The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-10-31
THE WATER WORKS.

An lHIeTSlOW WIFI the CIdiIHiuh Va tnO
special committee of the city council in
regard to plan for water works for the
city of Emporia, elected some interest
ing information upon the subject, which
we lay before our readers.
We have been aware that the commit
tee in particular, and the council in gen.
eral. have devoted great deal of time
and labor this year investigating the wa
ter works question, and in. examining
and discussing carefully any plan that
any one has suggested which had any
appearance of feasibility. The present
and the future needs of our city, the cost
and the benefits of water works and every
point connected with the enterprise, have
received careful and patient attention
and consideration, and the council has
finally agreed upon plan which it will
recommend our citizens to adopt as the
best and cheapest that, under the circum-
stances, is within their power to secure
and would be effective and satisfactory
both now and in the future.
1t is proposed to use the well known
Holley system of two powerful steam
engines, furnishing continual and di-
rect pressure sufficient to throw streams
of water over the highest buildings in
the city, and to begin with eight miles
of main pipes so distributed as, with the
to four streams of water upon any build
ing in the-city. This can be done with
fifty hydrants, one ut each crossing on
Commercial and one at every other cross
ing on other streets, where the mains are
laid. The main pipe has capacity OF
one million gallons of water per day,
and more than that if the pressure of
both engines is put on, as it would be
in case of any extensive fire.
The water is to be furnished by the
Neosho river, at the point north Of the
city where large body Of water is al.
ways found, and which will furnish an
Inexhaustible supply. The water will
be first filtered through from the river to
large well about 20 by rs feet and five
feet deeper than the bed of the river
This will insure pure, clear, healthy and
good tasting water, and in case of any
large fire the engines can also draw di
rectly from the river. The supply o.
water, one million gallons per day Il
necessary, will thus be ample in the flu
ture, as well as now, for all purposes
fire, domestic, manufacturing, and fol
lawns, trees and sewerage, and its puri
ty will be beneficial in a sanitary poin
of view.
The expense of this complete and eff
fective system can be kept down to $50,
900, as responsible parties who make ;
business of constructing water works
stand ready to contract to build the sys
TEN for that amount and to complete the
works and set the water 10 running
through the mains within ninety
days from the day of election if the bonds
are then voted. These parties have i'm
mense facilities for doing such work
and are able to carry out any contrac
they make.
The A. T. s. S. F. railroad company
will, if the city builds water works, tax,
up its pipes and engine it has recently
furnished to force water to its new rounC
house, and move them further west, anC
take water from the city, thus proving ;
large customer, and of course its use o
water will increase from year to year
If our citizens take the water to an,
such extent as those of Colorado Spring
do, the system will be self supporting
The works at that city were put in las
December, and the receipts so far hav
met the running expenses, paid the in
terest on the bonds, and furnished 81
600 surplus for sinking fund. Color
ado Springs has a population of 1900
and wells are as easily obtained Their
as here. The works at PeublO, whicl
cost 1926, 900, are of considerably les
capacity than the $50, 900 works propose
for Emporia. Very few cities have any e
fective system for $50, 900, and as our cit
grows the only additional expense woui
; be more mains and hydrants. Ofcourse
5 large numb r of men would be employee
e and considerable money disbursed heI
e during the construction of the work
and also more or less labor would /
S done all the time in laying pipes to buil'
I ings, in plumbing, &c. These are mine
e considerations, of course, and of yer
little importance compared with the oil
er and permanent benefits that goo
water works system will bring in I'll
r way of encouraging manufactures, I'll
; great need of our city of prOtectiO
: against fire, and consequent decrease
! insurance, ofadding to the public heali
i and comfort, of encouraging the erectio
$ of good buildings, of identifying IL
: city with lawns and trees, and of attraC
r ing the best kind of immigration. 7
e be the first city in Kansas to put in W
It ter works, would be creditable to the e
: terprise of our people, and If, as it a
: pears, the system now proposed by Il
n council is the best that can be suggeste
l. the time is certainly opportune to secu
y it, before iron goes up another 5000
4 worth. We are simply satisfied that Il
g council has labored long and faithful
n to adopt good system, and the result
u its investigations and deliberations is
e. fore US in this proposed plan. We pl
At sumo that it will submit propositi,
n for the voting of the bonds 1t the comil
election.