Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-12
OUR LOCAL AFFAIRS.
THE WATER WE NOW DRINK.
The Chamber OF Commerce Adspt Resoi"-
tim R.aues,ina the Ctr Council 70 Connect
the suction-Pipes With the River.

Commerce was held yesterday evening. |
Present: X. L. Blankenship, president;
Thomas Potts, first vice.pre1dent; Il. A.
Dunlop, George p. Stacy, George X. Can
non. Frank ID. Hill, Robert 5. Bosher,
George Gibson, Jr.. and George A. Ains'ie.
Excuses were made for the absence OF
Mes.rs. +. o. Melting, George l.. Chris
tian, and Gustayus Millbiser.
ON motion, the Committee on Inland
Trade were requested 10 inquire into tue
cause OF the stopping OF the Burkeyille ex-
press train on the Danville road. and do
what they can to procure restoration OF
the same.
The chief business Of the Board, con-
sidered to be Of importance to the pros
perity Of the city, both from commercial
and a social view, was the consideration OF
the water whether the water
supply had not better be drawn from the
river direct than from the canal. The new
works at the Three-Mile locks, which sup
ply the greater part OF the city, derive
their power from the Nine-Mile locks
feeder, or Bosher's dam.
THE CANAL-wATER.
This same water, after passing over the
wheels, is pumped up into the new resef-
yoir, having run down the canal Tor SIX
miles before II is thus used. At its source
il receives the volume OF water from
Tuckahoe creek; coming down, Westham
creek flows into It, and ii then drains the
filth OF the Philadelphia quarry. where
some two or three hundred men are en-
Moved. In the beginning OF the summer,
when the prevailing sickness began to be
attributed to the use OF this water. the
Committee on Water resolved to extend
the suction-pipe into the river by way
OF the feeder at the Three-Mile
locks. which they believed could be
done for few hundred dollars.
Subsequently Colonel Cutshaw and the
committee had an analysis made o! the wa
ter in the river and the water in the canal,
and they proved to be about the same-one
about as good a. the other. Thereupon
the Committee, on Water and Health, act
ing together, determined tha. it was unne-
cessarv TO extend the suction-pipes in the
river; that they would do well enough
where now located, but that the great nul-
sances at the Philadelphia quarry should
be abatcd by piping or tunnelnng them
under the canal.
DR.. CABETL'S VIEWS.
Dr. J. G.. Cabell. president Of the Board
Of Health, was present at the meeting OF
the BOARD OF Directors Of the Chamber OF
Commerce Yesterday evening by request,
and with great courtesy answered the
numerous questions put TO him. lie said ::
~ think the water from the river certainly
preferable to the water from the canal, but
/ acouiesced in the recent action OF the
Council committees because ! understood
Colonel Cutshaw 20 say that at low stages
oi the river the volume OF the stream at the
Three-Mile locks would not De sufficient
for the purpose. may have misunderstood
him, but think that that was his view.
am decidedly of the opinion that the water
| should be gotten from the river il posi-
ble.''
=. Have you ever heard. Doctor. that the
original plan Of Colonel CutShaw conlem-
Mated drawing the water from the rirer y
asked a member.
$50 have heard" was the reply.
"Is there any chemical analysis that can
| be made that will show all the impurities
| in water:"
Or. Cabell: 81 think not"
| Mr.. Blankenship said he was sure from
| his know ledge Of the river that there never
| at any time would be any difficulty in hnd-
/ ing IN the river near the Thrce-Mile lock"
! n sufiiclencv OF water to keep the reservoir
! filed. lie referred DR.. Cabell TO the re-
mort OF Mr. sheriff. published IN th'
! Chamber Of Commerce reports.
DR.. Cabell repeated that il the water fol
cur people to drink could be gotten out o
the river itself. instead Of out OF the canal
il ought to be done. He had heard tha
the cost would be about $4,000.
REQUEST.
After considerable discussion. and il
view Of the fact that even il the filth from
the philadelphia quarry be conducted un
der the canal into the river, the bad watel
from Westhsm and TuckahOe creeks vii
still remain, and that there always will b'
more or less odium attached to "canal
water" the Board adopted a resolution b!
unanimous vote that the City Council b'
requested to make the connection direc
with the river at or near the Three-Mil,
/ locks
FLOW AND POWER OF THE JAMES.
The paper OF Mr. Shirrii on this sub
iect. above referred to, is As follows, ana
gives valuable information both A. to thu
ilow and power Of the james between
Bo>her', dam (whence comes, 10y way o
the canal. the water Of the new reservoir
and Richmond:
WATER POWER.
ON the subject OF our water-power tn
following is valuable:
RICHMOND AND AILEGHANY !
RAILROAD COMPANY,
/ OFFICE ENGINEER or WATER-POwER.
RICHMOND, Va, January %. 1854.
Dear Sir,-Answerng your inquiry con
cerning the possible development OF water
power at Richmond, | beg to present th
following facts:
The extreme low summer flow OF tn
James river will not fall below l,000 cubi
feet per second. nineteen years out o
twenty.
FROM Bosher's dam to tidewater is faI
OF 116 feet.
! A full use Of the river would produce
| with this quantity and fili.....tAl lO,02o III.
| Facilities exist on the river above.
| which for an investment, that the
Increase OF power would safely
warrant. wonld increase this low
2l,0i0 H. I
| The civ Of Richmond Is entitled TO
| draw ~ ROsher's dam one half the
| flow of the TlNer until this one half
| reaches the maximum OF 7O5 Gu
| bic feet per second This quantity
Is used Al the Tnrce-Mie lOcks
| over twenty feet fail. and can then
be used again from the Richmond
Level TO tidl water over cighty-fOur
feet fall, twelve feet tall being thus
| wasted. OF, In The Two cases, A and
| equal To r
50! Iss, over twelve fee, fee, 34S IL IL
| which should be taken from the
| above figures to get the develop 49,, ., ,
tB2l2O,2OO III
II all the water were 10 be drawnat
| the Three Nile locks and carefully
utilized land this improvement
could be carried out at very
much less cost than the Oiherl, .
there would be a possible OF. l1'6zu r. !
.,,.......''.'.''' ~ lo'ofpl IL
The amount OF power in Use at the pre-,
ent time estimate a. follows:
From Kiehnond level el............... 1850 ii.
Richmond dock ................ 100 -
Manchester eanaI.............. 94O
=? Old pump. house................. $50
" Old Dominion Iron and Nall
| WORKS. .............s........''. SUI
(C) 1000
Hhe value OF $500 horsepower. "a
81 minus tCl capitalized Al per
cent. Is at ................ FlOo,oOO
The value of 10000 horse. power
| (B IL miaus lCl capitalized al
per cent. Is at least.................. 100000
Very respectfully,
REUBEN SHIRRIPP,
Engineer w. =.
The CIay.Ward Acttves.
The Cfay-ward Actiyes authorized the
president, Mr.. John T.. Hankins. at the
last meeting, to have made large an
beautiful banner. The banner hiss bee
completed and placed in position acro