The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-05-27
OUR WATER SUPPLY.
A visit TO the water Works The
Amount OF water Consumed
Daily by Dallas.

Yesterday, 10 company with Mr.. II. A.
Hills, the popular Superintendent of the
Water Supply company HERALD reporter
took drive to the works, which are situated
southeast of the city, about mile and II
half from the business centre, behind his
well-trained horse, "Jim," who appears to be
aware of his superior education. On the way
out Mr.. Hills manipulated the gong under
meath his buggy, which he uses in going to
6res, and in IN instant the intelligent animal
put out at full speed. When in his stable,
should the fire alarm bells ring, Jim knows
full well what " means, and is always impa-
tient to go to the front.
Arriving at the works, which are located
in little woodland on Browder creek, Mr..
Hills showed the reporter through.
Mr.. William Selby, who has charge of the
machinery, had two steam pumps at work
filing the stand-pipe, situated Mt the corner
of Main and HARDWOOD streets, which fur.
nshes the city with its water. The capacity
of the largest Of these pumps is one million
gallons day, and that of tho smaller eight
hundred thousand Two largo boilers are
required to run them, which are in operation
about twelve hours every day. They are
handsome pieces of machinery and of the
very latest make, one Of them having but
recently been placed in position. 1t was
thought that one would besuflicient but it was
not, and the smaller ono was purchased and
no matter how fast, in case of fire, tho water
should be drawn from the stand-pipe, they
would keep up mn abundant supply Of water.
The great we'll or reservoir in the rear of
the engine-house is Of immense proportions.
1t is one hundred and twenty feet
in circumference, between thirty and forty
feet deep, and has the capacity of 100000
gallons Of water. 1t has from twelve to fit
teen feet of water always on hand, which
comes from the well known Browder springs,
three hundred feet distant, from which it is
fed by II never-toasing flow Of water,
MS good water Ms is to be found any where.
The company will soon excavate the ground
near the springs for the purpose of getting
more water which is struck in that locality
at very little depth.
The reservoir is dlled with various kinds
OF nsh, among when are the German carp
put in there by permission of tho United
States fish commissioners, who distribute
them from here from time to time TO OF er
points over tho State. When first put in,
some six months ago, they were from four to
six inches long, and now they measure from
twelve to fifteen inches in length. Besides
these there are cats, suckers, sun perch and
other fish that have been put
in by the company. These fish tend to purify
the water, acting as scavengers, Keeping it
free from filth Of any kind
The consumption of water by the city of
Dallas is much greater than one would sup
pose, amounting to about 100000 gallons per
day.
The works have telephone connection with
the Superintpndant's Office corner of Main
and Austin streets, and should be connected
with the engine house, but are not.
The company has SO far put down
eight and quarter miles of piping in the
city and will soon lay more. On the mains
are ifty-laur fire plugs, which will no doubt
be increased as the mains are put down.