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

the race, which is supported on the other side
by the rock rising eighty feet perpendicularly.
The south end of the wall of the race Is also
solid rock, and the mill houses are founded on
rock.
The race was constructed about ninety feet in
width, and the head arches supply it With
passage of water siXty-eight feet in depth. The
mill buildings were built of stone, and were 23S
feet long by 6fty-six feet wide. The details OF
their appearance arc oil course familiar to all
our readers
These contained, In 1860 eight wooden breast
wheels and one turbine; the former pumped
G33, 81 gallons per hour, and the latter S',4OS,
making total capacity Of 72i ,2l0 gallons, and
the average of each pump so 1876 gallons.
In 1861 9 the New Mill House was constructed
at Fairmount TO secure additional supplies from
the large amount OF surplus water that passed
over the dam ten months in the year. Golfer
dam was carefully constructed, and $50 piles
were driven into mud and gravel from sixteen
to twenty-three feet.
The interstces were filed in with broken
stone into which grout was rum and upon plat
form of stout planllina, 1l3 feet by % feet, the
masonry for the foundations was laid The
Turbine wheels are placed near the south front
of the wheel-house, and two pumps arc wosllod
by each wheel, making six in all. They are
They are eighteen inches in diameter, with six
feet stroke of piston. The mean capacity of all
six pumps is estimated to be from sixteen to
eighteen million gallons per day.
In 1859 the important work was undertaken
of substituting a turbine wheel and new pumps
for the old breast wheels Nos. 9 and 3, with the
rebuilding and charging of the old mill-house.
The new wheel Is the largest of the kind in the
country being ten feet three inches in diameter,
and seventeen inches deep in the bucket; it will
drive two double-actng force-pumps, twenty
two inches diameter and six feet stroke: these
will deliver their water into the reservoir,
through main thirtyslX inches diameter and
about two hundred and forty feet long The
forebay not being of sufficient depth to
admit of a main of such large size being
put upon the bottom, it is suspended across
the forebay nine feet above the Ordrary level
of the water on the dam, by means of wrought
iron suspension links. In remodeing the
works, it has not been thought expedient to
alter the style OF architecture or materially
change its general external appearance. The
whole work of enlargement has been done in the
most substantial manner, with cut stone walls
and roof of wrought-irOn girders, with interme-
diate brick arches, supported upon wrought
iron columns. The whole, when completed,
will be fire-proof, enduring, and suitable for a
work of the importance and magnitude required
for the supply of water to a large city.
ScIaGyiisiu Works.
The districts lying north of Vine street, viz,
Northern Liberties, Spring Garden, and Ken
sington, all formerly known as Northern Lber-
| ties, were without Il supply of water, except
from wells pumps, and natural sources, until
! 1926, when Il contract was entered into with the
old city authorities for a supply from Fairmount
works. AS buildings rapidly increased upon the
higher ground north Of the city, it became
! fully apparent that supply would have to be
procured with superior head to Fairmount.
| These districts were empowered to construct
special water works. by the act of April1S, 1913;
but the Commissioners of Kensngton refused to
unite with the other districts.
| The corncr-stone of the engiue-house was laid
| July l. 1S44 the works were finished and started
| December 81 and delivered to the joint Water
ing Committee by the Commissioners, July Is,
1S45 The whole cost was $231, III, and the
works paid profit of $40, 700 the first year they
were in operation In 1854, this, with all the
other outlying water works. in accordance with
the act of Consolidation, passed into tue posses
sion of the Water Department.
These works are situated on the Schuylkill,
at the foot Of Thompson street. The water
passes first through a sluice-way into the fore
bay, and is taken from thence by the pumps
The engine and boiler houses are collection OF
substantial stone buildings. There are four en-
gines and ten boilers, besides new and power
full Cornish engine, 72-inch diameter of cylin-
der, and ten feet of stroke; this Is capable Of
raising 100000 gallons OF water in twenty-foui
hours. ..-..r ..
Delaware Works.
The district of KensiDgton, after the with
drawal of its Commissioners entered into
contract for supply of water from the Schuyl
kill works. The rapid increase of the distric
in population and manufactures induced tn,
Commissioners, Dec. 20, 1S47, to resolve to cree
independent works. In 1851 the works wer,
finally started, aud the reservoir finished in 1852
at an expenditure of about 500, 900 r.r ....
The works are situated on the Delaware rive
}, at the foot of Wood street. in the Eighteenth
ward. The water is taken from the end of tn
wharf which projects some distance into tn
river, passes through sluice-way to the frOn
of the boiler house, from thence by separate
pipes ITO the pumps. The engine and bolle
house is a substantial brick building; it contains
two engines and two boilers
Twenty-fourth Ward Works.
In the fall of 1851, the District Commissioner
OF West Philadelphia resolved 10 erect waite
: works to supply their needs but in carrying
l their project into execution they chose pla
) of comparatively small cost. Operations wer
} commenced January -, 1868, short distane
l above Fairmount dam, on the west side of tn
Scbuylkil. The water from the river first passe
through tunnel to chamber in which ar
} placed three straiuers: after the removal of tn