Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-12
6UR WAFER stjPptY.
Interesting Interviews with City Of.
ficials on the Subject.
The People to Vote Upon the PROPOSE.
tion to Erect New Water. Works.

The Nashville City Warler-works were
erected In 1888, the formal .'openingn tax
ing place in September Of thai year, with
great parade and ceremony. The cost Of
the works was about $4,000. there being
but one reservoir; with capacity of SOC, GOO
gallons. The engine by which the water
was raised at That time is still on duty, aid
is our soc dependence in case the larger
engine, which has now been in use twenty
years, should get out of working order, as
il is liable to do at any time.
Extensive Improvements were made in
the wateT-wOrks in 1850, so that probably
not less than million dollars have been
expended they son mp to fAis time. The
reservoir, VIA a is divided into four apart
rients, Is capable Of hrlding 2,2ST, 400 gall
Ions, and is filed twice every twenty -four
hours, being then barely able 10 supply the
demand, so greatly has the consumption
been increased.
When the engine which is now in use
was placed in position, twenty years ago,
Nashville had population of 5000 people,
with 10 manufacturing establishments to
supply. To-day that wheezy old engine is
called upon to pump water for the daily
consumption Of 10000 people and tfiarufsc-
tori s innumerable. All the railroad EN-
gines passing through the city are supplied
with water from the Waier-woIks, there
being GO,000 gallons used daily at the
Chattanooga depot, and 1900 gallons 1T
the Louisville depot. In addition to this,
the Maxwell House consumes $4,000 gal
Ions per day, and until recently, the State
prison has disp osed Of 27,0U0 gallons per
day. During the past eight months Of this
municipal wear. rs much new water-pipe
has been laid down rs during any two
years heretofore, and as our city is now
growing at an unprecedented rate; the
question Of water supply fo- the future,
becomes an important one.
A representative of the UNION AND
AMERICAN called upon Superintendent
Wyatt, at the Water-woIks, yesterday, for
the purpose Of getting some additional in
formation in relation 10 the proposition to
erect new water-woIks. and the necessity of
said improvements. lie found Mr. Wyatt
busily engaged with a large force, thor
Oughly cleansing and cementing the various
basins of the reservoir.
In answer to questions put by our re-
porter, Mr.. Wyatt said:
NASHVILLE needs a reservoir capable Of
holding at least 100000 gallons of wa
ter, and as the city is being extended over
the high points surrounding Nashville
proper, the reservoir should be located ON a
higher point than at present.
Il understand that residents of Vine
street complain that they fare no. able to
get water in the upper stories of their resi-
dences nOw,n said the reporter.
"Thlt is the case so far as residents on
Vine street. between Union aud Cedar, are
concerned, but it is not the case during the
time the pumps are at work, as the wafer
can then he forced q distance OF twenty
feet above the level of the reservoir" was
the reply.
THE Water-tax Collector, Mr.. Glenn, is
decidedly in favor of the legislature being
petitiOned 10 grant the City Council au-
thority to issue water bonds, and in this
way raise funds to erect new water-wOris
on TOdd's knOb-what do you think of
that proposition ," inquired the reporter.
Il am in favor Of it. In fact something
must be done and very soon, too. Our
present facilities for supplying the city with
water are taxed TO the utmos and the de-
mand is increasing every day. As for the
authority TO issue water bonds, the CITY
AuIlALAl las - dlAEduNs ~ NlEr Aiuh lSlttll> Vi
our city charter. If the receipts from
water-tax were set aside for that purpose,
the entire expense Of erecting new water
works could be defFayed without the water
tax being increased a cent. / canvasSed
the city thoroughly last fall for the pur-
pose of learning how the citizens stood up
ON the question of new water-wOrkS, aud
found they were in favor Of tie PROPOSE
tiOn, to a man, many expressing willing
ness To have the wateT-taX increased, if
necessary. If the water-WOrks were mort
gagged, the bonds would all be taken in
Davidson county, st not less than IS cents.
Here is an extract from ny report made 10
the City Council last fall, wherein, said:
Before closing this report l would re-
spectfully call your. attention to the subject
of furnishing the city with better supply
Of water, both as TO quality and quantity.
1t is a well-knOwn fact that the Water
works of your city was pronounced INSULT
cient to supply the city with water some
ten years ago, by officers then having
charge Of the works, but with great care
they have been enabled to supply the city
up TO the present time, and with proper
care can be made to supply until new works
can be erected, if said works should be
commenced at an early day. The location
that / wish to call your attention TO, for the
erection Of new Water-wOrks, is at the
mouth of Stones river, some miles ABOVE
the present works. In getting the supply
of water from above the mouth of said
river. the Cumberland river at this point is
almost entirely freestOne water, and scarce
" ever muddy, as all the hard and impure
wat is emptied in the Cumberland from
Mill and Browns creeks. BY erecting
the works above said points, the city viii
he furnished with pure water, entirely
free from all drain age and seepa9e from
the city and city cemeteries, Browns
creek and all sources of impurities. As it
is now, all Of the above mentioned sources
of filth and impurities empty in the river
above the present works, AID as a natural
renders the water to some ex-
tent impure. II new works are erected at
the above mentioned point, the reservoir
will be placed on Todd's Knob, which is
about one hundred and seventy-fve feet
above the present reservoir. This eleva-
ton would give sixty-fOur pounds pressure
per square inch in the highest part of the
city, and in other portions of the city of
from one hundred TO one hundred and
thirty pounds per inch, thus enabling the
city to dispense with fire engines, which
would be a saving to the city Of at least
twenty-five thousand dollars per annum, as
every iire-plug would be sufficient TO extin-
guish any fire without the use Of the engine.