Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-06
QUA WATER SUPPLY.
The Contract for the New Pump
CIOsed-The Location of the water
WOTks-An Important Matter.

Our citizens generally VIII be gratifed to
hear that practical measures have been at
length adopted to furnish this city q supply
Of good water, and q sufficient quantity 20
meet all necessities. Yesterday the contract
was perfected for providing the city with a
splendid improved Worthington pump, with
duty Of five million gallons Of water, and
this it is expected will be ready to put up
early in May next, it being impossible to
get it ready earlier.
The location of the basins has, for several
years at least, been undesirable, the conduit
to them being surrounded by the drainage
of the western slope Of the city, the Ogee-
chez canal, and the offal from the vessels at
the upper wharves, which condition Of
affairs is aggravated by the TACT that
dredge boat has been stirring up the mud
In the old mouth of Musgrove creek, within
8 hundred yards Of the very gate to the con-
duit. These objections TO the present loca-
ton were demonstrated In the MORNING
NEWS several years since, and steps were
taken at the time to obtain a supply
Of water free from these impurities, but
after q little agitation the matter was
permitted to die, or slumber so soundly that
It was supposed to be dead. Six months
to attention, and action in the premi-
ses was renewed, but it was feared BY
many who realized the vital i'm
portance of the matter that useless
discussion would again be the result. We
are glad, however, TO say that such is not
the case and that the authorities are fully
aroused at the subject, and that whilst We
are not able 10 announce positively what
has been decided upon we have no hest
IN a q almost a settled
fact that the location Of the water works
will be changed to the tract owned by
the city something over mile
above the present site. Survey
are now being made by the City Surveyor
and estimates taken of the cost of laying
the necessary pipes. We understand four
routes are under consideration from this
tract to the stand pipes or reservoirs In the
city, one now being in Franklin square the
other to be located either at some point
on Liberty street or in Chippewa square.
Whichever Of these routes is found
practicable, and the most reasonable
will be adopted, when after certain financial
arrangements are accomplished, work will be
at once commenced. The surveys would
have been completed and estimates made ere
this, but for the fact that the surveyor has
been busilY engaged the past week looking
after the drainage system, which had been
damaged by the late gale.
Time Is required to accomplish an under
taking of this kind, but the first step has
been taken, and there will be no delay in
progress unless some unforeseen circum-
stances should arise.
During the late storm the reservoirs were
flooded with salt water, which, Of course,
could not be prevented, as no provision had
been made against such a contingency.
Thus we have had q weeks supply Of salt
water, and even this, which was almost I'M
at for any purpose, ceased to flow above
the second stories Of buildings on Saturday,
because the large new pump was choked up
with salt, and recourse was necessarily had
to the old pumps, which have not the ca
pacity to perform the work now required.
We are informed that this
inconvenience will soon be over
now, and that the large pump will probably
be in working order tonight, certainly by
to morrow, and that there will then be nc
further scarcity Of water.
AS stated In the commencement of this
article. the order has been given for anOth-
er and larger pump Of increased capacity
and that, while no positive decision is ar
rived at, it is more than probable the
works will be removed to the city tract up
the river.