The daily gazette., 1879-01-24
Tho W ater Supply.
A Proposition for the city to Erect a
New Pumping Station Up the Brandy
fcine,

A Proposition for the city to Erect a
New Pumping Station Up the Brandy
cine.
At the meeting of City Council, last
evening, the Water Committee reported
upon the proposition of Joseph Bancroft
q Son, to furnish the city water supply
from their Rockford dam. The report
III full is as follows
To the President and Members of the
CITY COuncii--GENTLEM Your
Committee, to whom was referred the
proposition Of Joeph Bancroft & Sons
to furnish the ci y of Wilmington with
water from their dam at Rockford, and
10 do the pumping, would respectfully
report That in view Of the almost uni
versal complaint Of our citizens with
regard to impurities in our water at the
present source of water supply, we have
given this proposition considerable
thought aud attention, and in the opin-
ion of your committee we deem it inexpe
dent TO accept the proposition for the
following reasons
First-The city of Wilmington should
not be renter of wa er right, thereby
making the city dependent upon an indI-
vidual firm or corporation for a water
supply, but should, on the contrary, own
all untrammelled and unres ricted right to
use the water in any quan'ity,and at ary
and all times, as the future necessities
Of the city may require.
Sec0nd-The same trouble now exists
at Rockford, which will probably increase
in the near future against which our citi-
g inst lu entnylntp In lao
sent source Of water supply, viz: the
drainage and sewerage of dwellings, pig.
stys, barn yards, &c, which abound at
Rockford and vicinity in large numbers,
the drainage from which now empties
into the race at that place.
Third, Although the rate per million
gallons, as per: :Bancrofs' proposition, is
lower than we can at the present time
expect to supply the city. yet your COM
mittee believe that they can conclusivply
show that as the water supply increases
tue cost per million gallons as rapidly
decreases; and when the demand shall
reach 100000 gallons per day, which
will be within very few years, we will
then be able to supply the city at a rate
per million gallons much less than that
proposed by Joseph Bancroft q Sons, and
so continue to decrease the cost per mil
lion gallons, as the demand increases.
Fourth. A water right owned by
Messs. +. l. DUPONT den Nemours Il Co, ,
opposite Joseph Bancroft x Sons, can be
purchased for the sum of $50, 900, and the
land necessary for buildings, races, &C.,
at. he rate Of 81 900 per acre.
If the pumping machiLery should be
located at this place, forcing main will
have TO be laid across the Brandywine at
some point on or near the property Of
James Riddle, Son X Co., and In SO doing
we will he free from all the objections to
the proposition of Joseph Bancroft u
Sons. The city will then own the water
right, and as the north side Of the creek is
rot inhabited, aud is not likely to be du-
ring the existence OF the firin Of K. /. du-
Pont deNemours q Co., consequently the
water on that side must contain less I'M
puLities than on the south side, on which
most ofthe manufacturing establishments
above the dam are loca ed, and on which
side your commit ee have been creditably
informed that most of the impurities flow.
This at times is SO marked as 10 be easily
seen; the water on The south side shows
Sitdb luipulIslco, WhiiC VII LILO iioitu oiuC
it is clear and free from them.
Your committee herewith submit an
estimate of the probable cost to abandon
our present pumping station at city mill,
and to establish pumping station on the
north side of the Brandy opposite
Rockford, including the purchase of water
right from 4. i. DUPONT deNemours q
Co., machinery, &c. Also, compara-
tive estimate of the cost of pumping
100000 gallons Of water per day, be-
tween present location with present ma
chinery, Bauciofls' proposition, and
pumping from the nolth side of the
Brandy wine, the city owning walerright,
machinery, &c.
ESTIMATED COST OF PROCURING WATER
AT DUPoNT's
Cost OF duPont's half of water
right 3,000.00
Turbl no wheel, connections and
,,n,,,.a Or ono M