Daily Republican., 1881-01-04
THE OBSTINATE TURBINE,
a Company who net TO Soc iIsss.5t
Disappointed.

n company WhO EAet 10 sec 1'fsttf'
Disappointed.
In response TO the invitation o
Chief Engineer McIntire OF the Wa.sl
Department, number OF gentlemen
met yesterday afternoon at City Nil
at 2 o'clock to witness what was inten
ded to be the final test of the new tur
bine wheel and pumps. Amongst those
assembled were Messrs. Paynter, R
Il. Tay lor, Smith, McMenamin, Robin,
son, McKenna, Bailey, Abels and Shaw
members of the City Council; Chic
Engineer McIntirs and assistant Rob
insOn, City Clerk Frazer, and a mum
ber OF subord inats officers and employ
ees Of the Water Department. The
following were amongst the citizens
present: Alfred Gawthrop, Philip
Quiglsy, John W. Hawkins, Albert
Thatcher, William Il. Huston, ex Chiai
Engineer, Charles Il. Gallagher; ex.
City Water Purveyor, John Doughertyi
Amor Harvey, Charles Smith, Jacot
Backus and number Of others whose
names hsveslipped the reporters mem
ory. ]. Z. Gsyelin representing the
contractors, R. D. Wood q Co., was also
present.
1t was evident from the start that
there was to be considerable delay in
the starting Of the pump, and during
the delay the company made close
inspection Of every thing connected
with the wheel and pumps and walked
arc ound the Wolthington adniring the
regularity with which it performed its
evolutions throwing volumes of water
up into the Cool Spring Reservoir.
"As long as that pump holds ont
there is no, danger" said q visitor who
! was admiringly examining the massive
iron arms Of the noble engine.
"Ah, yes, but accidents will happen
and what would become Of the city il
anything should happen to the Wor
thington3" said another in response.
"There is the :ub," said a third.
"Would that upright engine up ther2
work II the Worthington would give
out'" asked one Of the visitors Of en-
ginser Blanken.
The engineer knowingly sheok hle
head. The meaning was understood.
"How ere the cylinders OF the WOr-
thingtonf"
"They we're all right a few day.
ago."
Ifthat noble engine was susceptible
Of feeling the citizens OF Wilmington
should crown it with the brigRtes,
laurels in appreciation OF the noble
services /. is performing.
Whils waiting for the "mershine" tc
start the company amongst whom were
many who understood hydraulics in
dulgsd in q free and easy of hand dis
cussiOn in relation 10 the merits of the
wheel and its punpts. The genera
gist of the converse ion WAS against the
utility OF the wheel, and there was a
general prediction that It would sol
work.
One more practical than many others,
said "Who ever heard OF putting ii
turbine wheel where there was fall
Of seventeen feet, and just the thing
for and overshoot water wheell"
"What is the capacity of that wheel
and pumps ?" asked cltizsn.
"One million of gallons every TWEEN
ty.four hours" WAS the reply.
"Why, great Heavens" said the as
tonishsd visitor, "that is 200, 900 gal
ions less than the capacity of the old
pumps that have just been torn out "
While this conversation was progress
ing time WAS flying, and with the eX.
csp!ion of asposmodic revolution or two
of the wheel TO give al opportunity for
oiling the cogs and gudgeons, there
were no signs that it would move at
all.
II was announced that it could not
start until the Worthington had filed
the north compartment Of the re5er-
voir, so that the amount of water
threwn up by the new wheel and
pumps could be correctly measured by
wier that had been constructed on
the partition wall of the basin for that
purpose. L, however never seemed to
enter the minds of those in charge that
the basin would fill quicker II all the
pumps had beeI put to work and then
when the basin was full, by stopping
the Worthington, the quantity thrown
up by the turbine could be very easily
aseertained by the wier. Finally it
was announced that the basin was full
but lust then it was asoertained that
there was ice in some of the interior
arrangements Of the wheal and g
crown cap had to be taken off to get at
the ice. Under these circumstances i.
WAS concluded best to postpone further
tests until (Tuesday) to-day. By the
terms OF the amended contract the
pumps are required to work satisfac-
tcrily by the 5th of January Ito
morrow or the city has right to
reject them. To day then will be the
only chance lett, but from present ap-
pearances it looks as if their rejection
was inevitable and the prevailing sen,
timsnt was that tue City Council should
take immediate steps to put in a wood
en- overshot wheel.
state of the Thermometer
at the REPUBLICAN office, on Tuesday
morning, Jan. A:
| 7 O'Clock, ~ O'Clock, II O'Clock
2SO 34o $50
The weather.