The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-03-30
OUR WATER SUPPLY.
NatuFoO OF the DImeuIty Last Week-fhe
supply again AmpIe-cOnditiOn Of
ThinRA nj the Power House.

u
supply again AmPle-cOnditiOn Of
ThIngs n the Power House,
So many conflicting opinions have been
aired concerning the adequacy and relia'
bllity Of our water supply, and so many
different reports circulated concerning the
difficulties which prevented full supply
for a few days last week, that an explana'
ton Of the exact state Of affairs at the
works, and the likelihood Of recurrence
Of the temporary famine" will no doubt
be acceptable to our readers.
With view 10 gathering such an I'm.
dsrstaudIng as would enable him to give
this explanation, an lSTELLIoESCRR man
visited the works, and cateChised Engi.
neeT Morrison on the subject.
1t Is known perhaps 70 all our readers
that the water Is forced from the river
through the supply pipes to the reservoir
on the hill by two large engines, 0n.
ginally the power was supplied by one Of
these engines, the smaller Of the two. But
gradually the city outgrew It's capacity. II
could keep up the supply in the winter
and spripg, but in the hot summer months
1t was not able to keep any water in the
basin at all, all It's power being sIerted to
meet the wants OF the citizens. The
larger engine was then purchased, and for
while 1t was able to supply the demand
for water by running only about two.
thirds OF the twenty-iour hours. GEadu.
ally, however, the consumption out
stripped the increased supply, and In
few years 1t took the full time Of the en-
CINE to keep up the supply,
AT the present time both engines are In
use, and 1t requires their constant opera
lion TO keep abreast Of the consumption
In the summer months. AT this season OF
the year, when less water Is used, the
larger engine Is kept going constantly, and
the smaller about sixteen hours out oil the
twenty. four. By this means the demand
is supplied and steady supply kept in
the reservoir. In case Of an accident to
either pump, however, there is no means
Of doing lie work while 1t is disabled.
This was precisely the situation Of affairs
last week, Late Thursday night one oil
the pump barrels broke. The barrel Ia an
upright cylinder, In which piston works
back and forth, Its action forcing the
water through the supply pipes to the res
eryoir. The sides OF this barrel had be.
come so thin by the constant action OF our
sandy water that 1t was only o wonder
that II had not given way long ago, II
was not changed for the simple reason
that 1t was hoped that 1t would last till the
new Worthington pump was In operation.
But one pump was Ia operation, and 1t
was not oil sufficient capacity to supply the
quantity OF water used by the city, let
alone keep up a supply sufficient In case
OF fire. Repairs were at once commenced,
the towboat Nail City being secured to as
slst with It's syphon In keeping the water
10 the well at such stage that the new
cylinder could be placed. This was &C.
complished IN a remarkably abort time,
but not 30 short but that immense damage
was sustained In the interim,
The water Is now at stage which adj
mits OF work on the receptacle Tor the new
pumping machinery, and 1t Ia hoped that
with no further interference the pump
may be ready for service in five or elk
weeks.
The penny.wise pound foolish policy
pursued by the city In the past has often
been the cause OF serious inconvenience,
and more than once OF great peCunisry
loss. 1t is predicted by some persons who
ought to be capable Of judging that the
manner Of placing the large pump now In
process Of construction will result In much
the game kind Of complications 10 the ~.
ture. 1t Is at best but o temporary ar.
rangement, and 1t does certainly look to
"tha man up 0 tree" as II It would event
ually result In trouble to place the engine
below the high water level, even II per.
ieCtly protected by q watertight tank.
II is hoped, however, that after the new
pump Is once In position and at work that
the city may never be left at the mercy oil
the elements or the FIRE bugs. In case Of
the temporary disability Of the large
pump, the present machinery can be sub.
stituted, and will do very well for short
time.
Theoretically tho capacity OF the water
works In twenty.fopt hours Is about
100000 gallons. Practically II will fall
materially short Of this, however.