New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-05-03
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE

e 3 s ~ IOCAL INTELLIGENCE. I
MoSp Ia WATER SUPpLY Mr.. John Lockwood |
flowing addressed communication to Mayor |
tomhoas Ah giving his ideas as to the best method
sufsi Z applying the city of New Orleans with |
abundance OF good pure water:
" Al 4 Heath, Mayor Of the City of New Orleans;
arisn d sR-As the subject OF purchasing the |
,erworks is now being agitated by the |
nsoiia TCouncn, and having given the matter |
lislalA IMPLYING the city of New Orleans with |
= " " guidance of good, pure water consid- |
y al E nAls thought, / therefore beg leave to
he sals slis few suggestions on the subject.
F,s SSs abundant supply of good, pure water
1ho5ss shlrted through the pipes at an eleva-
M0NDl ioH efficient for the eXtinguishment Of
g deser EfAas we'll as for all domestic purposes,
! No mailing the consumer to carry the water
ydras bio any part Of his house is very desir.
smeut bs and in fact necessary for the health of
l' Wv Id city as well as for the final success and
rODerity of the enterprise.
y, Az swell known by every citizen OF New
'@u Eleans that the present waterworks are en-
lely deficient in eyey respect that would
lal Ca rhie it to rank asa irstclass waterworks.
~ frstclass waterworks lin the first place,
Of h0nld be able at all times to furnish an
,rabe bBndsnt supply Of pure, wholesome water;
the avg the next place, it should be distributed
~ 5 through the pipes at an elevation sufficient
hous b carry the water into any part of the
MuNl highest building in the city, through a sys-
iO"'t iEm Of pipes SO arranged as to give an even
u St ID ana abundant supply of water through all
Bayou parts Of the city. In these three particulars
= 7n ~ consist the elements of hrst-class water
roll 3 EofH That the present works de-
city faalt in all Of them no sane man
viii deny, and in the negotiations
Irisd psny for the purpose of purchasing the
. nme, those defects should be taken into
TidoW consideration, the whole system being too
!, mall and its present location renders Il i'm.
he arlo In Nv mot
IN. hing of a sufficient capacity to allow the
hs Sbs Rter to subside, the supply for the city par
L aus teularly during the day time has to be
;5aa pumped directly into the pipes, delivering
MOI aewater in such an impure state that it is
lg dss enElely unfit for domestic use.
ss n fm public water supply therefore the
Q hi Wss9 should be selected having the follow
Tres Ing CHARACTERISTICS in the highest degree
possible, viz: first, purity; next, soft
mas; and next, impidity; although rain
". Az wafer is used here generally for domestic
'nhs purposes, more on account of the absence
d good pure river Water-which should be
is sa FINISHED by weltregulated waterworks-
~ than from its intrinsic value, as it is very
nosu Qbjectionable in quality. The atmosphere
thGs over city is always charged with the CASE
" n, Gus products Of combustion, (more particu-
nSsss lzrly in these lower latitudes), and those
mon rising from decaying animals and vegetable
lg natter, garbage, etc. The roofs are Gov
Bss cred with these substances condensed from
$50 see gases, with soot dust, and decaying
2ahtpA III tnO bL4Gok5t anu ulGLhlllC OA1No
On metallic roofs. Rain water absorbs all OF
W ihese, and stored in close cisterns loses its
'nA lsration AND becomes iiassp!3 unless cooled
With ice, and is repugnanr to the taste.
aus That such water is very impure is evident
~ ~ By the rapid production OF animacula in it,
an which shows the presence of the food neces.
less t2ry to maintain that vast but minute
E en- quantity of animal life. 1t is supposed that
"a aleration will remove the impurities of this
th water, but those in ordinary use only
nns remove such matter as is suspended in and
Fund none of that which is chemically united
SINE aith the water.
ftni River water becomes highly charged with
air, and takes up in suspension alluyial
W. matter which, as in the case of the present
rsn works in this city, renders ii unit for do
nestle uses. When such water is discharg
eoe edinto an artificial reservoir, end allowed
NE % stand quiet, 1t precipitates all OF the
Il heavy portions of suspended matter, and
tiet becomes clear and hmpid; the lighter
( n PARTICLES OF vegetable matter are deeom-
Nv posed, and are driven off by warm atInos-
TuB phere, producing selfpurifcatiOn, which
Pre- decidedly improves the water
Now the question arises, how shall these
,us defects be remedied, / answer that the
city should purchase in the upper portion
Of Jefferson tract OF land, say Of not less
than Fifty acres, and make one grand reser
yoir or basin that will contain from 1907
100000 to 200 000 gallons Of water, di.
N Vlded into compartments, then erect an
elevated reservoirs, say eighty feet in
height as distributing reservoir, into
which the water shall be pumped alternate
OF " nom the different compartments in the
d large reservoir, as the water subsidies and
o, becomes pure, A system of such elevated
4 reservoirs might be adopted. placing one on
~ the present reservoir, anotherin the vicinity
~ Of the French market, thus producing an
WI equal pressure and supply to all parts OF the
CITY. Chicago being similarly situated as
y, New Orleans, has adopted this plan.
MI 1t may be objected by some that these
distributing reservoirs would not contain
eufhcient quantity of water to supply the
= eity's wants. In answer to these objections,
~ would state, that in many places in Eu-
\ rope, where the water is pure, no reservoirs
-, st all are used, the water being pumped d.
~ tectiy into q stand pipe Of sufficient height
III, for the elevation required, relying on the
D. pumping apparatus for the reQuisite'supply.
With the waterworks thus remodeled, it
b would reduce the expense of the ire depart
~ ment greatly, and insure the speedy extin-
~ Euishment of fires. With hose screwed on
any of the fire plugs in the city, water could
FM be thrown TO a height of sixty feet and with
: She facility Of carrying the water into the
fs upper story Of any building in the city, en-.
a1ling the parties to put out ire, or flood
building before an engine could arrive on
Az ne ground. The rates of insurance could
81 hsreduced very materially, as well as the
exnenses Of building and maintain ng
81 those large and extensive cisterns for the
Oh storage ofrain water. have thus hastily
embodied my idea on this subject without
1t going into the minor details OF plan for
g the Enlargement and perfeeting Of the pres.
Ss ent waterworks-
II PRooEHDIEes AGAINST THE BANK OF Lou
isiAnA.-Attorney General Lynch on Fri