Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-23
IT WILL HAVE WATER.
MANCHESTER TO GIVE A CONTRACT TO
Mr.. WHITE, OF sEw YORK.
The Works to be Completed in Eighteen
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Hews Items.


Bews Items.
Manchester is 10 have new water
works and an adequate supply of James
riyer water.
The authorized committee OF the
Council has decided TO give the contract
to Captain William Henry White, OF
New York, and he agrees to have his
tower completed, pipes laid, and water
running through the city within one
and half years.
This will be good news to the people
of Manchester and her friends. Two
things the need OF which has long been
felt here are increased water facilities
and protection of property against loss by
fire, and the present arrangement will
supply both. During the last few years
several hundred thousand dollars worth
of property has been destroyed that
might have been saved had the city been
equipped with a good water supply aud
apparatus with which TO combat the
fiery element.
SUCCESSFUL BIDDER.
Some months ago the Council referred
this whole subject to n special joint COM
mittee composed of the Committees on
Water and Finance, with power to con-
tract for works : also. with authority to
employ the services of an expert in such
matters. The assistance of Mr.. Charles
Boiling was secured, and he and the
committee, with City-Attorney William
l. Clopton. prepared specifications upon
which contractors might bid. Seve-
raj propositions had already been
made but it was deemed better 20 dis
card all Of them. Under the spccifca-
tions the only bidders were Captain
White and a syndicate with Mr.. Barry,
secretary of the Richmond Union Pas
senger-Railway Company, at its head,
and the proposal of the latter was only
received Tuesday night after the com
mittee had convened TO take final
action. BY vote of six to one
Captain Whites offer, with a slight
modification of the specifications was
adopted. Judge Clopton was engaged
Yesterday preparing the contract When
this has been completed and other pre-
liminaries arranged Mr. Pordue will call
a special meeting of the committee to
confirm the action of the committee be-
fore he, as president OF TIE Council and
chairman of the committee, signs the
report.
THE CONTRACT.
The specifications provide that the
works are to be located in or near The
city, and the water shall be taken from
the river at n point above Canoe run.
The contractor is required to furnish
the necessary pumpingeDgines, water
tower, mains, and pipes, with the neccs-
sary gates, valves, fire-hydTants, &c, to
supply the city and It's inhabitants with
water.
Il il provided that all the mpng- engines
shall be equal 10 the standard Of the v NorthtnE-
ton or Blake pumps, aud shall be 81 Sufficient
capacity 10 deliver 10 the city Of Manchester one
aud half million gallons II water each twenty
four hours. and in event Of the growth OF tho
city aud greater demand for water the capaci-
" Of the pumps 10 be increased 70 meet the re-
quirements.
PIPES.
All mains, pipes, crosses, etc. TO be made Of
the best cnst IRON. and each pipe. special cast
ing. etc, 10 bc coated after an approved method,
aud tested under water pressure Of three hun
dred pounds per square inch before being laid,
said pipes 10 be true in line and cylindrical. No
ripe less than four inches IN internal diameter
shall be laid in any street or alley. The length ~
the street mains laid for the present service shall
net be less than ivo miles In length. exclusive OF
the necessary pump mains 70 the tower, and the
supply main bringing the water from the tower
20 the city. Extensions to the street mains shdil
be made along such streets a. the Council may
fIta ftfN "a
for such extension shall amount % 10 per cent
upon the cost Of that particular extension. All
the pipes laid shall be Of an area sufficient %
supply an abundance OF water at all
points for fire protection and domes-
tic and manufacturing use. The stop valves
furnished 90 bee OF an approved pat
tern. and at sufficiently close intervals 20 thor
0ugaly control the water in the mains In the
event Of any break or burst pipe. they shall be
protected by cRst-irOn boxes, with sufficiently
large openings 10 render the valves reHdiy ac-
cessible Whenever branch main shall be
lad "A stop valve shall De put In at q point near
whore the branch is made on the branch pipe.
All pipes or mains laid shall not be less than
four feet below the surface Of the ground.
FIRE-HYDRANTs.
All fre-hydrants put in 10 be Of an improved
make, and double nozzle, and 10 ated at such
points rs the Council or whoever the Council
may appoint for this purpose may direct Be-
fore the hydrants shall be accepted for use 10y
the city the following test shall be made: There
shall te tour streams OF water trOm four IRE
hydrants az the same time, which hydrants are
10 bc selected 10y the Council. through 30 feet of
2b-inch hose with a f.-inch nozzle, aud there
shall De maintained q pressure Of fVrty-nvc
pounds at each hydrant, and stream OF water
from each shall be thrown vertically eighty ieet
ana horizontally i2O feet from the nozzle, held
about three feet above the ground This test shall
h- maintained for "a reasonable length OF time.
Also at an times there ID al be sufficient pres
sure from the water-toNer independent OF the
III. o. Nfl L. fHtaF Ua
Of water from four different nre-hydrants 10 pe
selected by the Council through 30 feet 2s Inch
hose and Inch nozzle fifty feet high for thirty
minutes.
The contractor will be required to keep in
good order all pumping engines, water-tower,
mains and appurtenances Of all kinds, and hold
the city harmless and free from all damage or
cost in the event OF any accident 20 any part OF
tho wnter-wOrks, tower, mains, etc.
should any OF the hrc-hydrants rented by the
city become Injured by means OF the careless
and improper use on the part Of the city authorl-
ties the city shall repair them.
GENERAL PROVISIONS.
The contractor shall commence work
in three months after the acceptance OF
the proposal, and complete it within
fifteen months thereafter, unless delayed
by some legal process. The public
schools and all municipal buildings shall
be supplied with water free OF charge,
and there shall he four public drinking
fountains. for man and beast, the city
to furnish the fountains and materials.
The contractor has to repair, replace,
and restore all streets, sidewalks, &c.,
along which pipes are laid. Failure for
month to furnish an adequate supply
of water shall be judged as ground sui
ticient for annulllng the contract in the
Hastings Court.
The contract further provides:
Water shall be furnished TO private consumers
upon terms not % exceed the rates now or here
alter charged by the city OF Richmond and Man
chester agrees 10 rent from the contractor hfty
hre-hydrants at the rate OF s5S per annum, and
for each additional hro-hydrant that the con-
tractor may erect upon order Of the Council
the city will pay the same rental, said IRE
nydrants 20 be put up at such time ana
III such locations "a the Council may direct.
Said hvdrants are 10 be used for the purpose