The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-05
THE WATER COMPANY SURPRISED.
Investigators Find that the Supply Of Water
for Fires Is Not Kept at Uniform Guage.

A surprise was given the water works COM
pauy yesterday afternoon, and the members OF
the company are not feeling just exactly right
about it. It was secretly arranged by the fire
committee, and DR.. carp. OF the Board Of Health,
to make a test, and learn how large q stream could
be thrown with five hose in operation, and also
what the gallery could furnish with the gate
from the river cloesd. 1t was ordered that the
alarm be turned in at 80 p. NJ, from BOX IL.
Officer Crane was sent to the gallery to close
the flter-gate. which cuts off the river supply
to the covered gallery, while DR.. carp and Cap
tain Splann stationed themselves at the pump
house. 70 ascertain the hsighth of water ia the
we'll from which the engines draw their supply
for the city. and under 100 pounds FIRE
pressure the rapidity with which water could be
drawn from tho well. At 4:3S Mr.. Trusler tel.
ephoned DR.. carp from headquarters. asking
him II he was ready, and when the answer "Au
is ready" came back the alarm was turned in.
Following Is the result as taken by DIR. carp at
the pump-house:
At AIS o'clock, pressure 100 pounds; water in
well four feet six inches. At 4:55. pressure 100
pounds; water in well two feet six inches.
well one foot ten inches. AT 5:15,
pressure ninety pounds. water in we'll one foot
eight inches. At this juucture engineer John
Rail, OK the water company, telephoned from
~ y WIN I1C ~ Vic PhAp AOuoo nshihk
how the water was in the well. as the indicator at
the office which registers the gauge at the
pump-house so happened to be out OF repair.
When he learned the gauge Of the water in the
we'll was only one foot and eight inches be tele-
phoned engineer Hodge to drop the pressure to
eighty pounds in order for the well to
refill. Five minutes later, after the pressurs
was dropped the water stood two feet 10 the
well, and at $50 the water had raised six inches
Bycontract, the company should have a pressure
of 120 pounds, but when visited yesterday m
expectedly the gauge marked ITO pounds. 1t
had been claimed that the gallery could get a
sufficient supply from the springs and wells
without opening the filter gate, permitting the
water from the river TO enter the covered
| gallery.
It was shown that while almost full pressure
was carried at the pump-house, the indicator
demonstrated that the water in the we'll had fall
len to eighteen inches. That engineer Rail at
this time had ordered the dropping of the pres
sure to eighty pounds, seemed to those investi-
eating that half an hour would only be required
to empty the well. II this be true, DR.. carp
Gays the circumstances would seem to make a
tempting opportunity to open the fUme valve
and let in the supply from the canal. On the
other hand Mr.. Rail believes this to have been
the most unfortunate time q test could have
been made. He claims that the gallery was be-
ing repaired at the time of the test and that in
consequence q ten inch stream was running
therefrom. Mr.. Rail was not aware that a testhad
been made until last night, owing to the impaired
ondition of the Office indicator. He is not ia
favor of "snap" judgment, and thinks he should
have been informed of what was taking place.