Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1872-11-14

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THE orTY's WATER sUPPLY-IT Is IssuFFIcIEsT-
THE WATER PIPES, PLUGS, VALVES, 6o--A NE"
BASIN.
In order that accuracy should be had az well as
to present few statements and comments prob
ably interesting to many Of our readers on the
subject of wilmington Under Ground" wehAve
gone to the bottom OF the matter to ascertain
the facts in the case-to the bottom, that is below
the reach OF frost-to where our eity's supply Of
water hourly courses through the leaden pipes,
both great and small - the water with which
a. both man and beast do quench their thirst,
and OF which is made the steam that drives the
machinery OF Wilmington's vast mechsnicsl and
other industrial establishments. But to COM
mence at the beginning, We 80 back to the waters
OF the Brandywi1e, which, in years gone by, found
its way into history and since then into our res
eryoirs and water pipes.
The race on the South aide of the Brandywine
creek extending from Market street up as far /
as Rattlesnake run, and generally known as the
" city race" is only partly under the control and
management Of the city authorities, and the |
waters Of which furnish the power for driving |
| the two small pumps at the City Water Works |
on the Brandywine, the surplus water Of which |
now being retained and forced into the basins |
/ These two pumps have been in use by the de- |
partment since the early days OF that institution,
/ and yet continue to do duty, and forces many
thousand gallons Of water, daily up the hill. At
| these works, in addition to these two pumps,
steam pump, Of the worthiDgton patent, lie used.
| the capacity Of which is about 100000 gallons
per hour. This pump is used only on high tides.
/ and consequently in operation about 10 out OF
i the "a hours. When the new pump house II
| completed, now under way, it is proposed to put
| in new Worthington Pump, with capacity OF
| 5,000.0O0 gallons per "a hours.
From theee worSs the water is forced into what
is known as the Market street basins, at 10th and
| Market streets, and thence the supply for the
new basin at sth and Rodney streets. by
engine power or pump, at the rate OF 81 ,Oc0
| gallons every twenty-four hours From these
basins, the city is supplied, the water being
forced through pipes by gravity power alone,
having fall OF 100 feet from the Market street
basins to the lowest point Of supply and 100
feet from the new basin. its lowest point Of sup
ply being the Clayton House, at Fifth and Mar
ket streets.
The total amount Of water pipe now in use in
this city amounts to l5s, 400 feet, about thirty
miles. The smallest pipe now in use. as street
mains is one inch in diameter and is laid on
Jefferson street. of which there are 4TO feet The
next smallest size is inch pipe, OF which there
are 2ls feet. From this size the pipes range 8,
and inches IN diameter. with one large main
extending from the Market street basin to the
connection on jefferson street. This pipe * the
largest, and Is thirty inches in diameter, in the
clear. Under the present management of this
department, nothing smaller than four inch pipe
is used. The ire plugs have connection with
the street Mains aud are for the exclusive use
of the Fire Department. The stop-valves are
I placed. on an average, at the inieI section OF
: every street, and are used in stopping the fow
i OF water through any main or pipe that may
need renewing or repairing OF this special part
Of the arrangement, our city has long been very
deficient, many Of the valves, having been in use
9 tor many years have almost entirely rotted out
: with rust, and become completely useless. From
this cause much difficulty was experienced dur
ing the heavy freezing weather Of last winter.
q This matter, however, to some extent, has been
, remedied with new and superior valves, by the
j use Of which no detention, or danger IN case OF
: fire, need be anticipated The only thing nov
Is wanting is a full supply of them for the whole
city.
In the way Of sewerage, the city has an average
= | good drainage. These sewers are sometimes
= put in By the city authorities voluntarily, other
?, by council being petitioned for the same, and
regular assessment made on the property hold
- DIS making the petition the work being done b.
the Street Commissioner. Into these sewers
put in by the city, attachments are made by cit
i izens for the purpose OF draining cellars, ant
= carrying off waste, water &c. When these at
il tachments are made, an assessment OF $50, TO
=, each attachment is required, which grants tn
H. | party making the attachment, the continual lis
:! Of the sewer. The sewer for the special use o
the Clayton House. is being made by the cit
al authorities, and from which a considerable rev
- enue to the city will be had. Another large Oh
.e is to be put down on Poplar street. for which
z, four foot pipe will be used the largest yet PIT
u down. The smallest size Of sewer pipe is abou
= | II inches in diameter.
~. Our supply Of water is yet far from being su
)" ticienl to meet the demands Of more than ord
nary emergency, and to meet this deficiency,
., large new reservoir is needed, and, in fact, SUE
4 a work is already in contemplation. The ne
vi basin will be located between 10th and 18th al
~ JACKSON and Franklin streets and will occul
81 about fifteen acres. This location is said to
ra- peculiarly adapted to such purpose. 1t will
~ about twenty feet higher than the basin on Ma
~ ket street and lower than Sth street basin
about 100 feet, and is calculated to hold GO,OOI
900 gallons Of water. The idea is, when Il
work is completed, to do away with the G
yas basins at 10th and Market Streets and force
ne water direct from the Brandywine to the N
ol- basin, by the use OF the Worthington pump so
tAi TO be put in. From the new basin, the SUPP
ne Of water will be extended to the Ninth ward
or the residents over 18th and Sd street bridg
ma and all South of the Christiana. The work
oot this new enterprise ia only delayed from va
'aH of funds and as y on the city will issue boz
to secure the amount required, we may look
a move IN this direction, and the sooner the :
ord ter as the present supply, as above stated
nile insufficient to meet the demands that would
day made in consequence Of large fire.