The daily gazette., 1880-05-10
For the Gazette.
BRANDYWINE WATER RIGHTS

MIR, EDITOR.-'Wne nen In the course
of human events " the buildings of a
certain mill property are destroyed
by fire, and the owners after duly con-
sidering the value OF the water power
of the last rights of O variable and
fuctuating stream, decide that the wa
ter power is not of sufficient value to
warrant the erection of new buildings,
but actuated by the most generous
impulses of our nature, offer the said
water power to the city, for the small
sum of $50 900, a decent regard for the
liberal and would-be benefactors of the
city demands an immediate answer
from our City Council. The City Coun-
Gil, for some unaccountable reason has
delayed giving any decided answer,
meanwhile, the generous owners tfor
their liberality is only measured by
their means) have reduced the price
from $50, 900 to $50, 900. This is not
the only instance in the history of our
city government in which a liberal Of
ferhas been declined. 1t is suggested
that fun ther fall of $40, ,000-making
the value of the water power $40, 900,
might meet with some favor at the
hands of our city fathers. To buy or
not to buy; that is the question:
Whether tits better to buy
wafer rights, put in turbine
wheels, accumulate debt, and
play the fool generally, or to conduct
the water interests Of the city like busi-
ness men on business principles. Let
us look at a few of the facts. The city
owns the first rights in the long race.
This power was formerly used to drive
the over-shot wheel and pumps. The
over shot wheel, when in repair, did
good service, but it got out of order and
has been replaced by turbine wheel
at a cost of several thousand dollars,
under the plea that there was more
water than could be used on the over.
shot wheel and that better results could
be obtained by inserting turbine in its
place. We shall see. The turbine
wheel is in and ready for service as
soon as connection is made with the
pumping main. Let us see what this
experiment is worth before we rush
blindly in'o the purchase of turbines,
and water rights that furnish but a lim-
tied and uncertain supply for nine
months of the year. Where would lie
the economy in such management? II g
city could not dispense with any of its
steam pumping machinery. The engi-
neer and assistants would have to be re-
tanned on pay all the time, ard the Only
saving would be small item of coal
( say three months in the year. The
cost would be the erection OF new
building Cor enlarging present one) Tor
additional pumps; maintalnance OF the
dams-iepairs and constant watcbful-
ness and attention to one mile of race
bank-repairs of head gates-waste
gates, together with all the casualties
Incident TO water powers. Let these
water rights that are offered to the city
be put on the market, and disposed of
as any other property. The city can then
come in as bidder in competition with
private individuals. We do not wish to
estimate or undeIvalue any ones prop
erty or rights but we do think, and will
say that in our opinion the price asked
would be nearer the real value Of the
property after being subjected to the
process of long division.
The Water Department seems to be
restles, always looking for some new
project. The Cool Spring Reservoir was
hardly compl, ted and delivered to the
city. before the Department were nego-
tiating to go up the Biandywine at ali
expense of about 100000. The citizens
wisely protested any such action. Now
| they want to buy some defunct water
rights at an expense of 100000 without
| being able to show in what way the
city will be benefited 10 even a. tlthe
of that amount. They say that it Is
only a question of time when the
water works will be moved up the
Brandywine, and that these rights now
offered for sale, would then be very use
ful TO the city. Please state in what
way, because poor humble individeRl
of my calibre can't see it.
Tho city water power now amounts to
| about say, from II 900 600 to 10000, ,00O
gallons per day-that is that quantity
passes over the wheel into the Brandy
wine river, and is lost, so far az its use
BY any other mill is concerned. Now
SUM- ose this amount of water, say II :
OO0, 600 gallons, instead of being wasted
was pumped into the reservoirs and used
as the daily supply of the city, would any
of the mills on ellher side of the Brandy.
wine be injured? Certainly not. Then
in case the pumping machinery should
be moved up the Brandywine the milk
below the third dam could have no claim
for damage to water power against the
city until the amount actually pumped
out of the Brandywine exceeded daily
average of II 900 900 gallons. That Is the
city new has the right to diminish the
yoiame of the stream below the third
dam to that extent VIZ, 17,00O,0O0 gal
Ions. Now how long will it be before
the city will require daily supply OF
more than II 900 000-certainly not with
in the next fifty Yeas. These wateI
rights are of about the same use to the
city as the door plate with the name ol
THOMPSON on it was to Mrs. Toodles
There is hardly the remotest probability
thar they will ever be OF any use. The
City Council we think will await the re-
suit of the experiment with the new tur
bine before they will purchase additions
water power aGd order the erection o
another turbine and pump. 1t has beei
hInted that the new turbine will requlr'
more water than we now have to enabl'
it to do the duty required. In plaine
words that somebody has blundered
Then let us know IL, and let the responsi
bility rest where 1t belongs.
| 2uARpIEY pIAYFAIR