Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-06-20

A way formerly proposed for increas.
ing the water supply ofAnaheim, Orange
and Santa Ana has been suggested anew,
and experiments are about to be made
for testing the feasibility Of the plan.
Some time ago it was thought that 1t
might be possible to sink in the Santa
Ans. river large cnisson into which the
water now running TO waste in the
sandy bed Of the stream would percolate,
and from which the water 80 obtained
could be pumped into bitches. MIR. II.
G. Kellogg, according to an editorial in
the Anahein Gazefte, has elaborated the
scheme further, and is about to put its
practicability to critical test. Our
contemporary states that two things are
to DO determined by the experiment;
First, whether there he sufficient vol
ume OF water to warrant the undertak.
Ing; and, second, whether the water can
be cleared Of quicksand before 1t shall
enter the discharge pipe. That there is,
probably, the necessary quantity of
water, now trickling uselessly to the
sea, ia the Santa Ana for tho purpose OF
increasing materially tho present water
supply OF the three towns is conceded by
many persons acquainted with that
stream. II the caisson be sufficiently
wide and deep there seems to be no rea.
son why 1t should not catch good deal
OF this water. II is feared, however,
that 1t may not be possible to clear the
water Of quicksand before II enters the
discharge pipe. BY building the caisson
in two or more compartments this diff.
GUILTY would be lessened, for tho sand,
being held in suspension only, would
settle to some extent In the first Of
these, and ngain in each succeeding
compartment. Thus, the compartments
first receiving the water would be in
effect so many silt basins, which would
retain a great part Of the sand. OF
course these basins would need cleaning
out occasionally. II the quantity Of
water entering the caisson were sufficient
to warrant the employment OF a1lis-
charge pipe of considerable diameter,
and II the inclination Of that pipe was
sufficient, there need be no great appro.
hension entertained that tho conduit
would be stopped up by sand. 1t is
proposed to give to this pipe the grade
Of three feet to o mile. A velocity of
anything over one foot per second will
scour sand in natural channels, and
would do no the more readily in we'll.
made iron pipe. Whether or not that
velocity would be obtained by the en-
ployment of the grade proposed is a
question depending for solution upon
the head of water nowing from the
caisson through tho discharge pipe, and
this element, we suggest, should enter
into Mr.. kellogg's calculations. In the
course of his experiment he will be able,
probably. so to adjust the size
OF the q nings admitting water
into his cHsson to that of the
discharge pipe, and its vertical
distance below the surface of the water
in the caisson, ms to maintain total
head sufficient to produce the velocity
required to keep the discharge pipe laid
on the grade mentioned, free OF sand.
In the region we inhabit repeated con.
yulsions of nature, taking place prob
ably many thousands of years age, have
80 upheaved the different strata that in
tho streams the bedrock" has been
shattered in the most capricious manner,
or it is found, when il is found, to be at
a depth which would make the con-
struction of a submerged dam impraotio.
able.s This was, practically, the result
of borings made last year in the Santa
Ana for the purpose of determining the
advisability of building q submerged
dam. The result of Mr.. Kellog's ex-
periments will be awaited by the public
with interest. and we congratulate him,
as we'll as the gentlemen who, we are
led to infer, will be associated with him,
upon the possession of highly commend,
able public spirit.