The Morning herald., 1876-09-23

7ls'sE IL .4' - - -- d T977 80
Wx2xn RIPSo AHD lARsM NUD4 j
sThsie i n old saying that II yoo put I
beeeer a horseback he viii ride to the
devil.
This is precisely the position Of the
present majority in City Council. The
return Of power has brought on old de-
sires to run the machine to suit themselves,
and idwill be run undoubtedly until it
runs down as it did once before. Now we
find them knocking at the doors Of an un-
dertakiog from which it is hoped to derive
benefit the Cool Spring Reservoir. AT
the last meeting of Council, Col. Febiger,
the leader on the republican side of this
Legislative body, as Chairman Of the Wa
ter Committee, surrendered convictions to
political stratagem. Notwithstanding he
has repeatedly asserted on the floor Of
Council that he would not at any time en-
deavor to further the completion OF the
Cool Spring reservoir, he has done 60
But the political complexion of Council
has changed since then, and
some members very convent
emily changed their minds with the recur-
renee of power. Among these is the gen.
tleman from the Ninth ward, who opens
up subject that he has repeatedly de-
clared he would have no interference with.
He finds suddenly and very close upon
the November election that, there are
faults in the construction of the basin, the
pipes are not of the proper kind, and the
embankments must be pulled to pieces to
rectify what has not been properly done.
This would take Just about five or ten
thousand dollars;to accomplish what would
be of no further necessity, than that of in
creasiag republican votes by giving en-
ployment, and this is necessity that re-
publican politicians know and appreciate.
Col. Febiger asserted that but one twoinch
pipe carried all the drainage water from
the two compartments Of the reservoir.
Another assertion was that the marsh mud,
as he termed it, was CONDEMNED by the last
consulting engineer, Mr.. Isaac Cassin, as
we'll as by the present Chief Engineer Of
the Water Department, MIR. Allen Ruth
These assertions are but the entering
wedges towards having work resumed upon
the reservoir, and is conspicuous enough
without taking off the thin mask Of com.
plant against certain work, which is in
tended to conceal 1t.
We have made enquiries to ascertain
the truthfulness of these assertions, and find
that in the North basin four inch pipe is
under the main or eastern embankment
which connects with a three inch pipe
from Rodney and other springs, also with
three inch pipe from net work of drains
in the north basin, and were discharging
in the Spring at the rate of $4,000 gallons
of water each, every twenty our hourf
and in addition to this is the two inch pipe
under the eastern embankment, leading
from The south basin and discharging a,
the rate Of 10000 gallons of water per day
These pipes, if they do not give salts.
faction, are the fruits Of those who now
complain of them. They were laid undel
the direction of the late William E.Morris
an engineer selected by Col. Febiger, wh,
was at that time chairman of the Water
Committee. Mr.. Morris was always favor
able to small pipes under an embankmsnt
and stated that the discharge Of wate
should be such as to keep them full Q
water at all times to prevent the lodging
Of any sediment, and in this he is supported
by all the late works on Hydrastatic engi
neering, in England. No pipes excep
those for draining, and they small ones
being laid under embankments, but th
water is carried into and discharged iron
them by means Of pipes carried over tn
embankments on the principle Of scyphons
1t is proposed by Col. Febiger to di
away the embankment, which could onl
be accomplished at an enormous cost, ant
as any one acquainted with engineerin
knows that, if the embankment is torn t
pieces it can never again be united, ant
will at all times be very weak spo
liable to break through and visit Whining
ton with such scenes as were witnessed il
the Mill Rivsr disaster. The ''marsl
mud" spoken of has been tested repeat
edly and pronounced in every way superio
to the famous Stotsenburg clay, by goo'
iudoes.