Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-03-03

The machinery would be more expensive ina
| in the Minneapolis project, because greate
quantity of water would have to be nandle
to obtain the same power. Assume the mos
uufavorable Casa low dam built expressl
for pumping. The lift Of the pumps woul
likewise be sixty or seventy feet greater
We're the location of the dam governed en-
tirely by the requirements OF the water WORKS
| it need be but a trife over two miles from tn
reservoir. assume it, in the estimate, tw'
and-a-half miles. Should it be deemed neces
sary to avoid even the semblance or sugges
| ton of uncleanness the water could, OF course
be brought from above Minneapolis. Thi
would have the advantage of diminishing tn
lift OF the pumps by the total amount OF tn
fall between the two mill ponds. The bes
form of conduit for this purpose, would be 6
tunnel in the sand rock, Immediately below
the limestone, this formation being,1as l have
reason to believe, continuous along the whole
line. It would, of course, be carried fal
enough from the river to avoid any interference
with wheel-pits and races at st. Anthony
Such tunnel, six feet deep and seven feet
wide, lined on the bottom and sides with
brick work in cement, would cost about
twelve dollars alineal foot. 1t would be about
four aud half miles long.
The contamination of waters by the pres
ence of refuse and decaying matters is, by NO
means, peculiar to the Mississippi system.
The same evil will be encountered from what
ever source the supply be drawn. In estima-
ting the amount of contamination, we must
consider the volume of water to be defiled, as
well as the quantity of defiling material The
Mississippi, at Minneapolis, drains over ~, OOO
square miles, Lake Phalen, at present, some
thing like so. The former may be considered,
therefore, as having 400 times the volume of
the latter, and would be contaminated in no
greater degree by the sewage and refuse OF
Toe, 600 people than the present water supply
reasoning to the entire drainage ground COM
manded by Lake Vadnais, with the proposed
improvements, to be considered hereafter, we
should find that system liable to the same
contamination from 1 900 people that the Mis-
sissippi is from 100000.
The subject of joint system of water works
for st. Paul and Minneapolis has lately Occa-
stoned considerable discussion. Though not
strictly embraced in the inquiry referred to in
this commission, few words on the subject
may not be inOppOrtue.
In calculations relative to the river project,
have assumed the surface of water in the
reservoir 270 feet above the low water level of
the river at st. Paul. My levels show that
such site can be obtained and higher If nee
essary. This, according to railroad levels, is
about III feet above the grouud at st. Anthony
junction, giving satisfactory pressure for
domestic purposes, but not enough to en-
able fire engines to be dispensed with. Either
of the pla ms pointed out, could, with suitable
both cities. In the plan with pumpworks To-
Gated at Minneapolis, the distributing system
of that city would be connected with the force
main leading to the reservoir. While the
pumps were running, the city would be sup
piled, and the balance of the water pumped
would go through the force main to the reser-
voir. When toe pumps are not running, the
distributing system of Minneapolis would
stand in direct connection with the reservoir
through the force main. In the plan with
pumpworks located at a dam below Minneap-
oils, that city would require separate leading
main from the reservoir. Should either of
the cities desire to maintain that feature OF the
Holly system which consists in an increased
pre- sure during fires, notifications to that
end could readily be introduced, though in
that case, each town would require connec-
ton with the reservoir distinct from the force
main. On the occurrence of a fire in either
town, that town would be disconnected from
the reservoir and connected with the force
main, while the other town would be discon-
nected from the force main and put in con-
nection with the reservoir. The chiefs of the
fire department in either town would, of
course, be in communication by telegraph or
telephone with the engineer at the pump
works, and the Waterman at the reservoir.
A considerable saving would result from
the adoption of such system. A single re.
servoir of one hundred millions capacity would
cost materially less than two of fifty millions
each, and similar remark applies to pump
works. The cost of attendance and manage
ba1 or ,sr,i,
prehend, however, that the administrative diff
ficultes in the way of such project would be
more formidable than those OF an engineering
character.
COMO LAKE PROJECT.
have noted two grave objections to the
adoption of Lake Phalen as part of a perman
and insufficient pressure A schemey Rpremis-
ing to avoid these difficulties, the first wholly,
the second partially, has been urged with
much confidence. 1t consists in intercepting
the waters of the present system at Pleasant
Lake, and diverting into the same such other
streams on the table land, between the Missis-
sippi and st. Crolx, as the topography of the
region will admit of. The water to be trans
mitted through an acqueduct from Pleasant
Lake to Lake Como, which latter takes the
place of Lake Phalen as the distributing reser
yoir. Como Lake is about 202 feet above the
low water of the river. Pleasant Lake some
six feet higher. This system would consider
ably enlarge the zone of gravtation supply,
leaving, at present, only about 800 houses
to be supplied by pumping. l have caused
the necessary surveys to be made for thor
ough examination of this project.
Pleasant Lake lies about ten miles north of
the business part of st. Paul. Its area is $50
acres. It is used as a reservoir IN the present
system. Como is three or four miles north
west of the business part of the town, though
within the city limits. 1t has no outlet. Like
other issueless lakes in this region, it has been
falling for several years, of course, diminish
ing in area, Easterly from Pleasant Lake, at
distance of three or four miles lies Bald
Eagle, II or Is feet higher than Pleasant, con-
tainisg $50 acres. White Bear is little
farther to the eastward. The whole region is
interspersed with smaller lakes. many of them
without inlet or outlet. Further northward
is the valley of Rice Creek, chain of ponds
and marches. The creek flows westerly and
discharges into the Mississippi, at Manomin,
above the falls of st. Anthony. Some of the
branches of this stream might be diverted into
Pleasant Lake, but the main stream is too low,
the cluster of lakes around Centervllle being
on the same level as Como.
Further north lies Forest Lake, which dis
charges into the st. CrOix, through Sunrise
river. It covers 1859 acres, according to the
United States land plats. 1t is about nine feet
higher than the low water level of Pleasant,
/. e. 2l7 feet above low water at st. Paul. 1t
admits of being raised several feet. In fact
it bears unmistalieable evidence OF having
haan siy or e cht feet HIGHER in former times