Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-09-05
A SIMPLE SYSTEM
or Col. Merritt's 90 supply wheeling
and CineinnAtf with water.

A design for improved water works, to
be built in Cincinnati and Wheeling, has
Just been completed. Colonel Merrill is
the designer, and the drawings have been
executed in the private office Of S. B.
Smyth. The intention was TO have sub
mitted the plan to the Chamber OF Com
merce, at the meeting for consideration,
but the recent cloudy weather has so
retarded the coloring process that its exhi-
bition will delayed until later meeting.
The plan has been patented, but the
patent only covers the buildings and gen.
eral construction, the pumps being OF any,
horizontal pattern.
THE PUMPING HOUSE
as designed will be 123 feet square, with
an extension of 81 feet at either END for
the location OF the boilers. In the center
of the main building will be circular pit
20 feet deep and % feet in diameter. This
Dit will accommodate II horizontal pumps,
which will stand around and over it in
circle on a row Of Pinch | beams. The
pamps will not be fastened down in any
manner as there will be no possible strain
upon them, other than the internal pres
sure of the water, and whenever one be-
comes crippled, il can be lifted out OF the
way by huge crane and an extra one,
kept for the purpose, set in its place with
very little work.
The collar upon which this large crane
travels serves another process. The boilers,
divided into four batteries OF five boilers
each, are situated in the two outer corners
OF the respective extensions. From each
of:them a steam pipe extends to the collar,
where il connects with another pipe lying
on brackets, and running entirely around
the building.
THE NUMBER OF PUMPS
working in the circular pit may be from
one TO twenty, and for each one added it
will only be necessary to form a connection
with large steam pipe encircling the
building.
In the centre of the pit, and bolted Sc
curely: to 90 feet of solid masonry, will
stand a heavy iron pipe, five feet in dame
ter, into which each of the dozen pumps
will force water direct. This pipe extends
out over the top of the building and runs
thence to the reservoir. The capacity, as
designed with all pumps working in easy
turn, is As, 000,0 900 gallons per day, with
lifting power equal 10 800 perpendicular
feet
Just as soon as the plans are finished it is
expected that work will be commenced in
Wheeling. The designer has had a large
experience in hydraulics and has superin-
tended the construction of several large
water works
THE FIRST DIFFICULTY
he experienced was in building house to
hit the works, previously designed. In
speaking of the Pittsburg Water Works the
Colonel said: They look to me as if the
first conception in the whole matter had
been the plungers, not the engines, not the
house, and not even the water supply. All
the rest have been designed to fit the huge
plungers, and it does seem as if they had
subordinated the whole list of attributes,
and most certainly they have subordinated
the water supply"
This, which is from yesterdays Pitts
burgh Dispatch, sounds all right, but what
is it? Why is Col. Merrill preparing places
for water works for Wheeling? No one
at the Water Boards Office knows any
THING ahOut II