The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-12-27
our WATER WORKS
Points OF Interest Concerning their Con.
structiOn and Capacity.


Points OF Interest CONCERNING their Con.
structiOn and Capacity,
Emporla enjoys the distinction of be-
ing the first town in the State to have
water works. They are located mile
southwest of the city. on the north side
of the Cottonwood river. They were
formally dedicated ON the 18th of June,
1880, and the jubilee was participated IN
by citizens from Winfield, Wichita, Eu-
reka, Parsons, Topeka, and other towns.
The cost of the works was $45, 900 for
which bonds were issued by the city,
The vote on this question standing 1854
in favor to 40 against the works. The
machinery consists of Holly, quadru-
BILE, compound condensing engine, COM
bining four engines in one, which may
be run singly, in pairs, or all together.
The ordinary supply for the town, about
100000 gallons a day. is derived from a
well % feet in diameter and &c feet deep.
In case of fire the supply is taken direct
from the river. A fire alarm attachment
is connected with the engine in such a
manner that when a hydrant is opened
in town a whistle Is blown automatical-
". which notifies the engineer that there
Is water needed for fire purposes, and
the necessary pressure can be produced
IN minute and halt. The pumps and
engine haYe a capacity of one million
gallons of water every "a hours at %
revolutions per minute.
The ordinary pressure is 60 pounds,
and the pressure for fire is 40 pounds.
There are two boilers, each of sufficient
capacity to drive all four pumps at once,
and one is always held IN reserve in case
Of accidents. The works were construc-
ted by Russell & sAlexander, who have
put in many similar systems in different
parts Of the West.
When the works were completed there
were seven miles OF street mains laid
At present there are, within and beyond
the city limits, 1919 miles of mains, :
miles of which are without the corpo.
rate linus. One,haf mile OF street
main has been laid during the past year
and 900 feet of service pipe has beer
put in within the last six months. The
mains are laid on Twelfth. Tenth, Sixth
Fourth and First Avenues, and on Syl
van, Union. Market, Mechanic, CONNER
clal, Constitution, State, Neosho, anG
Rural streets. They extend from the
Normal to Soden's Mills, and from Pey
ton Avenue to West street, and there il
not a house in Emporia which canno
be easily reached for the purpose of fir,
protecnon.
| The cost of operating the works i
about $1,000 per year, and the collec
tions OF Superintendent Jeremy for tn
six months ending January 1st, 1884
will be $4,000. The present number O
permits to use water is 407, and 3s3 PEI
sons take and pay for water. The aver
age annual rate per taker is about So 90
There is every reason to believe that, b
another year, the water works will b
self.sustaining. and leave q small SUI
plus for paying interest on the bonds
The works have proved magnificer
thing for the town In the way of col
tributing to the growth of trees an
grass, aud their construction has done 6
much to advance the interests Of I'll
town as any step that has ever been Ii
ken. R.sW. Jeremy, as superintender
of the works, oversees the laying {
pipes, putting in She service, the co lie,
ticn of bills from takers, while W. {
Greenway, the engineer, has SUPERVISE
ofthe machinery at the works Both p
|; sitions are well flied.