The New York herald., 1877-10-01
Where and by What Means Shall II
Be Obtained?
DRIVEN WELLS SUGGESTED.
Their Adaptability as Adjunct
Suppliers.
VIEWS or THE FIRE and CROTON DEPARTMENTS.

oH tue part OF the city autnOrltleA Inere are now
400 miles OF main distributing pipes throughout the
city, which tapped ut different points by iour
thousand hydrants, the majority Of which have two
aud onc-hal inch nozzlcs, and those orocted within
the last years have both four and one-half and
and one half inch nozzles This distribution sys-
TEN has cost the city to establish somo $l4 ,00O
For tho purposes Of fro supply tho
points most needed in the lower and other
parts OF tho city this distributing system
Is totally inadequate. The average head 0f wator dur
Ing tho day has but pressure OF five to six inches per
square inch OF section OF the outlet. first call
OF fro brings the four nearest engines. These,
being brought into connection with tho mains, very
soon draw down the head OF water, and second call
being made tho four additional engines proluce such
nm effect that the whole set have to suck tho water
from tho pipes, and II tho suction is kept up for
several hours or more instanced by tho late Hrc,
oil tho water Is drawn out OF the pipes.
THE PROBLEM
II will bo seen from tho statement below Of As
ststant Chief Engineer Shea OF tho Fire Department,
that moro than twice tho present number OF hydrants
arc required This would demand double tho
or pressure at present obtanabe from the hy-
drants cstab. .ished. TO double tho number OF DIS
tributing pipes and water TO double tho pressure
comes to about The same thing, and the Fire Depart.
nent requirements Tor elccnt supply OF water
only be met by the erection OF a new aqueduct or
by very nearly doub.ing the present system OF
the small mains by oi larger size ana laying down
new sets OF largo mans 10 net as reservoirs running
north and south throughout tho city, Either Of these
plans would involve, II carried out expenditure OF
nearly as much money as the present system Of disir
Dution has cost the city. Putting tho cost at
$40 600 600 1t is easy that 1t would be an en-
ceedDgly diiucult task to convince tho Legislature
that tins expenditure was needed and TO get tnem TO
give authority ior It,
In Wow Of this it has been proposed that driven
wells which are used in many establishments through
out the city to supply tho whole OF tho
used In them be used as adjunct water supply for
hro purposes. With the object OF asccrtaning the
ndaptabtlity Of these wells for such purpose the
writer has been engaged In an Investigation as to
their working ana the amount OF water furnished.
Bcsow Will DO found results Of these IN
and an dea be formed to the wells capacity.
Experience, oil course, could only determine whether
they could DC relied upon to furnish reliabIo adjunct
Iupply to be directly tho lire engines, Ii
plan were not feasible tho obcct-as suggested very
,er,incntly by one of tho Croton Aaucduct ennueer
n an interview below-could be oDtaincd In another
manner Tho general use OF these wells In largo
ifacturing and kindred establishments would
much CrOton wator, which would the lire sup.
Ply, as thoy themselves. II adaptable could
furnish directly 10 tho engines. Tho par
u thoy were laid IN gangs at tho points needod
hey would agree to furnish the fire department
lurcd points ut any time tull supply that propor-
hon corresponding 10 TO- 900 gallons day pcn-
ha city supply. The present amount OF CrUon
umcd city 90 000 900 gallons per day double
hls would cost IRON slo,CoJ.ooo Sl4,ooo 600. The
driven well people say they would furnish tho amount
Df gallons ABOVE mentioned for slightly third Of
what the doubled Croton supply would cost This large
additional amount would, however not DO roaly re-
qurcd to be furnished tho Fire Department provided
they do not over 20 000, 900 gallons year,
Stated.
DRIVEN WELLS AT WORK
To soc the woils ia operation to test their
ity, the writer went morning to the estabiish-
incnt in Water street of w. ). Andrews * brother,
part owners aud manufacturers of Green's driven
wells. Colonel Chapman, who has special charge OF
this part OF the firms business ana tho Introduction
Of the wells, had attached four-inch Andrews patont
rotary pump requiring eight horse power, and cap
able OF throwing from 500 to 500 gallons per
minute TO inc gang OF ought wells, driven under
the sidewalk in front OF the establishment The
eight wells formed rectange about twenty feet long
by nine feet wide, were two inches diameter,
connected by pipes two inches IN diameter with
aDd hall inch suction pipe, to which the pump was
attached. The water was pumped up through a pipo
some iorty-cght gallons The stream continuous
and moderately tulL TO ascertain the amount pumped
per minute the writer timed the running A workman
ut the word placed tho empty tub under the pipe and
gave the word the moment II filled. In three
trials the tub was filled in ten, twelve and nine and
hall seconds. The capacity OF the tub
Rtcrwa.d measured carefully and found 10
bc forty-seven and haIf gallous. and allow
Ing Tor amount splashcd out say iorty-cght gallons
Tho average time to pump this may be taken ten
seconds, which would give 2SS gallons per minute,
about the pumping capacity OF the smaller steam rc
engines. TINS amount has, it Is said, pumped Tor
week or SO steadily with no perccptible dimInu
In supply Tho sroam rises to within few eet oil tho
ground, In every case to the level Of the lrst
stratum struck The wells tested forty iect in
Depth
poses tho writer proceeded morning to T. Pres-
toms printing establishment Rose street, where
lose tho different loors oil the buildings At this
place tho water IRON the wells is sucked from them
anu pumped through the hose by a steam pump with
capacity OF 800 gallons per minute. Mr. Preston
had two-inch hose put Oh and himself hold the
and showed It's operation IN the street. The stream
came through tho nozzle iu and strong, aud
reachcd. when tho pamp working
full power, some seventy feet UP tho
Btrcot and with an elevation OF twenty foot A
stream was played up to the roof OF vbuding which
was some forty feet IRON the ground Mr. Preston an
old time fireman, said that tho pressure OF the water
no !cfaut IN,
II to tho second story that no rccd more upon
his wells than no did upon tho Fire Department
that the head on the Cro,on was not
OF much use Tor few engines at work
TO suck their water He could set more water and "a
better stream from his wells than he could IRON tho
nearest main, for he would be only allowed to tap "A
inch pipe He has of hose each floor OF tho
buildings and had several times cxtngu shcd incipi-
cnt nres pail oil water at the right time worth
moro than many engines a nttlc later. These wells
were also good In caso OF accidents to tho Croton
mans.
WHERE WELLS ARE USED
At tho Western Union Telegraph Company these
wells used in connection WITH the Croton supply
the hro tanks They also supply all water used
buuding tho closets, &C. There cigntecn wells
which have been uscd Tor three years. aud they
been Obliged to repoiut them but once when tho sup
ply icl of on account OF their becoming clogged by
sand. They average orty gallons per well pcr minute,
igaregating some $40 gallons pcr minute requiring
twenty ve horse power Tho water rises In the wells,
which average about iorty feet In depth,
10 within eleven feet OF The surface. lney
are used continuously, but more IN the day tnan
curing tho night. The wells all sunk space OF
20 by so feet AT tho HERALD Office three wells are
operation, giving loo gallons per minute nlgnt aud
aay. Tho New YORK Gas Company get, with seven
wells $50 gallons per minute AT the Writing Manu-
factory, where irc connections also made, the
supply from three wells averages liiy gallons per
atc. At Pceksklll, the New York ana Hudson River
Railroad arc using their three wells, giving $4,000
gallons day, Tor enigma supply, 1t being pump,d
nto tanks Tho wells also furnishes large sup.
pies ht different sugar rciinerics, brewcrcs and
blhcr establishments The supply varies 10 Il CERTAIN
"A
fsquired quantity oil water than Others, but IN The
lower part Of tho city, wncro they could. as rule,
hUno be used they strike tho strata, composed
Of sand and gravel, various depths and OF different
degrees OF richness. Colonel Chapman states that
they nave no doubt Of Their ability, The lower part
Of the town. To urnsh any required amount al dfcr.
ont places and states that, ana WI
lagos the entire lire supply Is derived these wells
they certainly could bc used adjunct supply this
city. prominent engineer, couycrscd with upon
the SUBJECT thinks that the Idea might be feasible,
IL 10 81 iu nn1hnr..,..' n. y. NPo'''''e".