Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-02-11
THE CITY WATER SUPPLY.
Some Suggestions and Comparisons-Ciear
Water versus Slickens, Etc.


are a few things connected with the water
supply question which should not be lost
sight of in discussing the matter. VIII
suggest some of them.
Quite frequently in case Of fire there has
been deficiency in the supply OF water
furnished by the water-works, and in con-
sequence at such times greater damage has
been done and more time consumed Ill
controlling the fire than should be neces-
sarv Under such circumstances the blame
has often been laid upon the water-works
for not maintaining the proper pressure,
but investigation has always proved that
suspicion TO be groundless. Subsequent
work on the water pipes has developed the
fact that the fault was due TO the clogg1ng
of the water pipes with the mud and sedi-
ment which is carried in the water accu-
mulating from time to time, until the car
rying capacity of the pipes in the neighbor-
hood had become very materially reduced.
In some instances the pipes have been
found to be more than three-qIarters full.
making it necessary at great expense to
remove them and put in new and larger
ones in order to meet the demands of con-
sumers and furnish the required protection
from fire.
If clear instead of muddy water were
flowing through the pipes. this difficulty
would be obviated while deposits already
in the pipes would be cleared out The
effect would be to give TO every locality its
full amount of pressure, and to supply it
with water to the full extent the capacity
of its pipes. These improved conditions,
even with the same pressure, would give a
much greater protection from fire.
Another nOint in this matter of fire prO-
lection is that, in case of fire, there is a
possibility of the water works being de-
Stroyed. And under such circumstances,
should the fire get well under way, there is
no telling what the end might be. Nor is
the destruction of our water works by fire
by any means an impossibility. Twice
within the past few years fires have been
started which, had they not been discovered
i'll time, might have resulted disastrously-
once, about 1878 or 1879, near the west end
of the old water-worlls building, and again,
more recently, from spontaneous combus-
ton in pile of coal in the shed of the new
water-works building. If fire should oc-
cur, destroying even only the water works,
the damage would be almost incalculable
in the inconvenience resulting for months
thereafter from a lack of water for even the
most necessary purposes. Those who have
not seen it can hardly imagine the effect of
such condition Of affairs.
Even temporary or partial suspension
of pumping causes great inconvenience as
was experienced for time last summer
when a breakage in one of the pumps made
it necessary to put the people upon short
rations. The streets were poorly sprinkled,
and became very dusty flowers and lawns
and parks suffered for want of irrigation,
and motors failed to respond to the de-
mands of their operators, or were stopped
entirely, and in many remote or elevated
places no water whatever could be obtained.
This was from partial and not very serious
breakage. Very much more serious break
downs are possible at any time, with the
correspOndingly greater inconvenience and
loss. The breaking of a piece of machinery
or the bursting of 4 boiler might so disar-
range everythingas to interfere with the sup
plying of the city with water for an indef-
mite period. That these are accidents
quite possible of occurrence we well know
from reports from every portion OF our
country. Even the carefully planned and
constructed machinery of ocean steam
ships meets with mishaps making it some
times nece ssary for them to complete their
voyages by sail.
But if our source of supply were by gray
itation from the mountains above us, such
in erruptions, with properly constructed
works, would be impossible. Malicious
ness would be the only danger to provide
against, and even from such u cause a
stoppage in the supply could only be of
short duration. Provision against even
such contingency could and should be
made by leaving one of the pumps now in
use in position ready for work at a mo-
ments notice. EXEMPT.
MEFRoPoLITAN THEATER. -" Vacation .
had a good house last night. It's broad
character and its very Objectionable stand
ards of right conduct for young men and
women, served to draw full house, pre-
ciselv as was predicted. There is ability
enough in the company TO amuse an audi
ence, but it is misdirected. In saying as
much yesterday we anticipated that it
would help" the business" for the
public apparently prefer to fill the benches
for mere hog-wash, and leave them empty
when the Legitimate claims its patron
age. Miss Derious DAILY received several
encores for her songs, which were well
rendered. One by Mr.. DAILY, however,
might better have been omitted. However
his standard of propriety is evidently very
much below that of some other people,
for he had the bad taste to come
to the footlights and assail the press for add
verse criticisms. We will do him the JUS
tice of saying, however, that he did not re-
fer to this journal in the matter of alleged
abuse of courtesy extended. since to have
so charged would have been untrue The
press does its simple duty when it says as
did the RECORD UNION, that Vacation"
descends from semi-permissble slang to
knee-deep vulgarism, and Mr.. Days APP
peal to the presence of his own family on
the stage as guaranty OF proprety only
testitieS TO his Misrepresentation of the term
vulgar, and the broad distinction between
Eastern and Occidental estimates of pro-
priety. However Vacation draws good
houses. makes people laugh by the recll-
lessness of its absurdity, and the elasticity
of It's morals and its wit, and fills the
managerial pocket What more does Mr.
Daily want? If the vulgar pays, by all
means let him exercise the right royal
privilege to revel in it. Vacation for
the last time tonight, and as it Is naughty
nice, there will be a full house after the
manner OF the day.
How THEY WENT FIsHlNG-The Reno
Gqsdtc of the 9th inst, has the following
report Of the proceedings Of a Committee
of Inquiry d" Yesterday morning the mem
berS of the Fish Committee Of the Califur-
MIA Assembly, consisting of Hons c. FN
McGlashan of the Truckee Republican. d. NJ.
Pyle, Munday of Petaluma and Hazard of
Los Angeles, whoarriyed IN Truckce Satur-
day morning to make an examination Of
the adaptability of sawduSt for trout food,
came down TO Reno in the hope of securing
fine SawduSt-gorged fish After break
fasting at the Depot Hotel, Mr.. McGlashan
asked Chamberlain where the best fishing
ground was, and seemed dazed when in
formed that no fish had been caught this
season above the head of the canyon, six
or seven miles below Reno and further
that they would require some sort of
tackle, rs the use of the TrUckee grab-hook
was not allowed in this State MEG re-
piled that they had three bottles of bait,
but ma other tackle, and as the water was
too cold to wade after fish they went down
to Wadsworth where they purchased 4 fine
string from an Indian, and returned to
Truckee on the evening train
REGARDING TEACHERS CERTIFICATES -
The following letter, relative to the power
of the County Superintendent of Public
Schools to issue temporary certificates, is
self-eXplanatory Sacramento, February
10, 1885. To the members of the County
Board of Education of Sacramento county
Gentlemen In reply to your commune
cation of this date have 10 say That in
my opinion you have power, under Section
l175 Of the Political Code, TO renew certifi-