Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-03-17
Delaware gspahlifan.
THE wArEis DrrAnrMENr,-we have re


THE wATEn DEPARrNESTf-We have re-
seivcd pamphlet containing l26 pages, en-
bracing the report Of the management OF the
Water Works for the year 1872, and
condensed history Of the wilmington Water
Works." from their origin up ,to the present
time, compiled by CHARLES H. Gallagher, Chic.
Engineer, and printed by Glatts 81 Ezekiel. l,
contains large amount Of valuable informa-
Zion, and shows conclusively that the time Il
near ut hand when the water supply must be
greatly increased, 10 meet the demand OF the
citizens. The total cost Of the Water Works 10
this time Is set down at $364 ,5S9.34, two
hundred and five thousand Of which sum has
been expended since 1851. The expenditures
last year amounted to Sl06,0s2.02, of which
S52,275 We're paid for ground on which to erect
q new basin, and 5000 for new Worthington
pump; leaving s42,sl2,O2 as the current ex
penses for repairs, new pipe, salaries, nc. The
probable revenue from water rents is set down
at $4,000. We make the following extract
rom the concluding pages:
"You will notice that the whole amount OF
water furnished to the city in the year 1856
was only 4Sl, 900 OF u daily average Of
05,977 gallons, aud that for the year 1866 The
consumption amounted TO $40, ST. 400 gallons or
a daily average Of l,O29,637 gallons; the COLI
sumption having more than doubled in ten
years, and this, too, under the most unfayorable
circumstances whilst during the rebellion the
city was almost stationary, SO far as the erection
Of dwellings was CONCERNED. /. would, there
fore, be NO exaggeration to say that the COLI
sumption has doubled IN about six or seven
years.
''Should the city continue to grow in the flu
ture as In the past, las We have every reason to
believe it will, and much more rapidly) the
whole pumping capacity OF the present works
will be exhausted in two or three years. This
Is supposing them to run day and night, and no
accident to occur. But the subject assumes n
more serious aspect, when We consider that i'll
the dry summer months We need the greatest
amount Of water, and can supply the least, ow-
rag to the lowness of the Brandywine.
p "Suppose then, that the present pumping
powers should become seriously disabled, which
10 not improbable; then add to this fact that
your reservoir will contain only about two
days supply at that season Of the year, and it
will not he difficult to arrive al the conclusion
that, under sucn circumstances, the city must
be very soon short Of water.
"You will readily perceive how damaging
such state of things must prove to the pros
perity and progress Of the city generally, and
esRSSiahy W oui i@Sc eho SiS"AhS mail
ufacturing interests, " hich are always the first
TO suffer from q short supply Of water"
The reply to this earnest appeal was not had
till last year, when the order was given for a
100000 gallon Duplex Worthipgton Pump, to
meet the present emergency; and the same
year steps were taken for the purchase OF
ground, to erect large double reservoir, each
half capable Of holding thirty-iiye million gal
Ions, thereby enabling the water to become set
lied before its being used, and altogether
avoid pumping during times of freshets. These
Improvements will necessarily involve the ex.
penditure OF considerable sums of money but
If the plan be adopted CT setting aside annually
from the income of the Water Department, the
sum of $4,000, the whole Of the improvement:
will be paid for, by the amount thus invested a!
sinking fund, in about thirty years, reserv
ing from the revenue an annual sum OF not les,
than thirty or forty thousand dollars, to keel
up the extension of pipes, salaries, repairs, NC.
thus making the Water Department actually
pay the expense OF the improvements, large
though they seem, without burdeniug the PEG
pie with tax for this purpose