The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-10-02

"The way that steam-pump has been
put up IL one Of the wonders Of the age"
a well-knOvn railroad engineer said yes
tSrdAy. And ii is, for those who are well
posted declare that the history Of water
works construction aFords no parallel 10
the rspidity with which this great piece OF
machinery has been put in place. A thing
talked about for two long years II TO be flu
hbed FOR use in six weeks after the giving
oi the order for the same.
This pump vas made by the Worthing-
ton Manufacturing Company, OF New York,
for exhibition, and was at the Philadelphia
Centennial. Comparatively few OF the Wis
itOrs saw II, for 1t was located on the banks
Of the river, and pumped to the Centennial
grounds and buildings all the water used,
and gave complete satisfaction. Ii raised
tbe water 2GG feet. Here it has TO raise il
not more than 1S5 feet. The contractors,
knowing what this pump did at the Cen
tennial, guarantee for it here a capacity OF
1000. 600 gallons in tWcnty-fOur hours. In
other words, it viii FIJI the old reservoir
Q0, 900, 600 galOns) I'M forty hours. 1t will
All both compartments OF the new reseT-
yoir 10000, 600 ga.lOns) in less than week.
so far they have never been filled at all. Ii
viii pretty nearly supply the city with all
the water it now needs without the aid OF
the old pumps.
LOCATION IND FOUNDATION.
The permanent pumpmg-wOrks Oi'the
city are being built on the canal near the
Three-Mle Locks, which are about three
miles from the heart OF the city, and they
will be run by water-power.
To keep the city supplied with water
mean while--thc old pumps being insuni-
cient either in very high or very low wa
new stcam-pump was ordered. 1t
Is located on the north bank OF the caual,
about 1j0 yards below the locks. The first
thing was TO get foundation for it. Colo
ucl CutShaw dug down to the hard gravel
and TO within four feet OF the solid granite
bed. Then immense brick pillars, laid with
Portland cement, were erected, and upon
them the pump rests.
TINS PUP.
The name Of the pump Is "the Worth
ington Compound Condensing Pumping
Engine" Its weight is ninety tons. The
four water and steam cylinders weigh be-
tween eight and nine tons each. The air.
pumps weigh five tons.
"Ihe valve motion Is the prominent and
popularity OF this pump, as be-
ing that TO which it owes lis exemption
from noise on conclusive action. Two
stclm-pumps are placed side by side, and
30 combined rs TO act reciprocally upon the
steam valves OF each other. The one piston
acts to give steam to the other after which
q -bo, To- ,,,-,, -froI-o aud ,-nifl Tor ~
valve TO be acted upon before it can renew
its motion. This pause allows all the water
valves 10 seat quietly, and removes every
thing like harshness Of motion. A one or
the other Of The steam valves must be al
ways open, there can be no dead point.
The pump Is, therefore, always ready TO
start when steam l. admitted, and is man
aged by the simple opening and shutting Of
a valve.
In IFS application 10 water-works en-
einCS OF the largest class Il combination OF
with economy in first cost, and
in running expenses, is attained not real
lied by any other type Of pumping ma
BETTER THAN NEW.
After being used at the Centennial the
pump was carried to New York, and
was kept for exhibition purposes at the
works Of the company i'm Brooklyn. Mr..
ID. Ii. johnson, the representative OF the
company and the superintendent in charge
OF the work here, says that the pump is
better than any new and untricd one; that
il was built in the best and most substan-
tial manner, and that OF the one hundred
and fifty which the company have made
and put in operation in the cities and
towns OF this country and Canada, none
can be more safely relied on than this.
When entirely finished, cleaned OF, and
housed, the pump will be a curiosity TO
see. Eighty gallons OF water will be
moved by every stroke, and it will make
from tifty-two TO ffty-fiye strokes per min
ute.
TuE BOILERS AND THE PIPES.
1t will require 1SO-horse-power work to
pump G,0O0,00O gallons Of water each twen-
tv-four hours. WorthingtOn furnishes the
" pumping engine" The Erie City Iron
Works furnish the four boilers. The boiler
tubes are each five feet in diameter and
fourteen feet long, and were made within
ten days after the reception OF the order.
Quick work that
The pipes which are TO connect the
steam-pump with the main line (from the
big pump-house to the new reservOir) are
twenty-four inches in diameter and 617 feet
long, and were made and have all been de-
liyered by Wood d Co., Of Philadelphia.
Speedy work that, too.
1t has been Just q month since the city
entered into these contracts. The pump
engine, with its great blocks Of iron and
its almost numberless pieces, has been
taken down. packed up, shipped, unload
ed. unpacked, put on it, foundation, and
will soon be ready for work. The boilers
and pipes were made out and out, and are
all here, and Colonel Cutshaw is rapidly
pushing them into place.
RIVER NOT CANAL-WATER.
The water this steam-pump will supply
to the people OF Richmond will be real
riyer-water, for it is taken up from the Gu
nal at a point only about one hundred and
fifty yards below where it enters the canal
from the river at Grants dam.
Right beneath the suction-pipes a brick
and ccment-llned we'll has been construct
ed. The bottom OF the well is lower than
the bottom OF the canal, and connection
between the well and canal will be soon
made.
The water from the Worthington pump
will be forced up the hill, in a diagonal
line, G77 feet TO a junction with the new
mains. Thence onward to
the new reservoir the line is nearly straight.
The connection pipes are two feet in diam
eter. The main pipes are thirty inches in
diameter. In laying these mains between
the Three-Milc locks and the new reservoir
Colonel Cutshaw very wisely made a place
for this very connection. So the pipes from
the steam pump do not lead to the reser-
yoir directly, but lead into the main which
will be used when the new pump-house Is
ready.
ADDITIONAL FACTS.