economical
rate, reducing the whole cost, exclusive of dis
tribution in the city but including the two res
ervoirs at 1925 900, to 775,0OO:
BY the Cumberland and Oxford Canal which
is taken for illustration, the Lake elevation of
$50 feet above mean tice is overcome by de-
cending % consecutive levels-droppine the
water from one to another through 20 locks
These levels being limited to four feet depth of
water, the pressure upon either never exceeds
four feet fall and the three or four inches
per mile of descent, when the gate lock is
closed. When the gate lock is opened, the
pressure is reduced. BY adopting similar lev
els, and as much fewer in number as shall be
found practicable with economy, for a 30 inch
conduit, or pipe of any kind, until a descent of
30 feet from the Lake shall have been gained,
only 20 feet more fall will remain to reach the
level of mean tide. This point on the route
will correspond with the "level of the seven
locks as it is known on the canal-a point
about three miles distant from BramhalPs HILL
in the city.
With a pipe, or conduit thus arranged on
levels, each falling through an open well to the
next level below, no other principle of pres
sure upon the pipe will be encountered than
that of the open canal. Consequently, not
strength, hut durability would be the chief
characteristic ut cessarily sought in the struc-
ture OF the pipe, or conduit. The pressure of
neither level would exceed few feet, say fifteen
at most, Of head, with the gate, or stop cocks
closed. With the latter open, as would ordin-
ariiy be the case, and the water free to dis
charge itself along these levels, the pressure
would be merely nominal, as in an open canal.
From this it is apparent that if Jersey City
pipe We're used, f0r fifteen of the eighteen
miles or to within three miles of the city from
the Lake, quality not costing more than
three-1ifths of that for go feet head, could be
employed. That sum, for fifteen miles, OF to
within three miles of the city, would amount
To 500, $3.50. Add $l25000 for two reservoirs,
making an aggregate OF $433, $50 and you have
$341 ,l20 left for completing the three miles in
to tho city, rs will be suggested directly and
for trenching and back-filing of the fifteen
miles ana Other purposes to be also named di-
rectiy-a sum entirely ample to accomplish
the purpose. '''''t
Dispensing with the jersey City pine for
these fifteen miles, and flume of wood, or bar
rel pipe, of forty inches diameter, may be sub
stituted at 100000 less than the former. This
pipe manufactured OF two inch pine plank
sufficently hooped to retain its form until i'm
bedded in solid earth below the frost, in
lengths of eighteen feet, and interlocked Joints,
would be equal upon the levels named for SER
vice or duration, to iron pipe of the thickness
to answer the purpose. Being under ground
and perpetualy filled with water its decay
would be as slow as iron itself. The under
ground fiumes to mills that may be found in
the country, will attest this important fact,
however incredulous the mind, without refec
ton or experience on the subject, may be-
Timber, it is well known, ii never dry or ex-
posed tosatmospheric changes, lasts for ages.
Beneath the city of Portland are aqueduct logs
from the old springs that will be found as sound
as when laid, though undisturbed for more
than three quarters OF a century. Iron will
oxidise as sooD, although if wood and iron be |
exposed alike to atmospheric changes the lat |
ter will have an advantage in duration.
With the water conducted in either of these |
modes upon the levels described to within |
three miles of the city, and there having an ell
ovation of seventy feet, being emptied into an |
inverted syphon iron pipe of 80 inches diameter, |
it would find its delivery at point on Bram- |
halls hill approximating seventy feet above |
mean tide water. Falling at that point upon |
a waterwheel of comparatively small cost, |
geared to a lifting pump, one fifth of the |
amount Of the water could thus be forced by it |
into the upper reservoir on the hill, while the |
having spent its power upon the |
wheel, wonld fall into the reservoir below-and |
not gill cup wasted during the operation.
If, perchanee, the lifting power of water up
on the wheel would not equal my estimate, or
should prove insufficient to supply the reser- |
vor as might be desired, a steam pump of less
tilan one NTH OF the cost, 10 eltner construct
or support, than the usual Cornish pump EN-
ployed in the water works of other cities,
would abundaDtly supply the deficiency.
Ihus the three miles of iron syphOn pipe,
o' strength to bear 100 instead of 20 feet fall,
thay oe estimated at S150O00 laid. Add this to
an before named sum of $433 $50, and we have
AZ. an agregate OF S5838SO, and $l91 100 left of
.ne of's,nai sI75,oO0 estimated for the whole
' WoIhs, ms residuum will be ample where
wiz, . W In'lehch tue fifteen miles, supply the
waier-wheei, pumping engine and inesedful
If the wooden aqueduct be used, as Mr.
Smith suggests, these figures would be redue-
ID to $550OOO for bringing the water from the
AXE to the city, making with $125OOO for the
$675,OOO. Mr.. Switt's estimates for
hese items are $472 900 for delivering water in
he city, and $4,000 for reservoirs all, 1904,
400.