Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-19

and who, 'from all indications and observa-
tiOns during twenty five years residence in
California, was some time ago prophesying
a terribly dry winter, has been laid up in the
second story of his house during the past two
weeks with rheumatics while the frogs cheer
fully chirp to him from the lower floor All
he now has to say is that he "never seed the
ike before" and he thinks there is every in
dication of an entire change in the climate Of
this country and that we shall have a wet
summer.
THE FALL OF THE WATER
Is now quite noticeable in all the overhJwed
section. it being last night six inches lower
than on last Monday, notwithstanding the
heavy storm which mas since occurred. In
many places large grass plots have appeared
above the water, and the general fall is re-
marked by the residents, as is to be seen on
the fences and buildings, where the marks at
highest point reached by the water remains.
The gauges at Y street show that the water
on the outside of the leyee is at present less
than an inch lower than on the north side,
but there is a gradual discharge through the
openings, which, aiding the work of the
pumps, aud with the further aid of
clear and drying weather, with wind in
the north. as yesterday, a marked decrease
Of the overflow viii soon be seen.
There has been of late, and very naturally
from the urgency of the situation to those re
siding in the submerged district, consider
able discussion and comment as to the eff
cheney of the present method of disposing of
the accumulated water and as to the amount
that IS being daily discharged over the Y
street levee. That the pumps are doing
MOST EFFECTIVE WORK
| Only require a visit to them to convince the
most skeptical but different opinions have
] hon I'd or ID to no
amount of work that is actually being ac-
ccmplished by them.
The following communication from Lauf-
hotter Bros, of this city, in relation to the
capacity of the Chinese pumps now en-
ployed, has been received, with a request
that it be published:
For days the papers of this city have been pro-
! claiming the wonderful capacity Of the Chinese
| pumps which are now being operated at Sixth and
streets. At first it claimed for them that they
would throw out H. 440 900 gallons of water daily
we mean the first four that were erected. Since
then it has dwindled down to 10 600 gallons per
| dav. We claim that they do not throw that amount
of daily and will tar to say that they
do not throw One-ha'f that amount We herewith
show our figures to prove our assertion and if our
figures are not correct hope there is some one
In this city who Will tell us and show us With figures
! 10 the contrary. Now then for the figures.
In the first place the boxes paddles as they are
called are 80 inches in length y inches IN DEPTH
ana sci at distance OF II luCnSS IliGll,
| a box of that length, depth and width would &C
! cOriing to our figures, hold just 1858 gallons Of
water. Now, then, we viii assume that 90 Of these
boxes empty every minute, and to do this The bet
they attached to would have to travel 81 feet
per minute. This, then would give SIS % gallons
per minute, hour 90 1877 gallons or
in - hours l,275, 76S gallons Tor the one pump
and for the four pumps 5,1o3,072 gallons
half OF the lowest estimate claimed for them, and
! mind you, this allowing the boxes come up full ev-
cry time, and not allowing anything for the sppage
| OF the water Tor the slippage OF the belt. The
amount of water lost by slippage We viii leave with
| the public TO judge. What we claim is that they
have been very much overrated, and that after al
lowing them everything they are capable of doing,
! and taking nothing away from them, they on then
throw One-hai Of the lOWe=t estimate claimed Tor
them. We hope We viii not be compelled to refer
to this subject OF pump capacity again.
IN VIEW OF THE DIVERSITY OF OPINION
Upon this pump question, the following
measurement, and computations were yester-
dav made by Messrs. VIM II. Hamilton, q.
a Stoddard and +. L. Bassett and obtained
for publication upon the subject, and which
is stated by them to be below, rather than
above, the actual figures
BY invitation and special request visited and
examined the pumps now being operated by Carrie ~
Crlly al Sixth and streete, Yesterday afternoon.
For the benefit Of parties concerned, We give the
following figures as the result OF actual measure
meuts aud computations Of the amount Of water now
| being pumped at that point
There are eight China pumps, and what is called
| the Norton pump, now being used. The China
pumps are the most complete pumps of that class
ever erected in this vicinity They are operated by
| TWO portable engines having ample power for Civ
| ing them the proper amount of speed.
The construction is simply floats Tor buckets),
made fast to an endless belt running drum
| cylinders operated by the engines. These drums
! are thrty-sIX inches in diameter, and make an
| average Of eighteen revolutions per minute, which
would give the floats speed Of l69 feet per minute.
These floats seven and one-half inches deep by
| square inches
| A stream OF that size at the velocity of 1859 feet
per minute, without allowing any loss for slippage,
would raise and discharge 1875 gallons per minute,
o. for twenty-four hours, S44 900 gallons for one
pump, making total for the eight of y, 1872 GOO for
each "a hours.
Making allowance for all loss and reducing the
speed to $50 fee per minute and calling the buckets
| but inches by 80 inches, which we think is ample
deduction, the discharge would then amount to
| / $50 gallons per minute making for "a hours
! 1885, $40 gallons for pump, or for the eight
total Of Is SAG 720 gallons In addition to this the
Norton pump is discharging above 100000 gallons
per q hours thus making the discharge from the
city, beyond doubt, in excess OF 100000 gallons
| per day.
From the above dimensions the calculations can
be made by any one who will take the time
| An examination also made for the purpose OF
determining approximately the amount of water
BY simple calculation We find that with the aver
age of fal that there has beer for the past
week, the discharge per day hes amounted to about
! 1000 600 gallons
| WILLIAM H HAMILTON, Architect.
G. A. STODDARD. Draughtsman, c. P. Il. R.
L. F BASSEI'T, City Engineer.
This makes the amount discharged daily
greater than has been stated at any time in
the RECORD. UNION. 1t will be noticed that
the difference arrived at by the above state
ments is principally due to the rate of velocity
upon which the two computations are basel.
In the first case it is estimated to be 81 feet
per minute. when from actual measurement
made Yesterday it is found TO be 1853 feet per
minute.
THE NORTON PROPELLER PUMP,
Rrou5bt here from Stockton by the propr;e-
tors of the patent, and which is run by one Of
the engines, which is also carrying four of the
Chinese pumps, is doing most satisfactory
work. The pump. which is new in this Sec
ten. consists OF tube or cylinder of any de-
sired diameter, the one here IN use being OF
twelve-inch inside diameter, made OF cast iron
which is about one-haf of an inch IN thick
ness. The cylinder stands upright from the
water, and the lower end is submerged nine
inches or more The water is raised or
pumped by means of a vertical shaft. with a
propeller screw which closely fills the cylinder.
The inventors found that by making this
screw extend the length of the cylinder the
centrifugal force kept the water thrown in a
uniform thickness around the inside, and q
large circular open space was maintained In
the center not occupied by water. To over
come this and make the stream discharged OF
the full size and volume of the diameter OF
the cylinder, the propeller screw is cut into
sections of nine inches in length and each al
ternate space of nine inches is occupied by a
stationary partition of sheet iron one eighth
inch in thickness extending through the di-
ameter of the cylinder and fastened az the
sides, the driving shaft of the screw passing
through longitudinal enlargement IN the
center. These partitions thus placed at each
alternate section of nine inches keeps the
water uniform in the cylinder from
circumference to center, and thus stream
the size of the opening is obtained. The
turning of the shaft to which these sections
of screws are attached thus raises the water
to the top of the cylinder, when it is dis
i, charged into a chute. The pump is connected