Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-08-15
TMpoRTANr QUESTIONS.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
Now that our citizens have, considering
the recent action of the City Council, deter
mined upon introducing the holly System
of water supply, the following questions and
answers, showing the results demonstrated
by the Binghampton IN Y water works,
will be found interesting to citizens as we'll
as OF use to members of the committee sp-
pointed to procure plans and estimates
BXGHANToS, N. Y. Feb. 8, 1870
Hon. o. a. White, Mayor Of Norwalk,
Ohio:
Your favor of the 31st nit. has been re-
ceivsd, propounding inquiries respecting |
our water works on the Holly plan, which |
copy and reply to in their order.
/. What is the entire cost Of the works up
to date?
The entire cost OF our water works is |
SIPS, 900. This amount includes IA miles
OF main pipe, running from to IL inch |
diameter, and averaging about inch d.
ameter.
2. What is the cost per day or year of
running the works?
We are using {, 900 pounds Of anthrA-
cite coal each "a hours, which costs
$475 delivered. For ATTENDANCE we
pay two engineers 500 per month,
each being on duty l hours fthe "a.
We have one hremso pay ing him 500
per month who is on duty II hou of
| the "a, dividing his time equally with
the engineers, making labor at the
works per Apnum ..... 100 90
| For Superintendent and Clerk, the lat
ter aotins as assistant, per annum.. 1850 90
| Coal is delivered TO the works TO day
for 81 rs per 1000 pounds, making
the cost. at this rate, per ALnum..... 1888 rs
Add costa Of oil,wasts and packing per
an I'm lao 70
Making total cost of running the works
per ennHm '...-'...' o,oVO w
3. At what distance from, and elevation
above the Pumps, have you Water Takers,
and are they reliably supplied?
The distance ia nearly two miles, and the
elevation about 70 feet, and at this height
they are far more reliably supplied than
they could be by the Reservoir svssem,since
BY this method pressure is fixed and main
tHined, With reference to supply at extreme
height and distance.
4. What is coat per year for repairs
The works have been in constant oper-
stiou since December 1868, Without one dol
lar OF repairs on any part of the machinery
aud they are working to-day with the SAINT
perfection as they did when FIRST started
with improved smoothness in performance.
5. W hat depth did your citizens have to
dig TO procure water from wells for domest-
, tic purposes, throughout the city, previous
to construction of the Works, and what Was
the quality of the water ?
We never failed to reach abundance OF
3 water, pure ard good, in formation of grav-
ell, and at depths varying from 10 TO 40 feet
3. How many water takers have you, and
does the number en- brace any considerable
portion OF those having good wells
We have over eight hundred water Ia
kers" This embraces many stores, shops
e business houses aud msu utRctures. A large
T. portion of Wster Takers at residences have
good wells OF pure and wholesome water
conveniently located, but are new used IL
- many cases for cess pools. think If any
6 one, two years ago, had predicted such a Tt
suit, bis o = MON would have been put ct !
heavy d s,ount.
T. WnAG is the yearly income from wateI
rents?
The Commissioners have not yet compile
= ted their annual report, but belIeye it Wi
o amount nearly 10 81 $50. This amour
. en- braces some rents received for building
purposes. 1t Is p oper to state, in this cor
! hecton, that our builders find that he read
t access 10 water from the main wafer pipe
s.; facilitates their work, and considers bic rev
:. eDue is received from this source.
5. How many Railroads are supplied, snC
what is the income from that source
Two Railroad stations, at present, art
= supplied with water from our Works Tn,
b revenue from this source to date is $3.50
The New Y ork i Erie Railroad Co. have
agreed with the Commissioners, and vii
I supply their Station with water from the
: maine, at $1,000 per Annuu, as soon a.
their Depot buildings are in suitable condr
ton for the service pipe. The alley Road
will soon become Wster Takers from the
main, and will pay rent in proportion.
: 9. How many hydrAuts are set aud il
D use, and what is the value 10 the city, a
I prices charged, or Usually paid for such ser
vice?
We have 50 Fire Hydrants properly loca
+ ted for Fire Protection, aud we charge iht
city fifty dollars year each, making s.. l0(
n per snnum from that source. The Water
Com Dissioners give the use of water fol
some charitable purposes The Valley
e Home" an institution for poor and orphan
{ children, being one from which no revenue
is received. We would recommend double
instead of single nozzle HydrAnts.
10. Is fnrtbe- pipe extension eontemplat
ed, Ana II 80, how generally will the city be
then plPed
The Water Commissioners expect 10 ap-
r proprIste $50, 600 this summer i'll the eXteu.
Zion OF The Main Water PIpes-the necess-
AIRY HydrSuts aud Water Gates will be IL.
> cluded III this expenditure. The extension
r Wi. be mostly OF 4 inch pipe, aud vail prob
! ably pipe az aud hall mIes-Hdded Il
What we now have, will make over 20 mile.
OF Nam Pipe. This will reach q large por-
ton OF the cIty-At least two miles differ
eut ways from the Works, and at points and
e distances beyond the reach or power of al,
/ Steam or Hand Engine, TO accom- lish any
good.
Ii. Do the Hydrants take the place of tit
I Steam and Hand Engines AS far as pipe,
2 are LAID, and will there be any need OF En-
D RInes when the system Of piping is con
pieted
We have had some TRES in the heart O
cIty-noI nifty roos from the building where
2 nearly all OF the IRE apparatus Is Kept, and
IN most OF these cases the FIRE bias been en-
tireiy put out before Steam or Hand Engine,
could reach The ground aud we are quite
sure that We have the most efficient Fire
Department IN the State. 10 some cases,
small hose has been connected TO the street
spriDklers and fires put OUT before even the
hose could be connected with the Fire Hy
draDt. THIS, In practice, has become OF
such utility, that large portion of our citi-
zens would be in favor OF selling Ill of the
Sand Engines, and would probably SO dis
pose OF the Steamer, if the city owned it.
IL. v hat Is the distinctive difference and
advantages, it any, of this system Of FIRE
Protection over the old plan of Fire En-
gines
One distiu ctiye featnre Is that the water