Daily Republican., 1880-04-20
Two LITTLE BASINS.
An Experiment Which Demsn.
bsrat.R tho cause OF the Leak at
GOaA SpFiaE Reservoir.

So0h NpEAIE AbeBbFVOhFs
II will be remem tered that Mr.. VIM.
Hare in the summer OF 1877 was select
I'd to supsrintend, as an expert, the pud-
ding Of the Cool Spring Reservoir. The
pudding of the north compartment was
completed mostly under his inspection,
and partly by his order, he having the
choosing fthe clay and upsrintending
the tempsring Of it fit for use. 1t will
also be remembered by many that those
having charge of the completion of the
basin came TO the conclusion that they
knew as much about pudding as Mr..
Hare did, ard so the latter was dis
charged when the north compartment
of the basin was completed, and the
south compartment was completed un-
der the personal supervision Of the
Water Commissioners and the Superin-
tcndsnt of the Water Works.
Mr. Hare contends that the pudding
cley, GiIich was gooa enough. was used
in an npprapared state, that it was pud.
died when the clay was dry, aud being
full Of cir when it afterwards got wet il
melted down or sank from the brick
lining, creating vacuum underneath
the said lining. Mr.. Hare is of the
opinion that not enough care was taken
to keep the clay we'll saturated with
water which alone is the causs of the
break in the lining and pudding in the
south basin.
In order TO illustrate he brought to
the REPUBLICAN, Office yesterday after.
noon, ,tTo small clay basins made OF the
clay of which the banks Of the basin
vera lined. Each of the basins held
abcut pint and half of water. One
Of them was made out of wet tempered
Cay, and the other, though made Of
clay which vas partially wet, was al.
lowed to get so dry that when tapped
@iih lead pencil it rang like a piece Of
crockAry ware. Each Of the basins were
eIlpd With water, and being sat upon
table the rs9ult gas watched. Tie dry |
basin was set inside Of q tin basin, as it |
- as expected that as soon as the Water |
penetrated tho dry clay il would com
.ueace TO crumble and slack down in
the tin basin The water had hardly
been il th8 dry basin five minutes, be.
fore loose particles became detached and
commenced to run down TO the bottom.
At the erd Of forty-fve minutes thu ba.
sin WAS completely saturated, and the
rim fell over to the bottom Of the tin
basin. In an hour from the time the
water was putin it was shapeless mass
Of mud. The other basin with the clay
properly tempered stood firm, and Mr..
liars says it will stand firm for days
and weeks. The latter Mr.. Hare says
the north basin that stands
irm, aud tho frst, the basin with the
Try, untcmpered clay, and the action Of
the water upon it, and the south basin
are exactly similar. The clay in the
south basin Mr.. Bare says was not kept
Tst enough, and when the water oozed
through the cracks in the lining of the
basin, the clay slackeDed and slid away,
and thu brick liripg had to follow.
Mr.. H. illustration is very thorough
and convincing, ,as anybody who wishes
10 know can see by calling at this office.
On Wednesday afternoon, he will leave
} couple more of the same kind of dry
basins at the REPUBLICAN Office which
will be tested between two and four
''ciock, and all who have any doubts
lpon tho question can sall and have
heir doubts removed.