The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-06-02
Our Water System.
Most Perfect Known.

earnest consideration IN all our more
thickly settled towns AMI cities. OF the
three great essentials of lifc-:ir, water
and food-thc second named may safely
he considered of rs great importance MS
either Of the others and al the same
time il is an element of life which is
largely under mans control.
In its purity il is a blessing its
abundance the servant of the mcchani-
cal arts-whilc on the other hand il
polluted ~ restricted in quantity il hc.
comes a source Of pestIlence and death.
Mankato in lis location is favored hy
nature rs regards lis available wafer
supply. The city of the future with its
$4,000 population will he supplied from
the Blue Earth river. noble stream
carrying Ia the Minnesota the drainage
of 800 square miles of forest and prairie
and beautiful lakes.
chemically pure water is neither OBJ
tainablc ar desirable Tor public or
domestic use, hut all investigation and
experience teaches that the best water
for these purposes is found i'll running
streams. True, there are times when it
carries sediment and impurities but
these are quickly prcciritated or re-
moved 10y liberation. The Blue Earth
receives five other streams within the
county. Ii forms the western boundary
of the incorporated City of Mankato
and is only 1000 feet distant from pres
ent business center.
The matter of utilizing this source of
water supply has at different times been
carefully considered 10y our authorities
In February 1873 the council employed
an engineer 10 prepare plans and make
estimates of cost of the work These
embraced tiltcring gallery on the left
bank of the stream. Connecting with
this and some 500 feet distant was the
pump house, boiler and stand pipe from
whence the distributing mains would
carry If through the city. This rs
estimated would cost about sixty thou
sand dollars and while many favored
the enterprise claiming that it would
no more than meet the future require
mentS of the city. it was deemed 10y the
majority too much Of burden financial
iy and the popular vote for the ncces,
sary bonds did not carry
Previous 10 this, in the summer of
1875 an artesian well was bored on IL
tract Of land purchased 10y the city on
what Is known as Bunker Hill. At n
depth of about 200 feet excellent water
in abundance WAS encountered but il
did not rise la the surface and the work
was c"ntinued-hoping for this desired
result until Il total depth of 2.20O feet
WAS reached without any change in the
rise. The wafer i excellent and the
supply apparently IncNhau,tuhlr. 80 far
as a somewhat imperfect test could de
termine.
In 1879 X. ID. Hubbard " Co being
about To erect their mammoth Touring
mill on lower Front street proposed Ia
pump all the water needed 10y the city.
for fire protection, street sprinkiIng and
flushing CUTTERS for the sum OF twenty
five hundred dollars per annum. For
wears the city had felt the need of far
better facilities for combating with the
fire ticnd than tie hand engine which
was very appropriately dubbed the
imam kilicr" by those whose fortune it
might Ice 10 operate it, and this offer
promised I" meet that want AT least.
Much the larger portion II the city was
located beyond the reach Of water. in
sufficient quantity Tor fire emergencies,
ana these things led the council To- at
ccpt Mr.. Iiublard's proposition and the
people ratified their action 10y voting
$1,000 in bonds To be used in la yinu
mains. The council on the 29th OF
May, 1879, contracted with Mac Ritchi,
and Nichol of Chicago to furnish ant
Law - feet of - inch pipe, 1888 feet %
10 inch pipe, l,10j feet of s inch pipe
5,400 feet Of 6 inch pipe, 1866 feet o
inch pipe and also TO furnish and plac,
30 hydrants and the necessary maiI
valves This work WAS to he done fo,
$l4,950. Among the bids submitted to
the council, was an offer to furnish pipe
of standard weight and test for S27. 30
per ton. Those who are familiar with
prices will recognize tins as about the
lowest price AT which water mains were
ever offered. Iron was then at its
lowest and Immediately started on the
ascending scale 50 that before the
mains were buried the city would have
realized handsome profit from their sale.
Water wiss TO he taken from the Mime
sofa river at point near the mill and
so located below the town as to be i'm.
pregnatcd with the city sewerage, and
therefore unfit for domestic use. The
council had before this contracted with
II. ID. Hubbard IL Co. for laying the
conduit pipe and erecting Il crib at the
river bank.
The present system is the direct pres
sure furnished by one Knowles pump
IL in. water cylinder-24 in. stroke and
capable Of throwing l,200 gallons per
minute.
The water district embraces all the
business portion of the city and the
better part of the residence portion.
The flremen are well organized and
supplied with 800 feet of hose, nearly
new, together with a hook and ladder
outfit. MacRitchic IL Nicho carried
out their agreement in thorough and
satisfactory manner. the mains being
thoroughly tested at the final settle
mcnt. The water works as now Opcr-
atcd ale not considered as anything
more than temporary relief, the
contract with the mill company running
only ten years at the farthest and TO be
cancelled at any time after this date
at one years notice 10y the council.
Already there is very general senti-
ment in favor of utilizing the Bunker
Hill well and thus secure water suitable
for all uses II is lhouoht tint by tuu.