The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-03-28
CANTON CITY WATER WORKS.
Full Report Of the Trustees from January 1, 1875,
TO March l, 1873,

TO March i, 1878,
To The Honorable city Council:
| GENTLEMEN THE undersigned respectfully
submit the accompanying report of the receipts
and expenditures of the Canton City Water Works
fTom January /, 1876, to March l, 1878.
Our ordinary running expenses you will observe
are less per year than they have been for some
years back But owing to the very imperfect
manner in which the greater portion OF the works
were originally constructed, 1t becomes absolutely
necessary to expend the entire revenue of the
works, together with the appropriations made at
different times by your Honorable body to keep
the Canton City Water Works up to the standard
promised by the founders. Among the many in
stances where 1t has become necessary to use
money for purposes other than those coming un.
der the head of ordinary running expenses, we
give you the following for the purpose of dispOs
Ing OF very filthy stream Of water that
ever since the construction of the Water Works
has emptied into our water supply, we were oblig-
ed to construct brick sewer, 232 feet in length,
through under the race. Said sewer is we'll built
with good, substantial stone walls at each end
and large enough to carry off all the Objectionable
filthy water that has heretofore polluted our water
supplies 1t was attended with considerable ex.
pense, but we think II worth all 1t cost.
The blow OFF" situated in the race embankmnet
at the lowest point for the purpose of drawing off
the race when necessary, and originally construC-
ted In such fimsy manner that we were unable
to use It, has been torn out and replaced by good
Well'built arrangement that is useful and safe.
After filling the gap made in the race embank-
ment by the washout last Spring we had the entire
bed of the race thoroughly cleaned, strengthened
the race embankmentat at all weak points, placed
new head gates at the dam and new substantial
shut-of gates near the wheel.house-repaired
foundation wall to owheel.house, inlet pipe screen
wheel slips, &c. The wheehouse floor upon
which rests the rotary pumps and machinery be-
coming so rotten as to be dangerous, was removed
and new hardwood floor, supported by strong
wrought iron beams put in, making the floor per
teetly safe and lasting,
TO avoid tTespassing upon land adjoining the
water works property the drive leading from the
main road to the wheel house has been changed
| somewhat, and at some considerable expense.
A new waste wier has been constructed in the
race embankment near the wheel house, of solid
masonry, useful to relieve the race in times of
high water it is at the point where it is under the
eye of the engineer, at the wheel house, and is
everlasting, For the purpose of obtaining pas
buBO way lOA tLG WdnlS WhlGI W tuG lhll IhCG Dt
low we were obliged to purchase about one.third
of an acre ofland at corner lot price.
Eight hundred and fifty feet of 6 inch iron pipe
has been laid and one hydrant been set on North
Plumb street extentOn. In consequence of the
grading and paving Of Market and Tuscarawas
streets, we were obliged to relay considerable
pipe and reset hydrants and stop boxes; the small
stop boxes throughout the city constructed Of
wood have decayed and been replaced with new
ones. In the past two years wehave had consid.
cradle trouble with one of the rotary pumps, the
last break down compelling us to purchase al
most an entire new pump.
Messrs Camp, Cook Il Co., to whom was awar-
ded the Lake section pipe some two years ago,
after several unsuccessful attempts and no small
amount ofhard work, have succeeded In getting
the pipe in pretty good condition. but still not in
condition to accept Experience has demonstrat'
ed the fact that Myers Lake cannot be depended
upon for but small portion of the water needed
to supply the city, but being natural reservoir is
worth conslderableihs reserve to be used in any
emergency such as break of machinery or dam.
Thus far we have had no trouble with the iron
pipe that has been laid, while It's shown that the
cement lined pipe has burst sc times in two years
costing an average of $40 each break, to say moth
ing Of annoyance 10 consumers by depriving them
of water while repairing, and Furthermore an
adequate fire pressure cannot be sustained with
out bursting the mains. There is at presentabOut
five miles of cement lined pipe a and inch) in
use and In view of the fact that iron pipe is as
cheap as it can reasonably be expected to become
we feel justified in saying that iron pipe should
take the place of the worthless pipe we now de
pend upon.
The first cost of nroviding reliable and efiicien
means for controlling and extinguishng fire.
should be esteemed secondary consideration
| seeing that the existence of such means will, II
almost every case, more than repay the origina
cost The right way, perhaps, to reconcile the
cost of providing adequate fire protection, would
be to look at the damage done by terrible fire in
q case where means had not been provided fol
extngushing it, and then feel that had mean'
beeu provided all that loss might have been pre-
vented.
We also respectfully call your attention to the
capacity Of our pumping machinery now In use
The pumps are run by steam and water power
| and of late the steam pump has been doing the
principal part of the work and weiare of the opin
ion must continue to be the main dependence
we get along very well in ordinary times, but in
case fire are compelled to use every pump we
have and that too up to its full capacity; and ma
chinery running at a very high speed, you are
aware, is very liable to break down and leave us
in poor condition to battle with fire of any
consequence.
We respectfully recommend that our pumping
capacity be increased to at least double the pres
ent capacity, and have gone 10 considerable trou
BILE and some expense to eHlighten ourselves on
the subject of pumps for water works, that we
might be better judges should you deem 1t neces
sary to purchase new pumps.
A COPY of the report of our investigating COM
mittee we herewith submit to your considera'
ton:
The following is a Statement of Receipts and Etpen
dHITes.
Jan. l. rs, balance in Treasury. 1888 10
Cash reed from water rents and
other sOurCeS,.,..,,,,.............." 3ii53 Il
Sept l. rs, Cash received from
S35 090 loan. 70 b6U ~
Amount to balance ......... 11,0lS 30
Total expenditures for 1s15.,. 4l,715 o.
H,715 90 41,715 OF
Jan. I, 1876 Amount overdrawn -.
Jan. /, l,lSI6.".....,.....,...'''.''''. ll,Olo on
Expenditures for lS76..........,.". 1888 2.
| Amount to balance....",.......,.,. " "
Cash received from water rents,
&c...Y.,.,,....... ........,...:,..,,: 6,715 As
March 10 '76, Cash received
from S35 900 $3.50 90
SIS O85 4S 1905 As
Jan. /, II, Amt in Treasury. 76 96
Cash received from water rents,
&C..u..,...,,,,..,,.''''"'.,.... OiOEo OO
Feb. %, Cash received from City
Expenditures for iS77. S,O17 6!
Amount to balance.""".,..."...". 8S GA
S,lO6 SO S,1O6 8;
Jan1 l, rs, Amt in Treasury. sS 6i
Cash reed from water rents to
March l, 1S7S....."................ S7S 33
cred ..',..,,,........................... AS4
| n L., ia ronort