The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-22

people had to suffer. The water from the tanks
was conducted into oast-iron distributing chest,
from which two wooden logs, of six inch bore
ran down Market street to Front, one Of A.
inch down Arch to Front, and one ~ inch
down Chestnut to Front, with side connections 4
These works commenced supplying the city
January %, 1901, and the subscribers to the
water loan received water without charge for
three years. In 1903 public hydrant-pumps
and iron fre-pugs were first introduced, and
the fret iron pipes were laid as an experiment
in Water street The cost of the works to this
date was S295, 4S2 In 1871 there were $50
hydront-pumps and 1855 flre-plugs in the city.
The expenditures then amounted to S50S, ,5ll.
The FaIrmOunt Works.
The Centre Square Works soon proving def
cient, in 1911 Councils again turned their atten-
ton to the Delaware and Schuylkill Canal, but
abandoned the project on realizing that its level
was only six inches above the highest point in
the city. Frederick Graft and John Davis, by
appointment, then made surveys of Wissahickon
and Spring Mill creeks and the east side of the
Schuylkil from Upper Ferry Bridge to the
Falls. December IS they reported in favor of
steam works at Fairmount, and the report was
adopted.
The first purchase at Fairmount was made
June ~ 1872 for $16,6G6'67 and the steam
works were commenced in August
Reservoir No. was completed and the steam
works first started September T. 1916, when
Centre Square Works we're abandoned. In 1917
were first laid iron pipes similar to those now
used, and they proved so satisfactory that no
wooden pipes were laid the next year. The
boiler of the engine furnished by Oliver Evans
burst June 20, 1918.
To raise 2,300000 gallons daily at this time
cost $3.50 As the supply furnished was again
found to be too scanty and too expensive, Coun-
ellis resolved, April 8, 1919 to erect water-power
works at FairmOunt AT this time, the Schuyl-
kill Navigation Company had built their canal
from Pottsyille to the Falls of Schuylkill, where
want Of funds had compelled them to stop the
work. The committee saw that by the erection
of dam at Farmount both the company and
the water works would he benefited; agree
ments were therefore entered into, prior to
April for the purchase of the water-pOwer at
the Falls of Schuyllill destroyed by backing the
water by the new dam, and also with The Schuyl-
kill Navigation Company for the use of the
water granted to them by their charter.
The building of the dam was commenced
April 19, 1919; the first iron main, twenty-five
and twenty inch diameter was laid June 25,
1920; the last crib was sunk July %, 1921, while
the first water flowed over the dam January
preceding. The cornerstone of the mill build
ings was laid July |. Monday, October25, 1922,
the first water wheel started to work to supply
the city; the use of the steam works was dis
continued January ID, 1928. aud in the follow
ing year extra water-pOwer was purchased from
the Navigation Company for $4,000. In 1926
the city contracted to supply the districts of
Spring Garden, Northern Liberties and South
owl. in tn ,ly ncin in
to supply Kcnsngton. December 81, 1874, the
supply of water was discontinued to Spring
Garden, Northern Liberties, and Kensington;
January /, 1915, new contract was made to
supply Moyamensin. and Southwark for ten
years from date
Wheel No. A was started and reservoir No. 3
finished, November 10, 1927; the second main
from Fairmount was laid in 1929; Centre Square
engine building was taken down in 1929, and on
February Is of that year the Legislature passed
the bill to prevent the passage of streets through
Fairmount. Wheel No ) was started April 5,
1882 wheel No. 6, November s. 1884; wheels
Nos. |. 9. g. which had been rebuilt with their
pumps July IA, 1916. A bill for the protection
of the purity of Schuylkill water was passed
by the Legislature December 90 1884. The
pavilion at the end of the dam was built in 1885,
and the old engine building altered to a public
saloon; in 1887 the retaining wall on Farmount
street was built. May 2, 1S42, the rebuilding oil
the dam from low-tide up was commcnced and
the work was completed December I, 1Sl3, at .
| cost of $56,2l6. Reservoir No was completed
in 1886, and water was admitted into No.
| December 90, 1852. The three-inch pipe OF
Water street was taken up in 1916, and relaid
! with siX-inch in accordance with Stephei
| Girards will; Biddle street was vacated by act
! March 9, 1S47: and the same year the garden
! was enlarged and enclosed with an iron railing
! The "Jonval Turbine" water-wheel went int
! operation December 16, 1851.
Construction of the Dam.
The dam at Fairmount was construct ed b.
Mr. Ariel Cooley; the first crib was sunk on tn
10Th OF April 1919 and water flowed over tn
dam January -, 1921. Mr.. Cooley died II shor
time prior to its completion, from the effects O
exposure while buildings IL. The over-fall of tn
dam is 1904 feet long; the mound dam, 270 feet
and the head arches 104 feet, making its Who'll
length, including the western pier, 1000 feet. |
backs the water up the river for six miles
is constructed as follows:-27O teet is stone
/ quarry spawl and earth, raised fifteen feet abov
the level of the water in the dam. Thi
mound is terminated by strong pier Q
timber, filled with stone. The mud an
water where this part of the dam is bull
extends, in depth about thirty feet below lo'
tide. Nextto this, 450 feet of the oyer-fall is i
water from II to 10 feet deep at low tide; in th
space cribs are sunk and flied with stone, up {
low water; these are all secured together an
backed with earth and stone. Upon this foundl
tion the dam is built: of timber filled with ston,
For the remaining distance beyond the dee