Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-09-24
THE WATER WORKS.
COMPILATION or THE IMPROVEMENTS AND EREc-
TIoN OF THE PUMP AND ENGINE.

I
Works at the Brandywine creek are completed.
The new city mill is erected, the surroundings
have been cleaned up and renovated, the new
Worthington pump aud engine is erected, aud in
operation and now the Water Works of Whining
ton, so far as the pumping machinery Is concerned
| are snhicient to supply water for our people,
| for years TO come. The progress of these
| improvements has been carefully noted, from
Time TO time, In the columns of the GAZETTE
| so that Ii is unnecessary for Ns 10 do more than
to refer TO the result of the important labors of
the past year In the Water Department
/ The new mill is fine substantial building,
erected in the most approved manner, situated
| between two of the old mills, and presents a
handsome and modern appearance, which is
greatly enhanced by contrast with its venerable
neighbors. The boiler house TO the left of the
MILL is not yet finished. Improvements have
been made all around. The road In front has
| been put In passable condition, and the race
bank opposite handsomely sodded. The little
yard to the right OF the mill has been swept scru-
pulously clean, and miniature garden. form Il
| ln the centre. nice balcony extends along the
| entire river front of the building.
Commencing ct Fifteenth street, foOtwalk
has been laid TO the door of the lhin, Which in
cudes bridge over the race. In the centre of
the race near this bridge handsome fountain has
been placed, which throws beautiful spiral Jets OF
water into the air. Everything about the mill
bears a neat and improved appearance, and the
care with which these improvements have been
| carried out is q guarantee that this cieanly ap-
pearanee will be maintained in the future.
Inside the MILL everything has been painted and
nnlshed up in the bcst style The two old water
pumps have been painted and frightened up to
such an extent, that they look as II they might
have been erected in 1873, instead of lS47, as
they were. BY means of conveniently arranged
starwaYs access Is gained to the lower portion OF
/ the mill and all the machinery brought under i'm
mediate observation.
1estarday afternoon about O'Clock in response
% invitations from Capt &. H. Gallagher, Chief
| Engineer of the Water Department, the members
ot the City Council, and q number of other gem
| tlemeu assembled at the mill for tae purpose of
T witnessing the operations of the new Worthing-
| toA pump and engine. 1nis huge machinery,
which is the admiration of all no vIcw il, is sit
uated at the North side Of the mill, aud is esected
upon solid foundation OF earth and stone At
| ter viewing and admiTing all the improvements
| mentioned above, the visitors assembled around
| the engine, and steam was turned on. Without
any undue noise or fuss, the machinery promptly
moved, and soon settled into quiet, steady mo-
/ uon, which sent the water swiftly through the
2i-inch man into the-market reservoirs all pres
| eDt were delighted with the apparent evidence Of
the effectiveness OF the machinery, and all agreed
| that beyond doubt the money expended ON
| these improvements was wisely invested.
Some idea of the engine and pump and the
working OF the same may perhaps be obtained
IRON the following description, which was kindly
| furnished us by Capt. Gallagher, and Mr. Root
engineer for the builder, IL. II. Worthington, of
New York.
1t is known as the WouhInpton Compound
Daplex Engine and Pnmp. The dimensions ara
as follows; Diameter OF high pressure cylinder,
| foot, 6 uches diameter of low pressure cylin-
DER feet diameter of pump cylinder, 4 feet
The suction pipes arc p feet long, making the
55 I5S OF water rpm the pit tp the reeVeIr al out
The speed OF the engine is Al single strokes per
minute. Eaach stroke lifts eighty gallons of wa
ter, which makes the capacity of the pump 5000
gallons per minute, 2l6O00 per hour, and LISA
| 600 per "a hours
The engine is rated at one hundred and twenty
five horse power.
The boilers, tWo in number ara each l6 feet
long. and feet 10 diameter Each is circulated
/ by so two inch tubes, while the hues are SO ar.
ranged that the tire passes three times through
and over the boilcls.
The workings Of the engine and pump are thus
described
The steam cylinders are a'ringed "Wolf prin.
ciple'- mat Is, thU steam used first in high
pressure cylinder, and then exhausted into low
pressure cylinder. This Arrange ment has become
very popular of late years, for marine engines -
Its peculiar advantage for pumping engine is
that II gives uniform propulsion Of stroke, with
out tho necessity Of the Intervention of fly
wheelf or weighted plungers. Steam is used
without any cut of In the high pressure cylinder
all the expansion taking place in the low pressure
which is three times the area # the high pressure
There are slxty-iour water, thrty-lwo suction,
and thirty-two ,foEce valves, which 40 mbdiyide
The valves area that il anything occurs TO one
of them, the whole engine is not in danger, as is
the case with Cornish engines. There are two
engines side by side, one operating the steam
valve of the other, and when one pistsn is
stopped al the end Of the stroke the other is not
quite completing its stroke, which keeps up
uniformity OF pressure not attained by any 9th
er engine, The panse at The end of the stroke
gives The water valves an opportunity 10 seat
without any pressure upon them which accounts
for the remarkably quiet motion of the pump.
In economy OF coal it is fully equal TO any
other pumping engine in The country.
There are engines already ruuuing, of the
same style, as the one spoken Of with a capacity
OF over l6O,OOOO00 per twenty -four hours
The first one has been running almost con-
stantly for the past nine years, with very trivial
repairs and those only what are necessary for
all machinery. There is fine black walnut
bagging, ready 10 put over the steam cylinders
reaching TO the floor, which will be put on in a
few days, as soon as the various joints, a,e
proved tight Ff
The boilers we're made for Mr.. Norihinston
bY the Harlan g. HOllingworlh Company' of
this city, and are very Satisfactory. r
There Is also an Independent feed pump for
the boiltrs, which pumps part Of the hot water
which foKs from the air pumps Of tie main
1 S"6"e. AhS SA"aust vi lhls Iee0 pump ls
connected % thp .Condamsr oflhe main engine
thereby making a lowpressure pump Of the feed
pump. ..
The total eesG ofalIs engine and pumps was
SS5,OOO. Tue entire cost Of all the improve
menls 10 the Water Works when the present
arrangements are. completed, Ancluding the
erection of the new mill, will he between $GO
600 and 1000 This money, however. has
been invested in such manner, thai lhe whole
people will be benefited 10 an increased sunnly
Il Of mira vvhoiaaorna RpanA,,..; .s 'Ff''S